Stargazers
Vincent Lopez published a book called What's Ahead (David McKay; $1) about his astrological activities, claimed many sharp prophecies in the past, ventured a few more: "Money as a business in itself will be abolished around 1948"; "the present form of home life will be eliminated in 1948-55."
Representative Hamilton Fish of New York's Dutchess, Orange and Putnam Counties was jubilantly pessimistic about the chances of his most famed constituent, predicted: ". . . Roosevelt . . . will not carry a single state north of the Mason-Dixon line."
Sergeant Alvin York, in Knoxville to present awards at an Open War Bond Golf Tournament, made a prediction: "After April 15, Germany will be out of the war within 60 days."
Harlow Shapley, famed Harvard astronomer, said that hereafter technical communications between Cambridge and Harvard's big observatory at Bloemfontein, South Africa, must be phrased in ordinary instead of scientific language. A censor might be difficult about such messages as: "Nova explosion Puppis shoot nightly using whole battery: 08095 13512 Urgent." This means: "Make systematic observations of bright new star in constellation Puppis near star Zeta using all telescopes."
Girls and Government
Ensign Edith Kingdon Gould (see cut), sightly great-granddaughter of the late Robber Baron Jay Gould, stood at the head of her graduating class at the Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School in Northampton, Mass. Not a college graduate, the daughter of socialite Financier Kingdon Gould of Manhattan enlisted in the WAVES as an apprentice seaman in October 1942, worked her way through t he ranks to an officer-candidate appointment.
Eleanor Roosevelt told newspaper women at the White House that she hoped women would sit officially at the peace conference. One of the reporters asked if she wished to seat herself. For a split second she frowned, then laughed: "Nothing under God's green earth could make me take a public job of any kind. I will be 60 next year. I don't think I have the qualifications. This is the time when young people must plan for the future . . . they've got to live it." Suggested a reporter: "But your gloomy view of being 60 is going to depress a great many people." Retorted the First Lady:. "Oh, I adore being 60."
Mike Jacobs, scheming, scowling No. 1 U.S. fight promoter, smiled all over his face as he and Mrs. Josephine Jacobs adopted five-month-old Joan Ann (see cut).
Charles Chaplin, acquitted of a Mann Act indictment charging that he transported Joan Berry across state lines for immoral purposes, had still to face two actions: 1) his alleged paternity of Miss Berry's six-month-old daughter, Carol Ann; 2) his alleged deprivation of Miss Berry's civil rights.
Rose Wilder Lane, novelist (Let the Hurricane Roar, Free Land), mother of two Army sons, told why she had retreated to her Connecticut farm, given up writing for the duration—of the New Deal. Cried she: "I don't see why I should work to support the Writers' War Board, the OWI and all such New Deal piffle while men are dying and there is work to be done at home."