People, Feb. 20, 1933

“Names make news.” Last week these names made this news:

Plutarco Elias Calles, “Iron Man” and onetime President of Mexico, gave his Santa Barbara hacienda, 20 mi. from Mexico City, to the Mexican Agricultural Department for an experimental station. “Iron Man” Calles built his rural retreat five years ago when his first wife, by whom he had nine children, died. At Santa Barbara hacienda last November his beauteous young second wife, by whom he had two children, died. He has not been able to live there since.

—*—

Phil Scott, whilom British heavyweight ring champion (Jack Sharkey defeated him in three rounds at Miami, 1930), proprietor of a beauty shop at Thornton Heath, was engaged as boxing instructor to Egypt’s police.

—*—

Said philosophical Editor William Allen White of the Emporia (Kans.) Gazette: “As one grows into one’s middle sixties death seems more reasonable than it does in childhood and youth. The thought of death used to terrify me. Now it seems a natural thing, a part of life, just another experience, whatever it is. So many of my friends have faced it, why not I? In the meantime, why fret about it? I have been shaving this funny old face every Sunday. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for years and years. I have come to look on it as a mask behind which lies the reality that it has to hide. It is getting a bit battered and shopworn. Perhaps it would not be such a bad idea to cast it off and let dust return to dust. . . .”

—*—

Pope Pius XI pressed a key, lit an electric cross on Mt. La Verna in Tuscany to celebrate the 1929 signing of the Lateran Treaty, announced that he would create six new cardinals next month, among them the Most Rev. Pietro Fumasoni-Biondi. apostolic delegate to the U. S.

—*—

Said the Most Rev. William Temple, Archbishop of York: “For some reason which I think perfectly idiotic, there is a special sentiment against hanging women. I do wish the women of England would rise up and protest. I think it is a horrible insult to them. They ought to resent it with ferocity.”

—*—

Rev. Harry Emerson Fosdick officially denied a widespread Canadian rumor that the basement of his Riverside Church (Manhattan) had been equipped with a bar to be operated as soon as Prohibition was repealed.

—*—

William Dorman, retired vice president of Johnson & Johnson (surgical supplies) bought the three Barrier Islands—Frippo, St. Phillips and Storey, totalling 15,000 acres—between Charleston, S. C. and Savannah.

—*—

Fire destroyed the 28-room mansion of Joseph Edmund Sterrett, partner in Price, Waterhouse & Co. (accountants), Dawes Plan expert, at Redding Ridge, Conn. Built in 1911 for the late William Luttgen, Morgan partner and commodore of the New York Yacht Club, the estate contains a chain of ponds through which the old commodore used to toot proudly but briefly in a miniature steam yacht.

—*—

The municipal pawnshop of Paris sold for $62,500 two diamonds. “Regent” and “Princess Mathilde.” Held for 20 years, they were once the property of the late Abdul Hamid II, deposed Sultan of Turkey, over whose estate 22 heirs are still wrangling.

—*—

Philip Knight Wrigley, gum tycoon, announced that he would raise his employees’ pay scale to offset their loss of income from shorter working hours. “It’s the only way to get things started again,” said he.

—*—

John P. Morgan was discovered stopping overnight in Roanoke, Va.. headed south on his annual incognito motor trip with his chauffeur-secretary-companion Charles Robertson. Asked about business, said he: “What can one man say that will put an end to this thing?” He said he was glad the morning’s fog was lifting because “I like to read the signs along the road.”

—*—

In Honolulu, while most U. S. Navy men were absent on maneuvers, the prosecution dropped charges against the four islanders accused of attacking Thalia Fortescue Massie in 1931. Reason: “Lack of medical, physical and material evidence of the alleged assault.”

—*—

Professor Auguste Piccard, stratosphere explorer, gave a lecture in Cleveland. First the condenser of the stereopticon machine broke, throwing a deep shadow across the screen. Then the operator changed the slide instead of fixing the condenser. Then people began to laugh nervously. Then the Professor shouted “Shut up!” Then strains of an organ recital began to be heard from next door. “Stop. Stop, STOP!” cried the distracted aeronaut. The recital was postponed.

—*—

The Palm Beach season swung into its second week. Closed for the first time in 40 years was the Royal Poinciana, world’s largest wooden hotel. The Breakers did a nice business at $26 a day. More shops were opened than at any time since 1929, but Best, Macy, Jay-Thorpe, Bonwit Teller failed to resume branches. Bradley’s gambling hall was running full blast. One gamester was reported losing $170,000 one night, recouping it with $5,000 profit the next. Only two private palaces on Ocean Boulevard failed to reopen, those of the late James P. Donahue, husband of Jessie (5 & 10¢) Woolworth, and Mrs. Horace Dodge billman. The Thomas N. McCarters arrived. The Emil J. Stehlis gave a dinner for their daughter and son-in-law. Mrs. James Roosevelt arrived. Mayor John Shepard Jr. formally opened the George A. Dobyne swimming pool. Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Pulitzer gave a golf tournament. Some one gave a party at which all the guests were costumed to represent theme songs. Mr. & Mrs. John North Willys arrived. The Henry Seligmans gave a party at the Café Marguery of the Bath & Tennis Club. Edward T. Stotesbury and Maria Jeritza attended. Professor Raymond T. Moley came to visit Mr. & Mrs. Joseph P. Kennedy. Joseph E. Widener and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney went to the races at Hialeah. The A. Atwater Kents entertained at dinner. The Chester Dales arrived. So did John Jacob Astor. So did the Edward F. Huttons. So did President Joseph Vincent McKee of New York City’s Board of Aldermen. Joseph Hergesheimer was staying with James H. R. Cromwell. Arthur Somers Roche ate buffet dinner with Mrs. Dodge Sloane. Countess Edith di Zoppola visited the Harrison Williamses. The English nobility was represented by the Honorable Moya Beresford (great granddaughter of the late, notorious Jay Gould), the highly eligible Duke of Sutherland and Earl of Warwick. Last week all three said they were hugely enjoying the season. Members of the Artists & Writers Golf Association were guests at a ping-pong tournament in the ballroom of the Breakers.