Dorothy Dix Returns

A while back, I featured some of Dorothy Dix's World War II era advice columns. I enjoy her style, and the glimpse of 1940's home life. Long before "Dear Abby," Dorothy was here to tell women and men how to get their sh*t together, and live in domestic bliss. I hope to feature more of her columns in the near future.

--Jason Scorich
 

Dear Miss Dix: Six months ago I met and fell in love with a handsome young man who was a stranger in our town. After a whirlwind courtship we eloped and were married. We had a brief honeymoon and then settled down in a grand apartment. My husband bought me everything I wanted and for a while we were happy. But a week ago I learned that he had another wife and child in another town and I am heartbroken. He never told me anything about his past and I never questioned him. Now I regret that I did not know him better before our marriage, yet I still love him deeply. What shall I do?

SAD WIFE

Answer: The most amazing thing in the world is the recklessness with which people marry, especially women. A woman who would not buy a $10 hat without looking it over carefully and seeing if it is made of good material instead of shoddy, and trying it on to see if it becomes her and considering whether it suits her, will marry a man without ever taking the trouble to find out the first thing about him. You certainly know enough about law to be aware that you have no legal standing as a wife

in as much as the man already has another wife, so you had better clarify your situation at once: As your husband seems to be such a fascinator that you still love him in spite of the way he has treated you, perhaps he will get a divorce from his other wife and marry you, though why you want a bigamist, goodness knows.

Dear Miss Dix: I am 40 years old and in love with a girl of 20. I am a widower with a son 4 years old. I have known this girl all her life and have worked with her for the past two years, side by side, eight hours a day, six days a week. We both come from good families and have the same background. I have a small prosperous business and can give my wife a good home, a car, and all the comforts the middle class have. I am not stingy, mean or little. She loves me and loves my child. What do you think of our chance of happiness if we marry? H.T.

Answer: I think it is a knockout. There is hardly a chance that such a suitable marriage will fail to bring both you and the girl great happiness.

Dear Miss Dix: I am a war bride of two months. Recently my husband got a leave and took me home to meet his parents. While there I discovered there is insanity in his family. If he had told me, I never would have married him. Do you think I am justified in demanding a divorce, or should I chance the marriage?

AN UNCERTAIN WIFE

Answer: I advise you to go and consult some good psychiatrist. But, oh, how much sorrow could be saved if only these foolish young girls who, by the thousands, are marrying men of whom they know nothing, except that they look swell in their uniforms and that a furlough wedding seems romantic to them, would take the trouble to find out something about the heredity, the social position, the characters and the past records of the men they are marrying.

Dear Dorothy Dix: I have been married one month and I find I am very indignant with my husband. He makes me get up first in the morning and get his breakfast, and while I fix his breakfast and pack his lunch he hardly speaks to me, just reads the newspaper. Should I not make him get up when I do so I could talk to him before he leaves for work, for a few minutes anyway?

AN UNHAPPY BRIDE

Answer: Well, my dear, perhaps your husband doesn’t feel very talky of a morning before he has had his coffee. Not many of us care for conversation on an empty stomach. So, if I were you, I would just let him read his newspaper in peace and save the talkfest to serve with the dinner. You will find it makes for general happiness not to interfere between a man and his morning paper.
Duluth News Tribune— May 2, 1943
 

Sub Skipper Seals Fate With Order ‘Take Her Down’

Brave Officer Rides Conning Tower To Death To Save Crew

By John M. Hightower

Washington—A submarine skipper whose last gallant order, “Take her down,” sealed his own death sentence, was credited by the Navy today with successful attacks on three Japanese ships, the last of which the sub rammed in a dramatic night fight for life.

It was in this final action somewhere in the distant Pacific that the officer rode the conning tower of his submerging submarine to his death rather than expose the craft or crew to enemy gunfire.

He had been wounded a few moments before and knew that the time required to get him safely into the submarine might mean the sub’s destruction.

For this sacrifice, Commander Howard W. Gilmore, of New Orleans, La., has been awarded posthumously the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Roosevelt.

The story was told by the Navy today, partly in a communiqué and partly in an accompanying account of the final fight.

The communiqué, which also reported American air raids against Japanese positions in the Central Solomon Islands, listed the three last ships attacked successfully by the submarine under Gilmore’s command as a medium cargo ship, sunk; a gunboat, damaged and probably sunk; a medium cargo ship, damaged.

“Commander Gilmore gave his life in the action against the gunboat lost above,” the communiqué said. “As he lay on the bridge wounded by enemy machine gun fire he ordered his submarine submerged to save it from destruction.”

The gallant commander, first submarine officer to win the Medal of Honor in this war, was on his fourth war patrol.

Previously his submarine had been credited with sinking a total of 25,946 tons of enemy shipping and in addition with having struck boldly into an enemy harbor and attacked three enemy destroyers, sinking two and damaging one.

These exploits had been reported by the Navy but they never had been identified with Gilmore.

But the full story came out today about Gilmore’s last action and the famous last order— “Take her down.”

The incident occurred, the Navy said, “early this year.”

Gilmore’s submarine was on the surface, searching the sea lanes for enemy ships. Suddenly a Japanese gunboat spotted the undersea raider and dashed in to ram it. Gilmore skillfully evaded the on-rushing gunboat. Then it was Gilmore’s turn.

He ordered a maneuver which placed the submarine in position to ram the gunboat and at a speed of 17 knots drove his powerful craft into the Japanese ship.

The gunboat and sub pulled apart and the former began to sink. At that moment it’s crew opened fire with heavy machine guns and Gilmore was struck. Members of his crew sought to carry him below.

He realized, the Navy account said, that the delay inevitable in taking a wounded man below deck might cost the submarine, or at least the lives of men. So in his final moments he gave his last order to the officer of the deck:

“Take her down.”

The submarine dived. As she plunged under the surface, the wounded skipper still riding the bridge, the Japanese gunboat was settling deeper into the sea and apparently it sank.

The sinking could not be definitely claimed, however.

The submarine reached port safely.

Virginia Daily Enterprise— Friday, May 7, 1943

Asbestos Exempted For Homes

Faced with a critical shortage of long-fiber asbestos needed for war uses, the War Production board has taken steps to solve the problem by amending construction conservation order L-41 governing building repairs, according to an announcement received here by W. P. Heimbach of the Heimbach Lumber Co.

The new amendment exempts asbestos shingles from the $200 limit which governs all such home repairs and permits the use of asbestos shingles for re-roofing and re-siding without restriction if the building is in need of a new roof or needs repainting or repairs.

The amendment was made necessary, it was learned, by the fact that many tons of short asbestos fiber must be mined in order to produce one ton of long fiber. In the past this short fiber has found an outlet in the manufacture of asbestos shingles, but because of the restrictions of order L-41, the utilization of short fiber was greatly reduced and thereby threatened a critical shortage of long fiber.

This move on the art of the War Production board is designed to provide an adequate supply of long-fiber required for the manufacture of essential war materials such as marine cable, insulations, packings, textiles and fire-proofing materials for ships.

At the same time it will permit many home owners to make needed repairs to their homes by re-roofing or re-siding with asbestos shingles.
 

Minstrel Show Set At Jefferson School

Blackfaced characters in a cast for a minstrel show given by Girl Scouts of troop No. 42 and Brownies sponsored by the Jefferson P-TA will perform for the children of the school the afternoon of May 7 and again at 7:30 p.m. for the public. Proceeds of the show will be used by the P-TA to defray expenses of sending the scouts to Janet Pollay camp this summer.

The entire scout troop will take part in the dance and song specialty numbers to be presented under the direction of Mrs. T. Aspros, leader of the troop.

Those taking part are Joyce Breitbord, interlocutor; Beverly Apter, Sharon Chessen, Eileeen Aspros, Alga Visias, jokers or end-men; Barbara Wojtesky, Mary Lou LeMay, Arlis Garon, Sandra Schraber, pickanninnies; Martha Abalon, Beverly Bergen, Charlene Wishman, mammies; Carol Grant, accordianist; Susan Oliver and Diana Aspros, baton twirlers; Marjorie Turnbloom, farmer; Donna Kibby, rabbit.
Duluth News Tribune— May 2, 1943

Sportsman’s Wife Convicted In Passion-Scented Killing

Annapolis, Md.—Mrs. Helen Aileen Randle, 31 year-old wife of a wealthy Washington and Annapolis sportsman, was under conviction of manslaughter today for the fatal shooting of Allen Willey, 17, in a case which her attorney said was “redolent with passion.”

Mrs. Randle was found guilty last night by an all-male jury which deliberated for two hours and a quarter after hearing the attractive third wife of Ulmo S. Randle, 34, tearfully deny she had intentionally fired the shot which resulted in the death of the high school student.

Judge Ridgely P. Melvin said he would pronounce sentence at 9:30 a.m. next Tuesday. The penalty for manslaughter is a prison term of from two to 10 years, or a fine not to exceed $500, or both.

Mrs. Randle showed virtually no emotion during her two-day trial except for the period she spent on the witness stand, received the verdict calmly. She had broken down several times on the stand.

State’s Attorney Marvin I. Anderson had asked for a murder verdict without specifically mentioning the death penalty. The jury, however, convicted on the lesser charge of manslaughter.

During closing arguments, the defendant broke down while William

Curran, of the defense staff, referred to epithets which the defense charged the Willey youth had applied to her before the shooting last Jan. 30 in the Randle home at fashionable Bay Ridge.

When she had been asked on the stand to tell specifically the names she contended Willey had called her, she sobbed, “I can’t! I can’t!”

Previously, Mrs. Leonard R. Stinchcomb, house guest of the Randles, who was an eyewitness to the shooting, testified for the state that Mrs. Randle had made slighting remarks about her husband’s legitimacy and that Randle had retorted that she was “a Naval Academy prostitute” before they were married.

Willey also called Mrs. Randle a prostitute, the matron said, and added that Willey said that he “had the facts and figures to prove it.” Then, said Mrs. Stinchcomb, he asked Randle “shall I get those pictures and show them to her?”

Mrs. Randle testified young Willey had been insolent to her and “called me the vilest names.” The shooting also sent her husband to a hospital with a leg wound.
Virginia Daily Enterprise— Friday, May 21, 1943

STRIPPERS STRIP THE TAILOR

By Robert N. Cool

Cleveland—Burlesque business has let Joe Goldberg down, and his cleaning and pressing shop now depends upon unromantic travelers.

“Before the war, three and sometimes four burlesque shows would be playing in Cleveland at once,” Goldberg sighed. “And the girls seemed to wear more in those days. Now—one show across the street. And whatever they’re wearing isn’t enough to keep the wolf from the door.

“My door,” he added, amid a cloud of steam.

For 20 years Joe has been known as Cleveland’s theatrical pants presser. Autographed photos of Ann Corio, Sonja Henie, Margie Hart and Eddie Cantor-as well as many lesser vaudevillians—decorate the booths in his bus terminal shop. It is plain to the trouserless traveler, marooned in one of the booths, that Goldberg’s heart is still behind the footlights.

Evils of Nudity

“Too much nudity isn’t good,” says Mr. G. “It is bad for morale— and business. Ah, the things I have seen in the old days.”

Middleaged, with darting black eyes and a ready smile, Joe Goldberg is proud of his reputation among traveling road companies.

“Jack Kirkland came to Cleveland in ‘Tobacco Road,’” he recalled. “I did work for Mr. Kirkland, but from the cleaning point of view ‘Tobacco Road’ was a flop. They had to have their costumes dirty.”

This did not apply to the Ballet Russe and the Metropolitan Opera Company, however. They are good customers.

Goldberg got his start, he says, through a brother who was in a burlesque booking agent in New York. The strip-teasers playing Cleveland needed someone they could trust to take care of cleaning costumes. On his first job Joe established his reputation for reliability.

Frequently he worked until dawn to get flimsy garments back to the dressing rooms at curtain time. His reputation spread far and wide.

Ran From Circus Fire

Last summer he saved a circus a lot of money. Six hundred costumes were in his truck when he drove onto the grounds, just as fire broke out. It was a disaster that cost the lives of many animals and ruined quantities of equipment—but the costumes were saved.

“When I saw the flames I turned around and drove out of there,” Joe states.

Now, with one son in the Army and burlesque road companies hamstrung by transport troubles, he is just waiting for the war to end.

“Then there will be more girls and they’ll wear more clothes,” he says. “Joe Goldberg will be ready.”
Virginia Daily Enterprise— Friday, May 28, 1943