INDIGNANT MOTHERS

Evening Star, Issue 22449, 21 September 1936, Page 9

INDIGNANT MOTHERS

BABY SHOW FIASCO JUDGES FAIL TO ARRIVE Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, September 19. Owing to 10 volunteer judges, mostly doctors, failing to arrive, Mr A. F. Fruitnight, the organiser, assisted by one doctor, had to bear the brunt of judging 4,000 infants at the first annual national baby show at Crystal Palace. The fiasco was due to an under-estimate of the popularity of the exhibition, there being 25,000 entries instead of the anticipated 10,000. Consequently the entrants were circularised cancelling the arrangements and limiting the show to one instead of the original five days, and the entries to 500, but thousands of parents, not aware of the alteration, came to Crystal Palace from all over Britain. A state of chaos naturally resulted, which was not allayed by the voluble indignation of the mothers. The hall was besieged for hours. Eventually other judges volunteered, temporarily averting trouble just as a riot was imminent. The babies were undressed, laid on the scales, and judged as speedily as possible. It was announced that mothers who were dissatisfied with the earlier verdicts could have their babies judged again. Confusion redoubled when the fathers addressed the crowd by megaphone, some appealing to the mothers to go home and others ordering them to remain. An emergency call resulted in the arrival of extra police, who tactfully quelled the rebellion, affording photographers touching pictures of- smiling constables with a baby in each arm. Mr Fruitnight declined to announce the prizes to-night, and informed the competitors that the winners would be notified by post of the cups awarded.