THIS AMERICA.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5514, 16 December 1929, Page 3

THIS AMERICA.

A COUNTRY OF CONTRASTS. £5,000,000 OPERA HOUSE. “This America is an amazing country. Wherever you wander in its broad domains’you find something to lift you out of the comhionplaces of life ; whether it be something to ad- * mire or condemn. Whatever it is, it is done in such a whole-hearted big way that it intrigues you,” writes Mr H. Plimmer, formerly of Wellington, and now of the American stage (at present on a tour with Miss Ethel Barrymore). “I was particularly struck with this during our stay in Chicago, which after the comparative quietude of New York, gives you a jolt by re- . . minding you in a very forcible way that America is still up and doing.. Chicago is perhaps the most go-ahead and fast-growing city in the world. Its population is now over 4,000,000, and it is spreading out in every direction. I honestly believe it is destined to be the largest city in the world. It is ideally situated in the midst of a vast agricultural and pastoral region, of almost limitless distances; it '■ has wonderful water connections with Canada and other large cities within its borders. It is the great meatcanning centre of the world; it is , half-way between the coasts (roughbp ly), and all middle west interests seem to centre in Chicago. There is going to be another World’s Fair here in 1932. “One of the means of advertising the Fair is to send a band of seventy performers round the world. The authorities were not concerned so much about the band. They reckoned that if they secured the right conductor the band would be alright, so they had a great competition in conducting. There were over forty entries, as'the prize was the control of the band during the tour, and Exhibition. and a pension for life. My hat, how did they go for it. I don’t know whether New Zealand will see this * band, but if they do it will be worth hearing. That is how they do things over here. You can easily see the enormous advertisement such a band will be for the World’s Fair, as the performances will be the means of / disseminating news of the coming show. Liquor and Gang Feuds. “Most people get an idea that Chicago is a pretty rough show, by reading of the gang fights between the I’um-runners and the hi-jackers in the city and around the country, but it has to be. remembered that our Canada plays an enormous part in the bootlegging business. I suppose there are thousands engaged in getting liquor over the ii States. Well, Chicago is the only really big city on the border line ■—the other side of Lake Michigan t is Canada, where a'man can buy one bottle of whisky or a thousand gallons •A without let or hindrance. With Chimoney and resources this is a risky way to earn easy money, but don’t forget that Canada has a nice . . little stake in the game. The trouble A starts there. The transport wriggles it over, and the bootlegger peddles it. Sometimes the boot-legger is surprised by the hi-jacker gangs, who rob J him of his liquor (such robbery being no crime in the eyes of the law, as the liquor is an illegal possession for anyone in the States). This state of things has created gangs, and gang feuds, and so to the shootings that the world hears so much about. Chicago the Beautiful. “But this is not the real Chicago. There is another and a very beautiful Chicago. Noble avenues, gorgeous y parks, beautiful homes, amazing skyf scrapers built on sound industries, and mighty golf clubs. What if there are ▼ a few shootings among lawbreakers ; has not Chicago led the way in the middle west in matters musical by erecting a 20,000,000-dollar Opera House that vies with anything in the world, and gives rise to the thought M that the America of the future may lead the universe in music as she is doing in so many other directions ? Certainly no other country spends so much on music. All the Continental f artists earn the major portion of their incomes in this country, and they would not do so were it not for the real appreciation people have of good music. t “This new Civic Opera House, on the corner of Wacker Drive and Madison Avenue, has a colonade along the drive . 365 ft in length. It is 45 storeys in seats 3471 people, and when Wjpened with a magnificent perform- ’ ance of “Aida” on November 4 the re- - ceipts were 16,500 dollars. Not excepting Beyrouth, it has the most scientifically equipped stage in the world. The bask cloths are dropped 35ft beiow the stage electrically. Press a given button, and a given drop scene ' either rises or disappears. The gridiron above the stage is on the level of the fourteenth storey. The curtain and coverings of chairs are of pink and the whole colour scheme is and gold—for all the world Ikie Milady’s dainty jewel box.” ' Smoker’s heart is principally due to a poisonous alkaloid found in tobacco leaf called nicotine. Strong tobaccos containing a high percentage of nicoBUne should therefore be avoided. Wmokers should not judge alone when buying tobacco. Even a seemingly mild cigarette kind of a bright lemon colour often contains an excess of nicotine. It is by the way a peculiarity of certain New Zealand soils that they will grow leaf with comparatively little nicotine in it. Take, for instance, the River- . head Gold, Cavendish, Navy Cut and Cut Plug No. 10 brands. All may be smoked without fear of consequences. This is largely due owing to theil being toasted. No other tobaccos are. The toasting it is that eliminates the nicotine and gives these lines their ■telicious flavour’ and aroma. They IJum sweet and clean. They are manufactured exclusively by the National . Tpbacco Co., Ltd. (pioneers of the New Zealand tobacco industry), and ' are obtainable at all tobacconists, as > well as at many grocers and geiratsW. stores.*