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Show By L. L. STEVENSON Many Manhattanites are inclined to make fun of Brooklyn. If they mention the big borough across the East river at all, they do so in a slighting manner. The stage comic that can work Brooklyn into his routine rou-tine is almost sure of laughs. The Manhattanite may be a rabid Giant or Yankee supporter, nevertheless the loyalty of Brooklyn fans to their Dodgers causes that same Manhattanite Manhat-tanite to regard them as nothing more or less than yokels. The alderman, alder-man, who referred to his district as "Greenpernt, the garden spot of the world" was regarded by Manhattanites Manhat-tanites as typically Brooklyn both in vernacular and spirit. As a matter mat-ter of fact, the jargon that transforms trans-forms "first" into "foist" and "oyster" "oy-ster" into "erster," and is commonly common-ly referred to as "Brooklynese" is really nothing of toe sort. It's heard in Manhattan and I've even heard something resembling it on Detroit's waterfront. The gang of hoodlums, which killed for hire and was known as "Murder Inc.," was held by many to be typical of Brooklyn. The annals an-nals of Manhattan, however, contain con-tain not a few records of gangs who were mercenary slayers. The play, "Brooklyn, Inc." which ran a season sea-son or so ago, was, so far as the title was concerned, mere libel though, through the controversy it aroused, it did bring much publicity to a poor show. The politician, who when under un-der investigation, swore that he kept his money in a tin box rather than in banks, was held to be further proof of the quaintness of Brooklyn. Those policemen, who were charged with accepting bribes to protect gamblers and other law breakers, were taken as usual products of Brooklyn. Nevertheless, I know of no copyrights on crooked politicians or crooked cops and my newspaper experience goes back quite a piece. In short, Manhattan's jibes at Brooklyn are like the tail laughing at the dog. Brooklyn is a part of the city of New York. It is even a bigger part than Manhattan. Only 800,000 more New Yorkers live in Brooklyn than in Manhattan. Manhattan Man-hattan is compressed on an island about 14 miles long and three miles in width at its widest. Brooklyn starts at the East river and keeps right on going. Manhattan, as a matter of fact, could be picked up and placed in any one of several sections of Brooklyn. Brooklyn covers cov-ers 91 square miles; Manhattan a mere 23. There may come a time when ' Brooklyn will be a city set apart, as it was in the beginning. In New York, "home" generally means an apartment which may consist of but one room, though thers are a few single residences left in the borough. In Brooklyn, "home" may mean an apartment since Brooklyn is a modern city. But to thousands of Brooklynites, "home" means a house with a front yard. There are many streets of single residences. Some of the old stone and brick houses go away back to the beginning of Brooklyn, before the time when Brooklyn was connected with Manhattan by the bridge that brought Steve' Brodie fame. Some are still inhabited by descendants of the builders. There are streets of modern homes, most of which are owned by their occupants, occu-pants, who take pleasure and pride in keeping their property looking its best. Trees add much to the attractiveness attractive-ness of Brooklyn. On many streets are trees so ancient they form a green arch over the roadway. Manhattan Man-hattan has more trees than it had in the past because; up to wartime, trees were being (planted on many streets, Fifth and Sixth avenues, -amplejBut compared to M' " hattan, nooklyn is a forest. "Yet Brooklyn is not in the woods. It is only a matter of a dozen minutes to Wall street and 20 minutes to Times Square. In the past, I've made remarks about getting lost in Brooklyn. To tell the truth,' I've been lost in the Wall Street section of Manhattan, and the Bronx is largely unknown territory to me. When I wanted a flashlight of a certain kind, after a vain search of Manhattan stores I went over to Brooklyn and came back with the desired article. Some of the pleasantest parties I've ever attended have been in Brooklyn . homes. ... |