FRATERNAL BANANAS

The companionship of bores is something that has never been suffered gladly. Ever since the first primeval man was rapped on the head for tire some practical joking, they have been outcasts clinging to the fringes of an intellectual society. Among great men whose names grace the pages of literature Samuel Johnson in particular was accustomed to turn roundly on such offenders, and shout them suddenly into embarrassed silence. The faithful Boswell himself, if report be true, offended on more than one occasion, thereby drawing down on his not too tactful head lightening and devastating thunder.

Certain groups of intellectuals of the present day have decided to take drastic defensive action. At the New York Athletic Club, on October 30th, the first meeting was held of a new protective organization, to be known as the Fraternal Order of Bananas. This association has been formed for one particular purpose the advancement of the cause of humor in the United States. Actually, its purpose is clear. Henceforward, the first unfortunate Gothamite who starts to hum, "Yes, We Have No--" will probably be seized by yellow-robbed members of the brotherhood and summarily silenced.

If Dr. Johnson and his kindred spirits were alive today, they would undoubtedly be enrolled as charter members of the Fraternal Bananas, although such Japanist an eighteenth century might conceivably rare exception to the name. At any rate, they would certainly approve the principle and it is even within the banads of possibility that they would advocate its extension to cover such disturbers of the public mind as vaudeville sopranos and raconteurs prohibition jokes.