Evening Star Newspaper, September 15, 1936, Page 31

DIONNES' AFFAIRS NOW BIG BUSINESS Quints Get Money From Movies, but Strictly on Own Terms. The big business geals and the Ruge tourist trade that center about the Dionne quintuplets are described here in the sizth of a aseries of seven dispatches giving a close-up view of the Callander scene and the chief actors in it. BY IRA WOLFERT. Ontario, Septem- ber 15.—Handling 5,000 tour- ists a day and the money that jingles in their pockets, bring- ing them in happy over long stretches of what had once been lonely, bleak country, sending them back content after & one-minute look at five girl babies, is one problem. Handling five babies the world wants to see, striving to make them inspiring examples of perfection for parents everywhere and yet reconciling that with normal child life, is another problem. And still a third problem is the mat- ter of sifting through the horde of manufacturers, promoters and money- makers of one sort or another, who come showering gold to which devious strings are attached. ‘When Charles Ware, Canadian man- ager for a canned milk company, swung off the train at Callander three days after the quints were born and tied up their milk indorsement “in per- e M St ot petuity” for “something less than $5,- 000,” he was the first of an army of business men prospectors scenting a new gusher. “We just wanted to have the con- tract so that our competitors in the canned milk and fresh milk business should not have it,” said Mr. Ware, who has a most contented smile these days. “For nine months we did not use the contract at all because we were afraid the babies would not live. Then we blasted. Since we started blasting, our business throughout the world has exactly doubled. Our competitors haven't suffered. We're just selling canned milk to people who never bought it before.” Since these astounding results, the line of contract seekers has been end- less and varied. Offers have increased fabulously and the manufacturer who offered $200 in July, 1934, is around now, with hat in hand, humbly offer- ing $50,000 for the same thing—and not getting it. Young, brisk, genial David A. Croll, Ontario’s minister of welfare and labor, guardian extraordinary of the quin- tuplets, bears the manufacturers’ heavy fire with Dr. Dafoe. According fo Mr. Croll, “It is no longer a question of making money for the quintuplets. They may be only a few months more than 2 years old, but they have made their pile already. ‘They are worth now about $500,000— enough to take care of themselves and their families and give them security and comfort the rest of their lives.” Invested in Government Bonds. The $500,000, it was learned, is in- vested in government bonds and re- turns an income of about $20,000 a year Whether the quints are living within that income is termed “not in the public interest” by Mr. Croll. Esti- mates on their living expenses vary from $1,000 a month, which would be well within their income, to $2,500 a month, which would be well over it. THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, AS SOON AS (T'S DARK WE'LL DRIVE OVER TO WANT TO SHOW YOUR FACE WITH ALL THOSE COPS AFTER VYOU-* “We have accepted less than a dozen contracts for the babies” says Mr. Croll. “We have turned down hundreds of them—all for just one reason: We thought they would not work out to the vest advantage of the children.” Half the quintuplets” fortune comes from Twentieth Century-Fox Films, which has made a down payment of $250,000 for the opportunity to make three films of them. It would be par- donable in any business man to think that, for so considerable a sum, ne might at least be able to put his feet on the table if he wants to, but Or. Dafoe, jealous of the welfare of tne babies, believes otherwise, and $250,000 or no $250,000 it's what Dr. Dafoe thinks that counts. The company is engaged at present in filming “Reunion,” the second pic- ture of the series. It has transported a troupe of 30 from Hollywood. The entire troupe is limited to ex- actly one hour a day with the babies, and Dr. Dafoe is on hand to see that no cheating is done. On the stroke of the sixtieth minute, no matter what is being done, he stalks upon the scene, marshals the babies and leads them -wny he children are not actresses. them moviemaking i9 a fascinating game, and games have to be thought up that will fit into the plot. Per- haps they do not like the game or .are bored before the camera has ground out enough footage. Then it is up to somebody to think up a new game. Expensive minutes speed by. 1,000 Prs. New Stratfords Every style an approved Fall Fashion—every pattern and last checked for perfect fit—every piece of leather from linings to uppers, and every detail of shoe making as fine as possible at the pricel Make your selections while stocks are fresh and sizes com- plete—4 to 9, AAAA to B. Shoe Salon—Street Floor Jie 1214-1220 F S'l'lil'l' ‘ TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1936. Secret Operative 48 NO. IT'S BETTER THAT I DON'T-- THERE IS A PRICE ON MY YUH BETTER HEAD AND IF I'M CAUGHT. I'LL NOT TAKE BE RAILROADED TO THE CHAIR~- ANY CHANCES THEN, PAL/ The babies come first, the tourists second, business men, harassed and battered, last. Only weather and the state of health of the quintuplets is allowed to interfere with the public show- ings, but here, too, the split-second schedule is maintained. Although many are left out almost every day, complaints are not as fre- quent as one would expect. If what Ontario is rfining for its tourists in Callander is a “show,” it is a surprisingly clean show. No shell games, no grafters, no fiy-by-night promoters. Nearly every tourist town has six pairs of sharp eyes and six pairs of sly and shiftyhands lying in wait for every new dollar that comes in. This district seems to have none. A careful investigation revealed Thumb through any B—11 ' —By NORMAN MARSH (| YUOH BETTER ASK HIM THAT QUESTION--ALL T FORTUNES -~ - PHE BIGGER THE BETTER. that tourists retire early and that practically their only night-time en- tertainment comprises boating, walk- ing, the movies and hunting auto- graphs of the various celebrities who come to visit the quints. There is one penny ante gambling house in North Bay, and no places of wicked or even lurid entertain- ment. As an indication of the level on which events are maintained, among all the hundreds of thousands of tourists who have come here since the quintuplets were born, only two thefts have been reported. (Ccpyright. 1936, by the North Americas Newspaper Alliance amc.) Japan is promoting emigration of Korean's into Manchukuo. SEPTEMBER SALE VALUES! Lansburgh’'s Basement 7th, 8th and E Sts. Phone Dlstrict 7575 DRESS SALE With Values so Amazing You'll Doubt Your Eyes and Our Sense for Selling Them for so Little! FOR $‘I 0 fashion magazine . . you'll see the originals of the trends we've followed in our Sale dresses! You'll see slim princess silhouettes . flared skirts”™, . . distinctive necklined! Ne've faithfully copied detai's ‘Fat will surprise you in such inexpensive dresses! New blister matelasses Ganzas, Alpacas, satin back crepes in Autumn colors. to Men! Openinga New ONE-PRICE Clothing Dept. 15.85 for Fall Suits, Top- f; ; y coats or Overcoats We're concentrating all our efforts on the finest 1 end 2 trouser suits, topcoats ond overcoats that con be made to sell for $15.85! Suits in worsteds, serges end gabardines in single and double breasted styles. Over- coats and topcoats in fine coating fabrics that will amaze you by their quality. Sizes for oll men from 34 to 48. No charge for alterations. LANSBURGH'S—BASEMENT STORE. 52, 16%2 to 285, Sizes 14 to 20, 38 LANSBURGH'S BASEMENT STORE SEPTEMBER SUPER SPECIAL! A Sensational Special Purchase of WEDNESDAY ONLY! One of the best selections we've ever been able to offer ct such a price goes on sale tomorrow for just one day! This group features heavy plaid-back coats in fitted and swogger models . . . new fleeces, plaids and tweeds in Autumr shades of oxford, green, rust, maroon