New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-04-18
AUTHORS ON STRIKE.

The determination on the part OF American
authors TO secure better from their EMPLOYERS
will meet with the general sympathy OF All lovers
of literature though there must remain douo' III
the minds of udcous persons rs to the propriety Vi
the means chosen to secure the object III qnos'o"'
The Grievances as formulated at the recent meeting
reported to have been held under the auspices ol
the Authors Club seem to be substantially ~ ioi-
lows: l. Insufficient and arbitrary pecun'ary
emoluments. 2. Irregular and often excessive
bours of labor. g. Inadequate protection from
foreign competition. Under the first head MI.
Walt Whitman. the woll-known poet, is reported
as testifyng that his total receipts during year.
from his literary contributions, were S2S, or some
thing less than s cents day For person of Mr.
WLitman's recognized position in his profession,
this certainly seems moderate scale oil remuheri-
ton, being about one twenty-seventh part OF the
sum received by drivers on tho hOrse-car Ines ana
it must also be remembered that Mr.. Whitman has
no competitor in his particular line OF business.
On the other hand, Mr.. S. l.. Clemens MARX VAIN
IS understood to receive rather larger anhuai
stipend but this discrepancy was mod'hed Dy MS
characteristic offer to accept profit based upon an
average strnck between Mr.. Whitmans and his
OWL As regards hours of labor, MIR. Sidney
Luska author of "As it was Written" informed
the meeting that he worked upon that novel be-
the hours OF y IN Tie evening anu ' III VI"
morning: and Mr. r. b. Aldrch said that during
three consecutive years he wrote eighteen hours
day on 1.-Two Bites at a Cherry" and was then able
TO got it printed only in The atlantic magazine Oh
which he is Editor. Upon the subject OF foreign
competition Mr. Henry James remarked that an
English firm were preparing to issue an eXpurgated
edition of his novel. The BOstOnans.' III ten duo
decimo pages at one cent a copy, with discount
of rs per cent to the trade; the piraed reprint
containing nothing but the plot the characters, ana
the necessary action; while Mt. NlIl'am ~
Howells complained that a translation OF the OBJ
scure French author, VI. de Balzac was outseillns
the speci mems of the New School of Fiction pro-
ceeding from his own pen.
So far we may follow the authors with SYM
pathy: but the wisdom of the action they propose
to take upon these data IS less apparent Even
admitting that the publishers against whom the
strike is aimedi entirely to blame Tor the exist
ing state of things consideration should be given
TO their statement that they can hold ont Tor an III
definite number of years to come on the unsold
stock of American works already in their possess
sion Again, before the expiration of this indefinite
period other writers may arise willing to work
npon the terms repudIated by their striking
brethren and should boycott" OF these volun-
teers be attempted as was suggested mt the meet
ing the real victims of 1t would be the public II
self: and the public might retaate by refusing to
buy the books of the strikers at any price. Were
such spirit of antagonism once aroused, there IS
no foretelling where it might end but there can be
little donbt that the authors would end either I'D
the poorhouse the penitentlary. 1t would be
more in accord with the spirit of American lnStitu-
tons TO submit the matters in dispute TO BOARD OF
arbitration. composed of crit cs female novel
readers and the author of "The Bunting Ball.
in equal parts