The San Francisco call., 1904-10-23
POLITICS
and Love Mingle

MA ARK LEE LUTHER'S latest
Ifl story. THE Mastery" is far from
being stereotyped. likewise far
from dull As a novel of politics 1t
thrums with swift incident and this
play OF great forces. AS a tale of love
1t is as unhackneyed as such a story
could be in all these years since
Sappho." Together. the two elements
present a forceful study of American
character, a vivid reflection of the
rushing tide of mems affairs in this
work-a-day age
Unhackneyed is 'The Mastery" by
these tokens, if no others: The candi-
date for Governor of New York sits
him down to a dinner Of hash-even
though 1t was ''the poetry of hash'-
ana calmly discusses the question of
Kitchen help while the counting of re-
turns Is in progress a hundred miles
away. A street gamin in a college set
tlement gives the magic word that
saves the destinies both of Philip Drew,
bachelor, and Philip Drew, head of a
ticket A cloutish State Assemblyman
mlsconstrues the phrase "a thousand
reasons into the offer of a thousand
dollar bribe, and comes nigh upsetting
the programme. of a nominating con-
vention by so doing. These are only
some OF the incidents in Mr.. Luther's
story Of the political game that differ
enuate the novel from the ninety and
nine others Of the same genre, which
have been first holding and then pail
Ing the tastes of readers since Ford
wrote his Honorable Peter Sterling"
1t seems to have been the tendency
OF many of our writer's who turn their
eyes to politics for plots to paint the
political boss with colors approximat-
ing angelic whiteness, and from this
Luther does not veer. Though he does
give us the reverse side of the picture
In the character of Maddox. the city
boss Of New York, the author seeks.
through his hero, to exemplify the true
organizer of forces and dictator of
events in the American political field
whom we have invested with this sug-
gestive term. THE political engine
minus its engineer is junk" quotes one
Of the shrewd politicians in the book.
and "bossism-which is the creature
of its environment, as were it's fore
runners-will drop into perspective,
and history assay it's output impair
tally"
With a model boss, then, holding the
largest thread of the story, the author
proceeds to narrate the details of his
struggles after supreme power over
the heads OF all opponents and only
draws his story to a close with that
hash eating incident which precedes
the announcement of the hero's cleo
tion to the Governorship Of New York,
Though 1t seems to the reviewer that
no better insight into the wheels with
in wheels of political machinery has
ever been given than that in Brand
Whitlock's Thirteenth District" Mr..
Luther's knowledge Of these clock
works seems to be adequate for q
very absorbing narrative of party con-
vention legislative caucus and Sena-
torial election deadlock. The incident
OF the nominating convention which
serves as the climax to the story is
handled with a keen eye to the ef-
fectiveness OF suspense and dramatic
denouement. Even those whose
knowledge of the devious paths Of
politics is meager can find in this
passage bracing bit Of excitement.
In character delineation the author
seems to be equally skilled at clear
cut outline. His man, Philip Drew,
is an embodiment Of the nervous
energy Of the present day striver after
success. resourceful. indomitable in
energy and perseverance. In many
ways it impresses that in the creation