The San Francisco call., 1905-02-26
Tarksn gton
In Political Tales

66 y dls GA timer, lean, retired
p2ntaloon, sitting With loose
ly siippered feet close to the
fire, thus gave Of his wisdom to the
questioning student:
Looking back upon it all. what we
most need 'in politics" is more good
men. Thousands of good men are in,
and they need the others who are not
in. More would come if they knew
how much they were needed. In this
wise does Booth Harrington begin the
foreword to his latest book, I'm the
Arena
In the Arena" is, as it's name might
imply, concerned with politics 1t is,
collection of six short stories in which
the material used runs the gamut from
the Mayor and municipal boss to the
pettiest ward heeler and latest i'm
ported citizen" Nothing that Booth
Harrington does can fail of interest,
and these six stories while there is no
one of them that is signally a great
short story, are most entertaining and
enjoyable reading. especially when
written by a man who was in the poll
tical game himself and received his
material first hand.
eulogized thusly:
Yet | just can't seem to keep out
OF it. There's a good many like me,
too, not out for office or contracts or
anything that you can put your finger
on In Notwithstanding except the
game. OF course it's a pleasure know
Ing that you've got more influence than
some, but l believe the most you ever
get out of it is being able to help your
friends, to get a man you like a job
or good contract, or something he
wants when he needs it, That is the
sense Of the story that holds the place
OF honor in the book, Boss Gorgett."
In Boss Gorgett" the bosses of the
opposing factions play the game as
they know the game, with certain
admiration for each other. and a GER
tain grim enjoyment of the gains and
losses and of the checks and counter
checks that each scores against the
other. The little. half hidden chords of
human interest, that this writer knows
so Well how to uncover and play upon.
are here: Boss Gorgett,". a despot
With a city under his thumb, is shown
with moist eye before the spectacle of
q young and ambitious man. howbeit
somewhat priggish. pitilessly crushed
by the Vaccinations of a game for
which he was too weak The story
centers around young Farwell Knowles
the reform candidate for Mayor. and
the manipulations of Boss Gorgett that
encompassed his defeat a week before
the election day
The Aliens" occupies the second
place in the book, although it may well
nave held the place of honor. IT
gets right down into the freshly
naturalized elements of a crowded
foreign ward for its material, and the
story Of the love of Pietro the chestnut
Vender for Bertha the waitress is
tcuchingly pathetic. After months of
skimping and saving to Law aside
marriage portion of five hundred dol
lars, the glad day at last comes Rut
election day is coming, too, and PixIev.
precinct committee man. would swing
Pietro and his five Italian cousins and
friends into the Democratic column
But Pietro is an ingrafned Re-
publican and refuses to be swung.
The six votes are essential. They must
be voted for his ticket or Pixlev must
keep them from the polls altogether
1hls ne does in way that reflects nm
cylng credit to his executive geni,,s
he contrives TO have a negro affected
with smallpox escape from his ouar-
antined house and take refuge in the
cellar where Pietro dwells. Comes then
to the scene an officer who calls for
the Health Department and Pietro is
put in quarantine for two weeks. The
day OF the quarantine was to have
been his wedding day. Between
Pietro and Bertha arise great and
unavoidable Misunderstanding and
nnally Pietro is carried to the pest
house and there dies, without the low
ers again meeting. And so Pixley saved
the precinct. 1t is a story pregnant
with human interest, for it draws its
material from the lowest order of cos
mopolitan life and records the intense
human emotions and passions in sir1nle
unschooled lives. 1t is the very opno-
site OF Boss Gorgett"; it is the other
end Of the machine.
There are four other stories in tba
volume, all treating of some character
istic phase of the game" and all told
with keen and sympathetic insight in
TO the complexities Of political life.
(McClure, Phillips & Co.. New York:
cloth, price 81 500.