The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-19
BARR IS AT ODDS
WITH RUSSIANS
NovELIsT's STORY BARRED FROM
GLARS DoMINIoNs.
IA Rock in the Baltic,' Which Is APP
pearing in The Journal Before Pub
LEGATION in Book Form Is Under the
Censors' Ban in the Empire of the
Russians. III.

Robert Barr, the English novelist.
finds himself at odds with no less for
midable an adversary than the Russian
government. The latter is apparently
far more concerned over the affair than
is Mr.. Barr.
The occasion for the trouble arose
in Mr.. Barr g writing decidedly thrill
ing and unique novel, entitled GA Rock
in the Baltic,' the second installment
Journal. He counted, and with good
reason, on a worldwide sale for the
work. But the Russian censors-with
whom "Baltic' is of late a sore sub
ject-,took pains to learn the nature
of the book.
Finding that it dealt-and dealt with
daring vividness-with subjects ia
Father, they promptly arranged that
no copy of the book should cross the
Russian frontier. .-. -... g
Any bookseller found with it in stock
or any outsider discovered openly read
ing, giving or selling it, will be prompt
| ~ placed under arrest and the Offend
ing volume confscated and burned.
Close watch will be kept thruout the
land
Experience usually shows that such
novel can have. And the chances ss are e
that many a copy Of the forbidden work
will find its way into st. Petersburg
and Moscow, penetrating perhaps to ST.
IBERIA itself, where other men who have
written similarly daring books are
spending their lives in exile because Of
their literary temerity.
Nor, say certain of his admirers, will
Russia be the most beautiful and con-
genial spot for Mr.. Barr to visit during
the next few years. Russian memories
are long and Russian mercy is short.
"a Rock in the Baltic 1.-THE story
which has set great nation on the de-
fensive-is no problem novel, nor does
it preach. It Is simply tremendously
interesting romance of modern life,
every page Of which is alive with &C.
ton, surprise and quick moving episode
It's hero is young Englishman who
loves glorious American girl and who,
in a Quixotic, but thoroly manly cause,
ventures into the lion IS mouth-in other
| words, goes to Russia at time when,
by his own rash act he had made him
self hated and dreaded by the whole Ro-
manoff dynasty. ~.~...
He does not make the trip with~the
belief that he has really incurred the
distrust of Russia, but simply to clear
up misunderstanding: Too late he
learns the gravity of what he has done.
He learns, incidentally, some startling
"inside facts' that Russia is sedulous-
lv hiding from the world at large and
the knowledge Of which makes his i'm
mediate death Of the utmost Importance
to the car.
His adventures single-handed
against a great nation-and the unex.
pected part his dainty Yankee sweet.
heart suddenly takes in this grim affair
of life and death, form the chief theme
Of the story. >.~
/ "a Rock in the Baltic'' is the first
of the great $150,0O0 series Of novels by
famous writers. which will appear in
The Journal exclusively before
they are published in book form. -,s.
This is the first time in the history
Of literature that such an aggregation
of authors has been collected for the
purpose of furnishing single set Of
new books. -@