The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-03-29
Literary Lights and ShAdohs
BY S. MAYS BALL.

The Metropolis. by Upton Sinclair. (Mof.
fat, Yard g. Coz
Mr.. Upton Sinclair when he wrote THE
Jungle created something of commo-
tion in this country with his disclosures
of the packing house industries. Certain
ly it is true that by the publication OF
1.-The Jungle" he called direct attention
to many of the wrong methods OF manu-
facture and to the injustice done to the
aaboring classes in and around Chicago
MIR. Sinclair now sends forth a new DOCK
called 1.-THE Metropolis" in which ne
Geals with the other extreme OF society,
namely the idle rich In New York. 1t Is
uuite jump for Mr.. Sinclair and he can
not have had so good personal insight
into what he writes about In me
Metropolis" as he did in 1.-THE Jungle
THE press was full of lot of news some
time ago stating that Mr. Sinclair In ms
endeavor to get material or local color
for his new book had taken JOB as SER
want in a mililonaire's home at Newport.
This was quickly denied by Mr.. Sinclair
end whether it was true or not the SEND
aag forth of this Information certainty
advertised his new book. The "Amerl-
can magazine has published rev ln-
stallments of 1.-The Metropolis Inc
Metropolis is not really novel-it ID
more a series of sketches of the rlcn peo-
PIE of New York; people with nothing
spend money and have what they call for
lack of a better name good time.
The story or series of sketches deals
with one "Allen Montague a Missis-
sfppian, who with his mother and cousin,
'Alice Montague" go to New YORK 10
join the formers younger brother, 'Ohver
Montague" Oliver had been in New YORK
for some time. In some mysterious way,
which is never explained in the boo1,
Oliver makes a splendid income; 1t is IN
timated that he is something or steer
Err in society, whatever that may mean.
Allan Montague with his mother and
lretty cousin reach New York when Lhe
Metropolis openb. Oliver meets them
Bt Jersey City, Immediately takes them
IL. charge and carries the family up 70
q quiet apartment house to rooms for
Nv hich the price is 5000 per week. Allan
Montague has little money, but he Is
dumbfounded at the price which oliver
has agreed to pay for their lodging Ol1Ves
makes it plain without explaining where
the money is to come from-tnat IN New
York to make money one must have d
&c cd front" spend money and meet
the right" people. This is agreed upon
by the brothers. Oliver clothes out Alice
and Allan and begins his Introduction
OF those two relatives into the right
SET The sketches then contained in The
Metropolis are laid around the people
anu houses, HlOTe especially eho ie'eeSi !,
which Allan and Alice are introduced
t.. There is a half way connected plot
to the book, but it is not novel In
the sense that Is accepted these days.
The book goes into minute-entirely TOO
unnny minute details regarding the people
in society their houses, motor-cars,
dinners, price of everything and so on
in fact Mr. Sinclair over-does the price
and cost of things he discusses His pooh
reads in some places like price-list
lie tells of fruit costing 81 each, OF dresses
at $1,000; it is entirely too much ON the
statistical order-that part of the book
There is nothing whatever new in the
book. 1t might really be rehash Of
the pages of the yellow" press which
kleals in New York with the idle rich.
ySome newspapers in speaking of the book
has stated with great deal of heat that
none of Mr. Sinclairs statements In re-
gard to the immortality or immortality
\ Of the New York rich people are true.
l If the papers in question are correct
4 then they themselves have been publish
ing lot of mis-statements in their own
4 columns about the Vanderbilts, the