The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-05

AS heretofore stated in this week S dis cussions (see review of ''Truxton King'D MT. Porter stands way ahead of any one writing short stories today. The publishers tell us that this edition of O. Ienry's stories-collection of short , sketches-is practically an edition de luxe. in that it represents the pick of two years work of this most popular of , short story writers. It Is further stated that there Is a difference between this volume and others by the same author, because the present stories have been most carefully selected. the idea being. the publishers say to make the book a representative collection of O. Henry stories. Two of the stories were prize sketches, appearing in magazines. One called "Thimble, Thimble" brought thou sands of letters to the editor of the maga- zine in which 1t was published. The other prize story is called Supply and Demand"
 This volume contains Is short stories every one of which Is interesting up to the standard set by o. Henry.
 The Socialist" by Guy Thorne e. P. Putnam's Sone.)
 This new book by the author of When It Was Dark" and 'The Serf' is first class.
  those who, like pr. Lyman Abbott, be- lieve that socialism is a good think as protest but not worth much as a half- baked programme, but also to the real blown-n-t the glass socialist, the book should be entertaining.
 ''The Socialist tells the story of a body of socialists in London headed by James Fabian Rose, undoubtedly intended as a ynafxY Of 7 I,aru fba writes playes, novels etc. of socialistic , tendency but who is now convinced that to reach the people desired the stage must be employed more in the future than In the past Rose wishes primarily to reach the ruling classes of England, the landlords of the slums, the awful tenement houses In London. Of course he realizes, as do all of us. that none of the sassiety people of England or even this country consider 1t very good form to read much. 1t might you know, too much reading might, interfere with the strength of ones auto-steering-aTm -aTm-which God for bid!
 James Fabian Rose, therefore. decides to write great play called The So- cialist," and in that way reach the upper circles''-the latter will go to plays, you know, in any country. Rose secures q charming, very pretty girl,
 
 who had never had her chance, and through her and the play Rose felt sure that he would get in few good, hard slaps on the wrist of the English aris- tocracy-fn general and the Duke of Paddington, the owner of much miser- able property, in particular. The Duke was at Oxford rich, nice, sweet lady like young chap. He was Kidnapped, res cued by Rose, while the latter and Mary a TT iof he ..s.. the slums for theatrical local color.
 To make long story short, the Duke ''is reached" he gives up most of his property, turns aloose his titled bride marries Marry Marriot and in general while he Is much pleased with himself he does not have very charming time of it at all.
 The moral of the book--if such an in- teresting volume can be accused of hay Ing such thing tied to it-is that
 IT human nature was naturally good as Jean Jacques Rousseau believed 1t to be. then there would be no social prob- lem. Human nature Is not temper amentally good. It is temperamenta1ly bad. Therefore, before we can reorean- ize society we must reorganize char acter.
 And in what way is 1t possible to do this? Can 1t be done by act of par lament? Can 1t be done by articles in newspapers and reviews? Can 1t be done by the teaching of aItruism at the hands of university settlements and propagandists? It cannot be done by any of these means.
 There is only one way in which the Individual mind can be reached. touched and influenced so strangely and SO com pietely that the influence will be perm- anent and the life of the individual will be changed
 And that way is the Christian way"
 And 1t can be added that the author does not mean Churchianity but Christ ianfty.