The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-10-23
BY JAMES b. NroRRow.

Chicago Oct Pin hts mockery OF the
lazy. vapid, and degenerate rich. contained
in the amazing story that opened his ca
reer as a playwright. Joseph Mednl Patter-
son. millionaire himself-prospectlvel
al any rate-introduces a group Of fashion
able sots and rakes along with their wives
and so forth. who cant sing, can't
dance. can't act can't pant. can't sew.
can't cook. can't educate"- an 'inept
unthorough, ineonsequential, rudderless,
composites" company OF moral slat-
terms playing hide and seek with satan.
II was a daring feat In authorship.
Money ohastised money for its selfish
ness Incidence and stiu grosser sins.
Ihere was pause. perhaps an expletive
and an imprecation. and the spendthrifts
sailed away upon their painted sea with
out reflection
An heir or mammon. poor devil. had
proved faithless 90 the sanctity and
royalty Of riches. Among the men who
read something besides the high society
items in the newspapers. the dog shows.
horse shows. and stock markets, il was
indulgently remarked that Patterson
has become a socialist" The tone was
as regretful as if Patterson had be-
come a forger or a dr,Inkard.
Looks His Doctrines.
Externally. tho young novelist and
dramatist looks his doctrines. Observing
me curiously. sitting against a dun win
dow IN the sooty heart OF Chicago, he
talks dispassionately and cautiously. as
caso
are lacking in some Of the tests of nc
curacy and experience He years a suit
Of plain biue cloth. but no iawelry, not
even a watchchaln, His nose aud mouth
signify pugnacity. but are balanced by
lis brown eyes. which are sympathetic
and idealistic
tail, broad-shouldered American OF
thirty-One. tanned by the Western sun
careless and unaffected. he strides
Through the streets unnoticed. one citi-
zen in a multitude. a steady worker, In
his appearance, at some useful employ
ment Thirty miles away-and singularly
enough, ar Libertyville-is his farm Of
20 acres, ca which he lives and grows a
variety OF crops and originates ideas
pertaining 10 agriculture. Likewise. he
might have been an actor or an orator.
With him stories and plays are vehicles
for his opinions. 7 Ike play writing" he
said. locking his fingers behind his head
1T satisfies ones vanity and speculative
inclination, You hear people laugh at
some of your lines, or see them weep.
and You imagine that you are a dickens
OF a fellow You hear nothing, you see
nothing, and at once conclude that you
are fzzle. SO chance sits down with
one when one starts TO write a drama.
Vehicle for Expression.
but, more than all. play is a means
for expression Human beings find ex-
preston In various WAYS, and expression
IS instructive with the race. Some women
get IL with hats and others with high
heeled shoes. Some men get it in base
bail and others IN drinking until they
ere drunk and IN telling all they know.
Besides. there are pictures. poetry. and
statuary"
Desire for oral and written expression
comes TO Mr.. Patterson from his grand
fathers, one OF whom was a clergyman
and the other an editor, and from his ma
ternal uncles. who were Judges and law
yers. Rev. Robert ". Patterson. D. D.,
a liberal man In his religion. was long the
head OF the Presbyterian Church IN Chi
cago. its wise and kindly bishop. although
there IS no such office in that denomina-
ton. His son married the daughter Of
Joseph Mediu and Paterson, novel writer.
playwright and social reformer. is the
child of that joining OF ink and type 10
modern theology.
Potentially the young man stands
strong and conspicuous in the future.
President Hadley once told me that Pat
terson. while at Yale. was a shrewd
and able college politician.
All stOut Fighters.
In his blood IS the art OF appealing 10
the public Back Of him are two
families OF exhorters, editorial writer's
and stump orators. Plays are to be his
business for six or seven years" Then
II may write a book But am not look
ing very far ahead" And as he goes
along politics IN the form Of narration.
situation. and climax will be his object
the freight in the wagon covered with
tarpaulin.
The Medils Scotch-Irish. were prac-
teal personalities and stout fighters.
Joseph. reading law in Ohio a small
man physically took an incorrfgfbla
school at New Philadelphia 70 paw his
living expenses The first morning he
whipped two youthful village bulues, and
knocked the third one down in the after
noon WITH his fist. Katharine Patrick.
pupil, daughter OF a Wing editor. became
his wife. She had three brothers. An
drew. banker; James. a judge, and
Abraham, a famous lawyer. and the can
didate. on one occasion. Of the Demo-
Gratis OF Ohio for Vice President OF the
United States
OF Abraham it is said that being In
tRe State senate and at an acrimonious
party conference, which lasted far into
the night, he shouted when asked by
dooFkeeper If he desired something In
the line Of refreshment: Something TO
eat? No. It's war 10 the knife, and the
knife 10 the hilt" Such was Abraham,
big-hearted aud emotional but rational
in his principles concerning property
rights. There We're no socialists among
the Patricks, but they were all free
spoken and independent characters.
Makes journalism Pay.
Journalism at the beginning, was
merely mekeshitt and an experiment
with Joseph MediH himself.
He established a weekly paper IN Coz
shoeton County near hts home. that his
three younger brothers might have the
opportunity OF learning the printers
trade. The county was Democratic. but
he made II Whis. He had found the in
strumentality that was thereafter TO give
him expression, as his namesake and
grandson would explain.
Horace Greeley. knowing his wnrl,