The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-02-28
Literary Lights And Shadows
BY s. MAYS BALL

It IS u CuTlouSs UT kcpJ Ddtk Oniy lTOHl fear opinion that an author or private citizen who reveals a knowledge of hu- manity which in itself makes this novel worthy of attention''-of an ax. It Is the 347.s-page of a book you ever saw. To bore any one 50 terribly in so short number of pages there should be. If there isn't, law.
 As from out some dismal calamity comes a plot something like this: A man was insisting that no man with "Out of Prson'' sign on him could sur vive in any large city, in business, suc- cess, for any length of time, when along comes one of those sweet yuung-You'll walk in one door. lose your name and clothes in exchange for a uniform and number-you read of one of those sweet charmers. January 8, 1910, and said No all in big letters.
 But he meets his '.old pal" Listen:
 A young, ambitious man, under stress of strong temptation, falls. His fondness for speculation leads to subsequent un- fortunate financial deals. although these are marked by poor judgment rather than by lack of moral sense. There are plenty of enemies to take advantage of his early mistake to keep him down.
 In the words of the book This self righteous. hypocritical thing we dignity as Christian society. places the ban of moral leprosy on all who may chance for an instant slip and fall"
 An unfortunate incident mentioned in the beginning of this review, that is. an unfortunate experience in New York, similar predicament (Old pals or other rescuing women, etc.), sends him to North Dakota. Fortunately he is be- friended by good Samaritans. including a saintly wife, an unorthodox clergyman and a successful gambler Eventually ''The Man Without Principles" for which as a book there was no excuse whatso- ever, the hero of 1t makes good" Hanged? No, simply turned loose on the community at will again.
 If anyone tries to work off this book on you, say to him: What have I against you or vesa vice?
 Just Speaking of Books Harry Pey-
 ton Steger and the Reviewer.
 Doubleday. Page & Co.,, had been an- nouncing so many review contests, en- tirely too many for their health. at least for the welfare of the contestants; no. didn't write him anything about it. maybe-so, I think I told him so in New York At any rate, MT. Steger, mighty good fellow he is; really good fellow, says we spoke of the matter when the writer saw him in the metropolis. Be that as 1t may.
 
 myself was simply that a book which had been soft-soaped. if as good as one like that was used what it needed say. the ax-the soft-soaped wielded would win the prize likewise, too. that all things being equal, the professional writer in review contests wouldn't stand for in obviousness as good a show as the anna teur writer. Whether we wrote 1t 800 miles apart or told it to each other what's the difference? Nothing at all.
 At any rate, Steger wrote me on Jan uary 13 that MT. Clio Harper of the Ar kansas Gazette had won the first prize in the review contest on Meredith Nich- olsons book, "The Lords of High Decis- ion," on account of which Information he was throwing in the way of bricks, in view of some of my notices just bit ironic in Literary Light and Shadows,' some time ago. anent the preference shown by you for amateur writers.
 This scribe couldn't well stand for that; has no reply. which outside of few re- marks, consisted of saying: Hear! Heari I said nothing about your preference in your review contests-whatever you may prefer for authors of some of your books (get thatD the amateur writer instead of the professional one, Your recollection of what said is like a story-said to have been related years ago.. Let that pass. But
 Now, Colonel Steger, what I did say and what I say again, is this:
 That in all review contests, such as your company or any other originates, that company in selecting the book for the contest, If honest in its wish to se- cure sincere reviews, is guided by its opinion that they will select one of their best books If the firm selects such book as this anecdote covers-asterisks for anecdotes.
 oT d. enough. without drawing any diagram for Birmingham.
 Now Colonel Steger, what I did say. and what say again, is this:
 That in all review contests, such as your company or any other originates, that book in selecting the book for the contest, if honest In their wish to get secure. sincere reviews, is guided by it's opinion, that they will select one of their best books. If the firm selects one of its best books-I said and I say again-that reviewer with the firms opinion will stand no chance on earth of winning a prize, no matter how good that sincere review may be. If firm simply means to boost the sale of a punk book through one of these contests, which you'll agree has been done in this day and generation. then surely no review which fairly gives the book blank, will win a prize in 1t. Will 1t?
 In other words, you pick out what is a superior novel to be worked on in contest Very well, I think, let us say is punk-and write the best review sub mitted in the contest, but tearing the novel all to pieces. (Readers will of course assume this is supposition) said and I firmly believe. that that review-admit- ting it the best submitted-would not win the first prize, naturally: because you and the firm would simply believe that no one who thought from them so diff ferently could write the best review. See! On the other hand, If you were simply boosting a putrid production. you wouldn't give the best review ever writ ten if it lambasted the book under dis cussion. Gree translation permitted. Catch my two pointsD My opinion given here and based upon personal experience. have never attempted your review con- test; 1t just happened I was too busy. But I have won prizes; but never did win one, with just one exception-remem- Der that one exception in those absent prayers, Steger-I never won except when I praised the book, with one exception, unless I praised the book up to the skies, that is, Mellins fed 1t. so 1t wouldn't slop over.
 z I have tested this opinion of mine, fair Harry Peyton steger, once uIAn time, 3S years ago. I wrote two different re- views under different names. Listen: The book discussed and reviewed upward and the other review giving 1t hades; the lat ter was much the peter review. Which won the prize? Sweet, Mellen's Fed Up- ward: they'll do 1t every time. may not be fair judge, but about that review contest just discussed pur- loosely made one better than the other and the one bearing my name won the