The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-04
From the New York Post.

From the New York Post.
STRANGE news comes out of the west
A canvass OF the school children in
~ certain city revealed the fact that
these youngsters lose interest in the des-
perado as a moving picture character as
soon as they reach the mature age of II.
We do not question the accuracy of the
report in so far as it processes to record
what these boys and girls said about their
literary and ethical tastes. We are mere-
ly beset by a suspicion that they put
down not what they really felt but what
they thought their solemn inquisitors
hoped they might put down. TO reason
thus may be to do less than justice to the
western child. But his eastern brother is
he can manage It, reading of the wonder
full deeds of the Jesse James boys, sturdy
westerners, every one of them. In. his
secret heart he laments what his elders
would call the effete civilization in which
his lot has been cast. 1t was a Washing
ton boy, We believe, who was observed to
listen with an air of polite but not alto
gether concealed boredom to a moral tale
which his teacher had chosen. Asked how
he liked 1t, he replied, with candid dis
appointment, that there was not single
murder in it.
Now, murder is not pretty thing. nor
is it defensible In the ordinary places
where people most do congregate. But
what would history be without it? Or lit
erature? Is it not one of those things
that. If they had not existed, would have
had to be invented for cultural ends?
For, however it may be with these proper
western children, it is safe to say that
their fathers and mothers, uncles and
aunts--at least the fathers and the uncles
would not walk out of a moving picture
show just because Diamond Dick began to
go through his familiar activities before
their eyes. This is not an Endorsement on
their part, of course, of everything that
Diamond Dick does in the course of what
he deems his duty. Only stupid persons
think that what one approves as right
and proper in q book he would neces-
sarily tolerate anywhere else What are
books for, If not to enable one to indulge
forbidden longings without peril of mo-
lestation, even from ones conscience? 10
learn of the existence of Robin Hood, and
yet to be on tho side of the Kings of
ficers--is this possible for the most law
abiding boy that ever lived IL years old
though he may be? We know what his
father. at all events. would think Of so
inverted judgment.
For however it may be In real life, in
Diamond Dicks milieu right and wrong
are easily Disseminated. II the king or
tho kings law or the kings men are
tyrannous, then no sanction of de facto
can save them. You withdraw into Sher-
wood forest, levy forced contributions
from those best able to give. and in the
end the king sees that tyranny doesn't
pay with you around. Now the man
who scorns world in which right and
wrong are sharply contrasted, a world
moreover, in which right always wins in
the end-what shall we say of such a per
son? Why should he not spend as much
time as he can In such world? Inade-
| duate as it may be for these western
superchildren, for ordinary mortals it is
a blessed boon. The sorrow Is that they
SO soon come t. feel that it does not really
exist, and then lose interest in it. But
Diamond Dick, you say. Is he q, repre-
sentative Of anything except his own law
less will' And yet does he not go on
battling the detectives, we mean the
sleuths. that are continually striving to
apprehend him? Hc does. But what any
boy-under the age Of 12. that is-lznows
from the beginning is simply matter OF
time. AS certainly as there are Nick
Carriers among us the desperate villain
who has furnished us SO many throbbing
hours of joy will finally be laid by the
heels.
Yet wo would not emphasize the moral
element in the story of the life and ad-
ventures of Diamond Dick. 1t is there. but
that is not why the tale was written. OF