The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-08
WARS EFFECTS ON
 AMERICAN BOOKS Was Severe August Frost" and Only Few Survived CHANGE IN FUTURE
Fine Old Tauchnitz Library Has Prob ably Received Its Death Blow. American Novelists Who
 Have Pulled Through
By HAYDEN CHURCH

London, September 19.-tSpecial cor. respondence. )-"What effect is the wa, gong to have on the English and con uhental sales of American books?" was the question the writer asked of the English representative of the Authors League of America.
 ''Ihe answer is easy enough.r wa. the reply, "as to the continental mar. ket, for it is practically wiped out ex- cept in peaceful Scandinavia, which has quite fancy for American novels. IL Is sad to say that the famous Tauch- nltz library has probably received it's death blow. It had suffered severely III the last two years from the invasion or the continent by English sevenpenny editions and the prices Baron Tauch nitz and his able lieutenant. Dr. Curt otto, have been able to pay to Eng iish and American authors has de- creased little by little in conseouence. The library was chiefly supported by English visitors to the continent. who Of course will not now be encouraging German industries. and it is unlikely that 1t will hereafter afford the old steady source of income to the more successful of the English and Ameri can novelists which is a pity, for the iauchnitz books were admirably print ed on admirable paper and the firm was the soul of honesty and straight forwardness. The baron lately under took to publish library of German translations of some of the more sue cessful English novels, but that en- terprise is not at present finding en- couragement.
 Murray Comes Forward
 As to the English market. the dean Of English publishers. John Murray, came bravely forward when things 1f hoi tt autumn season with an American novel exactly when he had planned to pub fish 1t before the war broke out-Ger- trude Athertons Perch of the Devil Another American novel, Princess Sroubetzkoy's Worlds End was the first of the crop of last spring to show signs of coming to life again after whai could be called paradoxically enough the frost of August. It was exactly that-an August frost-for during the month sales of novels practically ceased throughout the British Isles. The puh- lie began to want something else than newspapers by the second week of Sep tember, and the erstwhilc Amelie Rives benefited by the announcement of a seventh edition in press. Freder ick Palmer's The Last Shot was per- haps the most opposite novel on the English market. and that. too. is at tracting attention, although it has not pCCh dutpbtttiN duNeFtlSeu.
 ''The fact that these vigorous Ameri can books are conspicuous in the English fiction market at a time when most novels here are dead seems to signify that the future looks fairly bright for the sort of fiction that has punch that comes largely from America. The day of morbid analysis. and airy. grace ful trifling is evidently over Such things are too petty to be considered by the reading public in face of the tremendous aetualities of today.
 But the minor novelist both in Eng land and America. is bound to suffer. Whatever timidity the English publish CT may have is going to be manifested at the expense of the author whose wares are doubtful speculation from commercial viewpoint. Only estab- lished writers. or the very, very few new ones whose work is so striking as to command immediate attention. need apply for publication over here for the next year at least'
 William Le QueuX. whose tales of derring-do defy enumeration, told me when met him at the National Liberal club the other day that he had sub mitted suggestion for an English Legion of Honor to the cabinet, and that the latter are considering it. The idea is that his ministers should rec ommend the King to institute a new patriotic order for the men who are coming forward to help their country at this time of her need. The order Le Queux has suggested should be in the form of small gilt and enameled cross with suitable ribbon. and divided into three classes the highest to be conferred upon men who perform con spicuous acts of bravery at home or on the field.
 Such an order, the novelist thinks when worn by man in years to come would if he were seeking work com mend him to employers.
 There is a distinct literary -journalis- tic touch about the Twenty fifth Coun- ty of London Cyclists. which Is soon to go to the front. One of the cap- tains is Cecil King. who when he Is not soldering, draws ships and other things. Among the lieutenants is Hugh Pollard author of a book on Mexico and another on pistols. and Kenneth Hare. whose poetry has been printed in highbrow reviews. In the ranks are son of Raven Hill. the punch artist. grandson of Douglas Jerrold. the humorist. and some quite intelligent Oxford undergraduates.