The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-06
wv hos who" Expanded by Its
Ftrst Editor.

The net with which. in Trcnty
Years Of Nv Lite ,Dutton). the Eng
fish journalist and maker Of books
DOroL.As SLADES drags the literary
puddle is fine meshed enough TO hold
the minnows and sufficiently stout 10
capture an occasional big fish. The
chapter How ! Wrote Who's who 4"
is too short. The indispensable mu-
scum OF achievement and idiosyn-
Grassy was established in 1897. Mr..
Sladen had planned a low priced an
nual biographical dictionary. expand
ing the scheme and usefulness Of the
s~poradically appearing Men Of the
Time" People OF the Period" and SO
on. and had tried unsuccessfu.ly To
sell the idea. when one day Adam
Black. OF the Arm that had published
a book OF S~laden's. in the course OF a
conversation with him showed a copy
Of an old pocket peerage OF which
the title. who's who pleased him
nightly. The result Of that CONVEX
sation was a commission to make the
book for the Arm: to he an annual.
selling at a popular price.
But how are YOU going TO get the
. wv fu'ia''i'i hNNfb
Il shall make the people them
selves give it,"
But will they ever. do it,"
Il think So said the author, II
We give them proper forms to III up.
and get a well known peer and a
well known Commoner to all up their
forms az specimens before We send
the others out"
You'll have to tel, them that
you're going to use their biographies
as specimens. | wish nothing To be
done Of which anybody could COM
plain
To write the model biographies"
the Duke of Rutland and Mr.. Balfour
were selected. Both gentlemen re-
sponded and performed g%raciously.
The models and blanks were sent out
In long blue envelopes. opening at
the side. such as are used for Cabinet
correspondence: a clever stroke OF
advertising psychology. The idea OF
adding '~recreations" 10 the more Sc
rious biographical items was hit upon
at one OF the councils OF wal held in
the office Of the publishers in Soho
Square. and for selling IL
proved far and away the best idea in
the book. The newspapers were
never tired OF quoting the recrea-
tions OF eminent people. thus irving
the book n succession OF advertise
ments OF It's reliability. and shop
Keepers who catered for their va
rious sports bought the book 10 get
the addresses OF the eminent people,
who We're many or them very indig-
nant at the Niagara of circulars
which resulted"
The distinguished Parliamentarians
whose data stood at the head Of the
form sent out proved excellent bell
wethers, and few people objected to
following where they led: polite Ell.
phetnism for the greed for printed
notice. But there were some recalci-
trants, notably Lord Salisbury and
Mr., Chamberlain. Naval officers were
peculiarly reluctant to report them
selves. Architects and liter'y fel!ers
were found to write the best notices.
painters and stage folk the poorest.
The head Of an oxford college
wrote in curt protest against the IN
vas!on Of his privacy and ordering
the editor not TO use his name. The
editor. nettled. replied with equal
c%rlspness: Dear Sir. II you had not
oecn heau or College no one
would have dreamed Of including you,
but since you are o will have to
go in whether you like IT or MT"
Perhaps the collegian's modesty was
sincere: professional character" A
lady author refused to nj GU, the