The Detroit times., 1915-06-19
Opportunity for New Writer
~ on. FRANK CRANE
(Copyright 1915. BY Frank Crans)

Are we nation OF Sn0bSg Are we
given up wholly 10 the fevered itch for
getting on! Do we all chase money and
fame with breathless eagerness and howl
with self-pity when we fail?
These questions one may well ask on
reading the contents Of the average
American magazine and novel.
Modern literature may be divided into
two classes: first, the description of the
doings and undoings of the rich: second,
the description Of the wretchedness OF
the poor.
Most light and cheerful stories are Of
young gentlemen who loaf in clubs. own
yachts and spend millions, and Of lim0u-
sine ladies who can't do up their own
hair.
Another class of writer's who make
show of writing truth" depict the hor-
rible condition Of the poor, of the
wretched victims Of social injustice who
have to work for living.
The whole point of view, of both
classes. is sickening.
AS matter Of fact. the great. broad
river Of happiness flows through the
homes of the plain. ordinary United
States folks, that work for wages, ride
on street cars, live decently with wife
and children. mind their own business,
and are not eternally soured because they
are not wealthy.
These people the snobs despise, the
classes curse, and the agitators regard
as imbecile. Yet they are the real back
bone Of the nation. The greatest novel;
list that ever lived was Charles Dickens.
And he was great because he sensed the
wonder and beauty Of the common life.
His poor people were not sitting around
with scowling faces planning revolution.
They were eating roast beef and pudding.
In their homes were cheer and glee. love
and loyalty. He was the one genius who
knew what humanity means.
Unhappiness, perversion, and evil are
to be found in all walks Of life: but as Z
rule they abound more in the lives of the
idle and endowed than in the lives OF
those who toll for their daily bread.
II any young writer is looking about
for q field Of endeavor that will bring
him undying fame let him set before him
as his life task the business of interpret
ing the joy, the goodness, and the noble
ness Of the common lives about him.
1t is time for new Dickens. We have
had enough of the elegant and refined"
stuff that is devoured by the servant
girl element, enough of the girls Of "our
class" and the "college-bred" men and
millionaires' children. Also enough of
the glooms of Ernest Poole and Upton
| Sinclair.
Give us something wholesome, genu-
inc. lovable, manly. There are thousands
of United States families where father
is faithful and mother is strong and true,
where the boys and girls are brave and
cheerful, where there are merry dinners
and hearty frolics, old-fashioned love-
making, babies growing and the love Of
mankind and the fear Of God all through
the atmosphere. Let's have some Of it.
And take your bally social rotters with
their artificial snobisms, and your work
ingmen-horrors with their imported
grouches--take them to the dump-heap.
Give us little plain humanity. Moth
ing has such punch" Nothing would
be more eagerly read.
And. tell me, why is cheap and
heated young author who wades you
through pages of misery and squalor,
which is the easiest thing in the world to
do, why is he called strong? cannot
understand it, unless it be for the same
reason we call butter STRONG"