The Washington herald., 1915-08-11

| the abuse Most of us smiled. The article Ger.
i tanly had humor. 1t was one of those criticisms
where the critic strove to shine at the expense oi
the performer
! ITS terrible to think of what artists before the
public eye have to endure, isn't it," said Emer-
son with his fondness for taking the philosophical
view of things
"Oh, they get hardened" Waller petulantly
retorted. tits all advertising. The only thing
that hurts them is not being noticed at all"
Il wonder" Emerson went on rehectively.
After all, they human and they love their
work | suppose there few workers in the
world who love their work as actors do Besides
they couldn't do their work if they weren't more
or less sensitive l have notion that this particu-
lar actress is highly organized creature. She
undoubtedly needs the stimulation of praise An
article like that must be blow in the face
well, they all have to take it, don't they?"
Waller insisted, as if this fact somehow relieved
and justified the situation "al the people in pub
lie life in public work. Think of what politi-
clans have to stand
THAT is Infamous" 1t was Burton who spoke
up. There was indignant gleam behind his
glasses. 81 once heard a successful politician say"
he went on, that if he had known the price he
would have to pay for his success he would never
have started in the game of politics And yet he
had been very richly rewarded in honors. If he
| could feel that way l wonder how those men felt
who were losers Most of them, of course, are
losers. It's only the few who succeed in politics
as in anything else"
Think of the writers and the musicians" -.
Emerson went "They have to stand before
the bar of criticism too and suffer all kinds of in
dignities. With the writers it's not so bad. As
Stevenson once pointed out it's not so personal.
The writer shut himself up in his study and
send his work out without being obliged in his
own person to mingle with the public His fail
ures arc not apt to be humiliating as the fail
urcs of the performers. With the performers the
trials must be at times, almost uncomfortable
Think, for example, of an actor who makes
failure in a play the first night. He knows
that play is doomed And yet for weeks, maybe
for months, he may have to 60 on and play to
virtually empty houses, meeting his failure over
and over again. Or if the play is taken off at once
ne may be obliged to spend weeks or months in
retirement Or he may undertake another ven
ture with his nerve damaged and with another
possible failure staring him in the face And,
meantime, he must as we say keep up front.
It's really marvellous how they do it. And no one
seems to give them any sort of public credit"
1t was Walters chance to be cynical People
get credit when they're successful, not when
they're unsuccessful"
why haven't people sense enough to 60 into
those professions where they're not subjected to
such humations?" Saunders asked irritably.
That's a good suggestion!" Emerson was
evidently pleased with the contribution
Where will you find such professions?" Wal
er growlcd
There's the clergy" Emerson replied with a
smile Become clergyman and you are virtu.
ally immune from public criticism"
You'll get plenty of it from your conerega-
ton.' Waller grunted.
And II your clergyman goes into public life.
Burton interposed, "he will become a target for
opposition
"Oh, then, of course, he will be- taunted like a
politician, Emerson agreed. And if he becomes
a reformer, as clergymen usually do when thew
enter politics. he will find the martyrs crown
ready made for him. But there are other prof.s.
sions even more attractive in their immunity from
criticism. Consider the law for example !
There was shout of dersion from the whole
group.
- 1 know that seems a rather broad statement &"
Emerson resumed mperturbably. LAWYERS do a |
good deal OF fighting among themselves, and BY
nj
tempt Nevertheless, the position of LAWYER in |
the community is of great dignity One seldom
hears lawyer publicly criticised And as for
Judges they arc the lords of the earth 1t is only
recently that judges have been permitted to be
subjects OF eensure. For, many years they were
considered superior to the people who created
them. whose rights they were supposed to safe
guard. And consider how lawyers stand together
in opposition to the public. They form a kind of |
Criticism Of lawyer is regarded as
criticism of the law. And the law is held sacred. !
Yet lawyers are eminently public characters. I
can't see why they shouldn't be subject to crti-
cism as well as any other public characters"
Burton's eyes were twinkling "How about
doctors! Think Of the awe they are held in"
why shouldn't they be? Could we get along
without them?" cried Waller, who, in some of his
IDEAS, is rather old-fashioned.
The feeling that we can't get along without
doctors has been their salvation" Emerson re-
Piled ITS that advantage that has raised them
high in the respect Of the community. But lately
there's been change. Christian Science and the
Mental Healers have given the medical profession
a hard JOLT They have made it plain that it has
been altogether too conservative, too closely
bound by tradition, too slow to move forward
There signs that some doctors are feeling the
change of attitude and are troubled OF course,
the surgeons maintaining their prestige In
fact, they adding to it. In the past few wears