The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-17

y IEARLY 900 authors turned out
VI last Tuesday evening. April 10.
for the second annual dinner OF
the Authors League Of America, which
Vas held In the grand ballroom OF the
Waldorf Astoria. Judging from the
prosperous. not to say fashionable. ap-
pcarance OF the diners, and the cxpen-
sve brands, not to mention amount. OF
food they consumed. one would judge
that hard times had touched lightly the
producing part OF the literary world.
Augustus Thomas as toastmaster more
than upheld his reputation for spon-
tancous wit. experimenting Emerson's
watch your step when the gods let
loose a thinker with we have with us
tonight some OF the loosest thinkers
in the country"
The FIRST speaker and the guest Of
honor. Granville Barker. introduced as
scheme for helping promising young
authors by establishing three year fell
Iowships for their benefit. Somehow or
other. Mr. Barker contrived to work in
pertinently the worst piece Of verse he
had ever heard, the subject being a girl
about to enter a convent Thus:
oh. where - my beautiful girl tonight.
The child of my love and carer
She Is not strong. she may kneei too Ions.
The other speakers were Eleanor
Gates. Rupert Hughes, Mrs. Douglas
Robinson and Frank Crowninshield. tho
latter presenting the sympathetic at
,itude Of tho country's editors toward
the authors hardshps as he commiser-
atlngly told how Robert w. Chambers's
5000 acres Of South Carolina quail land
had been reduced, and how George Barr
McCutchcon had had TO give UP his
Maine summer homo. because he was
annoyed by seeing II. reproduced on post
cards. being circulated as the Kaiser's
favorite palace.
Before the dinner much important
business was transacted at the third
annual meeting held at the rooms of
the Authors Club.
After two amendments. the first rails
ing the membership of the council from
thirty TO sixty. divided into six classes
Of ten each. each GLASS holding office
six years. and the second empowering
the council 10 delegate all or any Of Its
own powers to an executive committee
elected from itself and composed OF ten
members which shall hold office for
one year" the following members were
elected to the council:
George AIDE. George Barr Baker
Thompson Buchanan. George Creel. Ed.
mund Vance Cooke. James Oliver Cur
wood. William ]. Client. Henry Sydnor
ffHFflsOn, Rupert hughes, emerson
Hough. Will Irwin. Owen Johnson
Charles Ram Kennedy. Basil King
Percy Mackaye. Margaret Mayo. George
Barr McCutcheon. Samuel Merwin
George Middleton. Cleveland MofYett
Meredith Nicholson, Harvey J. O'H;s.
gins. Will Payne. Charming Pollock
Mary Roberts Rinehart. Edwin Miltor
Royie. Robert Haven Schaufher Lero:
Scott. Upton Sinclair. William NJ
Sloane, T.. II. Sothern, Bayard WELLER
Frank II. Nizetelly. Charles Stokes
Wayne. Stewart Edward White. Roger
p. Whitman. owen Wister and Helen 8
Woodruff.
Robcr, Underwood johnson addressed
the meeting concerning a proposal fol
the consolidation Of the American Au
thors Copyright League with the An
thors League OF America. His propose
was approved by the meeting and re
ferrei to tho executive committee fo'
action. Mr.. johnson and the other Of
ficers OF the American Authors Copy
right League we're invited to attend {
meeting Of the executive committee.
The chairman. Ellis Parker Butler
appointed - proxy committee. consist
ing of Jean Webster, Edward Strate
meyer and Parker Fillmore. The com
mlttee reported that seventy-two prox
ies duly provided with revenue stamp!
were on hand. These were voted.
Marion Hamilton Carter made a sug
Restion that members he provided with
printed slips to he attached to then
manuscripts giving specific information