The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-24
Willard Wattles Of Lawrence
New Acquisition of Body.
IN DEFENSE Of HARRY KEMP
Tramp Poet Finds Able Friend
in Kansas Professor.
Interesting and Clever Pro-
gram Given by Organization.


nual session in Topeka Tuesday. in
troduced to its members and guests
its newest acquisition, Willard Wat
ties. of Lawrence. Mr.. Wattles was
on the program for a toast. The
Future Of Kansas Poetry" He is him.
self writer of verse that has found
favor with some of the large maya
Zines. He has published his lines in
Harper's Weekly, the Independent.
and other periodicals. He is now
teaching in the Kansas State Uni
verstty. in the department OF English.
He previously taught In the Leaven-
worth high school, and later in Am
nest. He is Kansas man, brought
up near Wichita, and educated in
last night at the Y. w. c. A. and was
preceded by reception in the hall of
the building. At the close OF the BAN
Quet resolution was offered thank
ing Mrs George Morehouse for the
hospitality she had extended to the
club In opening her house to them for
the regular meetings.
Mrs W. A. McCarter, as retiring
president, was toastmistress. In her
address she spoke Of the dignity OF
authorship, and the industry required
In making the business Of writing sue
cessful. Many people who could
not write a line worth reading" she
said, ARE disposed to poke fun at the
idea of club of Kansas writer's.
There is no reason for Kansas to be
ashamed of its writer's. Things that
are written in earnestness and sin
sen."
Defense of Harry Kemp.
Mr.. wattles, who was first on the
program, began his speech with
quotation from Harry Kemp, and he
made spirited defense of the tramp
poet. He told of his own work in
compiling some of the poems Of KAN
sas writers. under the name Of the
Sunf1Ower Book. in which he collected
the work of a number of his friends in
the literary field The work was
headed by Miss Esther Clark's Call
of Kansas" as being the poem that
| more nearly than any other. touched
| the keynote of Kansas poetic spirit
There are four elements in Kan
sas life" he said. that should insure
the production of poetry of worth in
the future They are. first, virility
humor; third, imagination and fourth
youth. vision and aspiration. Out OF
a people possessed Of such qualities
come the prophets, seers, artists, low
ers and creators Of the beautiful"
Little ON Philippines.
Col Ed Little Of Kansas City, spoke
to the toast, Literature Of the Phil
ippines." The speaker was in the is
lands in the Spanish-Americanw war; 9.
was given a view Of Philippine litera-
ture." he said. when the natives triet
to carve their emblems on the coun-
tenances of American soldiers" H,
told of the plays the natives write and
act; In the islands there were COLLEGES
and universities, one of them found
ed before ever the Pilgrims landed a
Plymouth Rock. They have books il
81 different dialects. He told of on
of their national heroes, who was
writer on the abuses of Spanish gov
eminent, and who was shot on
charge Of treason.
Watch the Masses.
| Hattie Moore Mitchell of Pittsburl
| responded to a toast "A Drop of Inl
Has Made Countless Millions Think.
| She outlined some of the character
istics of authors that give them power
Her speech was full of clever anec
dotes, amply illustrating the point
she made. THE writer she said
must keep in touch with the mass o
people: he must be absorbed in hi
subject, and he must put away resent
ment and sensitive feelings"
Mr.. Ed Blair OF Olathe. the poet
poems, which told Of the trials of
country storekeeper. Lieutenant Gov
ernor w. Y. Morgan gave "A Messag
from Cow Creek" in which he toll
some stories about the publication o
his book on his travels abroad.
| The Authors club, at its Afternoon
meeting, decided to establish a liter
airy bureau with headquarters in To
peka. the duties of which will be t
/ criticise and assist in getting int
print the work OF the members of tn
club. The executive committee author
| lied the holding of summer confer
ences. and the holding of annual dis
trict meetings.
| New Officers.
The newly elected officers are:
| President, Col Sam F. WoOlarC
| Wichita; secretary. George p. More
house, Topeka; treasurer. Mrs l. {
r. Smythe; critic, Justice John Daw
son.
Vice presidents-First district w. T
'IPAPE'S DIAPEPSIN