The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-13
MASEFIELD IS GLAD
U. s. Is NOT AT WAR
Writer Now Famous, Once Bar
Boy in Greenwich Village,
Here to Lecture.
SERVED At GALLIPOLI

John MaseNeld. the dis,in guished Eng
l,sh poet and author, returned to this
city yesterday for the Hrst time since his
hard but not unhappy days Of more than
a score Of years ago. when az a boy or
~ he washed beer glasses and swept
up IN the barroon OF the old Columbian
Hotel In Greenwich Village. He anne
In on the American Line steamship Phil
adelphia. fresh from gathering iaurels In
the service OF his fellow man in Red
Cross work at the D~ardanelles. and he
fore he goes back 90 England he Is 60
ing down 20 Greenwich avenue to look
over the old place where he toiled 40
hard to make money with which to buy
good books For the seventeen-year-
old barboy made up his mind that he
would be a writer and having COM
paratively little education he proceeded
TO get Il out Of books IN mis- spare
moments. Mr.. Masefield vii, md the old
hotel pretty much az he left IT. except
that II has a new annex, known IA the
Working Girls Home. and Luke O'Con-
nor. his old boss. will be on hand to
greet him.
"Aud 80 Mr.. Masefeld IL in town." ex-
'laiined Mr.. OConnor last night. We'll.
we'll. I'm glad TO rear the news. Jack
sure was II very good boy and SO studi-
Gus. When he vasiAt working he stuck
TO his room all the time reading books"
Mr.. Masefeld put up at the Hotel
krickerhocker. instead Of the Columbian.
last night and to-day he "a going 10
start on n lecture ioIf which Will take
him to the New England states and as
far West as =; Louis. !, viii last six
weeks. He Wi. lecture or English 1t
erature and kindred subjects.
~ came To- America hoping 20 get
away from Tn. war said Mr. Maseneid
a. = >rN reporter last evening "Bu
u'"tse don't ask me to discuss what
at.prn"d a, IN. pardaIelles or any
where ellie | am bound. YOU know. not
go tax al : III" war. would really
III" 10. hut ! cannot do II.
Il am thankful there IL one great
country that il suiug 10 keep out OF the
wa, and | am very glad 20 he here
again after So many years"
u YOU think the war will las, long,
he WAS asked
Il think It will last a year a, least
'Wha; are your plans after your lee.
ture tour -"
I'm have no nlans ~ all until after
the war" lie said with u sigh. This
war makes YOU realize how much you
love your fellow men. When you sex
them dying or in pain your heart goes
out to them.
what do YOU think OF prepa redness
Tor my country he was asked.
81 must he neutral while I am IN this
country. 80 cannot talk about prepa red
ness" answered Mr.. Masef-ld. II 70.
member an old story about "A fellow who
was once told he ough, to carry a gun
He didn't wan; TO. but his friend said &c
him. You ma never want TO use IL. bu'
II YOU do need II some time you'll h.
mighty glad that you've got II with
you"
when MIR MaseHeld was n Young boy
he j. now "A little more than forty
n. wasn't fond Of school and d!dn't car.
much abou' books. lie had "A habit %
going on long and unprecedented jour
ucys without taking his family into his
confidence. At Il he sailed before III.
mast and his journeys took him iutC
strange lands.
BESIDES spending SIX or seven week.
as barboy In the Greenwich villag,
hotel. he worked for a baker in Forty
sixth street.
That baker made a patented kind 81
bread" unused he poet last evening
but | don't think 1t was much Of 9
success. as | have never heard ~ i
since
MIR. Masef-ld's first book saw th'
light Of print In l9uS and four YEAR
later his fame had spread round M
world. He il the author OF Capt MAJ
giret. "The Tragedy OF al" "rhilii
TIA, King" and many other books an'
pppmS