New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-12
Artistic Talent
Busy in British
War Departments
Men and Women of Inter-
national Reputation Give
Labor to War Work
Elinor Glyn in France
Arnold Bennett a Policeman
and Press Agent for Wound
ed Allies Relief Fund
Elinor Glyn in France
By HAYDEN CHURCH

many artistic folk, come Of them too old
and others not physically strong
enough for active service, are doing
war wor6, various departments OF the
British government absolutely scintil-
late with variegated talents.
In one department: connected with the
War Office, heard yesterday, Gran
willie Barker, the sctor-dramatist, is
working side by side with Kennerley
Rumford, the renowned barytonei Guy
Standing, the actor, and one Of the
daughters Of Mrs. Elinor Glyn, the
author Of 1.-THE Visits Of Elizabeth" and
Three Weeks"
Barker, who returned from the
United States in order to join up, is in
khaki as a second lieutenant. Kenner-
ley Rumford, who is married to an
other famous singer, Nine. Clara Butt
the prima donna, is now captain. His
war service is quite a distinguished
one. He joined up practically at the
beginning of things, and had been in
France until recently since October
1914.
He was a member Of General Sir
Arthur Sloggett's staff at General
Headquarters from February, 1915, TO
March, 1916, and later officer in charge
OF the British Red Cross advanced
stores depot at the front. In the former
capacity, and then a lieutenant, KUN
ford won a mention in dispatches.
Mrs. Gyms Daughter at Munitions
Mrs. Gyms pretty daughter, before
entering the department which she now
adorns, was working at canteen for
munition workers, where her talented
mother also put in many strenuous
hours. | saw her there myself, scrub
bling table tops, sorting mustard pots
and doing a lot of other severely utili-
tartan stunts" which it was hard TO as
sociate with her.
Mrs. Glyn is now war-working in
France, and has been doing so for so
long that Roy Horniman, who made
the dramatization of "Three Weeks
that was staged in London week or
so ago, had to confess TO us on the
first night that he had not yet met
the authoressI
In another government department
two former translators of Maeterlinck
Alfred Sutro and Alexander Teixeirs
de Mattos, are also working within
few desks of each other. W. L. George
who wrote "A Bed of Roses" has been
at the Ministry Of Munitions for many
months.
Dion Clayton Calthrop, novelist, drs.
matist, great authority on the history OF
British costume and chief expert after
Barrie on fairies and their ways, has
been equally long at the Admiralty
and is now commander. Lady Car
son, whose husband has just resigned
from the Office Of First Lord Of the Ad-
miralty, persuaded Calthrop TO speak
the other day at matinee Of hers on
behalf of the Irish prisoners in Ger
many. and a very neat little address
the author of "Everybody's Business
made.
Bennett a Constable
Have you noticed how little we hear
of Arnold Bennett nowadays? Before
the war his name was synonyme Tor
quite dazzling literary success, and
during the opening months Of the
struggle his "views" on various aspects
Of it were given great prominence by
awed editors, but Of late he has suf-
fered almost complete eclipse.
About twice a month "The London
Daily News" publishes an article from
his pom, and occasionally he IS repre-
sented by a magazine article Of the
discursive type, but none OF these APP
pears TO attract any special attention
Tho war, in fact, seems 20 have more
or less overwhelmed Bennett, as it has
done so many other artists OF equal
rank.
This entirely in a literary sense
Bennett, who has a beautiful country
house at Thorpe -leSoken, near Col
chester. became a special constable
down there practically as soon as TINS
corps Of volunteer policemen wa;
formed, and. | understand, had, and
possibly still has. rather considerable
responsibilities as such.
He has done no end Of work for Varl-
Gus organizations connected with the
war. too, notably for the Wounded Al
lies Relief Fund, whose chief press
agent" he has been from the first. His
wife, a pretty French woman. is the
president and chief organizer OF club
for soldiers at Thorpe-le-Soken.
Suffrage Novel Tame
The last novel he published was THE
Lions Share O romance that began
entertainingly, but proved 20 consist
largely of suffragette activities on the
part Of its heroine-the smallest or
beer they seemed, in contrast with
life as II Is now. hear that Bennett,
in sending a copy 70 one OF his femi-
nine relatives, wrote apologetlcally on
the fyleaf. "Not much!" OF the drama
tization OF his novel Sacred and Pro-
fame Love-" which Bennett made Tor
Doris Keane and which the American
actress was said TO have turned down,
no more has been heard.
How many Of the thousands who have
read the dashing novels OF "Morice
Gerard"-"The Tenant Of the Grange
"The Man With the White Face" The
Grin of the. Wolf" and the rest-are
aware, one wonders, that their author
ia in reality a clergyman? He Is really
the Rev. John Jessop league, vicar OF
ST. Stephen, Coleman Street, E. C., one
OF the famous lily ChuECles, an IN
cumbency which ne has held since 1911.
Has Lost Three Sons
One is reminded Of this by the sad
fact that news recently came Of the
death at the front of his third and last
son. two of them-one OF whom was a
member of the staff OF "The London
Daily Express"-hsving already given
their lives for their country.
"Morice Gerard" is now siXty-one
and has something like thirty novels 20
his credit. most Of them tales Of ad-
venture. His first one was called Mis-
terton." and one OF his early tales, "The
Growing Of Esther" won a prize Of
$500 offered for n serial by THE New
castie Chronicle"