The Washington herald., 1918-05-05
Newsie Notes.

z. P. Dutton & Company has Just
published a new novel by Edward
Lucas White. the author of that re-
markable historical novel ''El Su-
premo." In his new work, THE Unr
willing Vestal." he makes the life
Of Rome as vivid as yesterday. Per-
haps you have always thought Of the
Roman woman as a slave or a house
hold drudge like the Greeks. "All
men rule over women, but We Ro-
mans rule over all men and our
wives rule over u.s." said Cato in the
famous speech in which lie COM
planned Of having to push his way
into the Forum through a crowd Of
women,
The Vestal Virgins, with but one
prohibition, marriage. were the freest
women in Rene. In this book you
will find how many outside inter-
ests they had-the races, public
games, stud-farms, politics, etc. In
fact, they shared all the interests OF
the high-born men and their innu-
ence was immense. They had the
right OF private audience with the
emperor upon request. The legal
fiction that women were perennial
minors no more harmoniZed with the
general social sentiment Of Rome
than II does with Americas today.
The funeral eulogy was pronounced
over a woman as over a man
Rob Wagner, author OF Film
Folk" recently accompanied the spe-
cial party of movie notables which
has been making a speaking tour on
behalf Of the liberty loan. The party.
which included Mary Pickford, Char
lie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks.
was entertained in Washington by
the Treasury Department before the
tour began. Mr.. Wagner then went
on with Charlie Chaplin, who chose
the South because, he said, It was
warru. Before going South, however,
they stopped for a day at the Ritz
Carlton in New York. Mr.. Wagner
usually wears a cloth cap, and he
says that thf servants at the Ritz
insisted on taking him for a messen-
ger. 1t was only after having been
forcihly removed to a hatshop by
Charlie Chaplin that he was able to
receive respectful attention for TWEEN
ty-four hours in the metropolis.
Mrs. Israel ZangwiIl is the author
Of a novel. published this week, under
the title of THE Rise of a Star"
1t is a story Of theatrical life in New
York City. narrating the experiences
OF a girl who goes on the stage
against her fathers wishes and who,
after many struggles and privations,
achieves a tremendous success. Not
only does Mrs. Zangwill reveal an
intimate knowledge Of life behind the
footlights. but she also shows a dis
tinct ability in the writing Of 10
tion.
The beauty of the scientists point
Of view is that 1t enables US TO get
light without heat in dealing with
the problems that vex US. And the
beauty of the humanitarian writers
like John Burroughs and Liberty H.
Bailey, who are scientists as well
as men of letters, is that in reading
them one can be sure OF Just deal
ing. They do not violate our reason
by a violence of rhetoric, nor cloud
our vision by a heat haze of preju-
dice. Neither do they envelop US and
lead US astray in a confusing mist
of emotions.
~ olS VI COOI IL lTe
most conspicuous characteristic of
Mr.. Baileys essay on Universal
Service" In reading it land it can
be read In an afternoon). one has
the pleasure of following the dis
course Of gentleman and a natural
lst' who is bent on finding the truth
nrst OF all. That is a great thing.
And then there is the added pleasure
or listening to a lucid expositor. As
Tor the matter of the book, II is
pound to md many readers who will
assent to its truth and appreciate
the temperate presentation.
By Universal Service Professor
Bailey does not mean military serv-
Ice alone. nor even primarily. He
thinks that our great need is to
cultivate a sense OF common obli-
cation. and inculcate and practice
the duty and habit Of Service to
our fellow beings in all walks of
life-that the idea of universal
service should take the place Of
the idea of universal opportunity
and individual advantage which we
have now. Doubtless he is right.
for the one great flaw of our civili-
cation has been the lack of a due
sense of service. and the presence
Of a vastly Inflated sense of per-
sonal Importance. In gaining free
dom for individual culture. we let
our instinct for true individuality
wait. and have given free rein to
selfish liberty.
Dana Burnet. author Of ''The
Shining Adventure" took up col
umn-conducting this week during
the absence Of Don Marquis from
the New York Evening Sun. and
one of his most startling contribu-
tons was an extract from his own