The Washington herald., 1918-12-17

! New York, Dec 1s.-Ray Long has
been made editor Of the Cosmopolitan
Magazine. leaving the editorial man
agement of the Red. Green and Blue
Books. in Chicago. for his new pos.
Not so many years ago Long was one
of the best messenger boys that ever
shot cigarette stub on the sidewalks
of Indianapolis, Horstio Alger, jr.,
were he alive, could get a wealth of
material for one OF those Ragged DICK
classics from Longs career.
Like'everybody in indianapolis Long
went in for literature. He was nred
as a messenger boy because he could
not stand for the boss constantly
splitting infinitives. They grated on
Longs nerves.
Later he became copy boy in a
newspaper shop and between editions
studied the use of the dactyls, iambics.
rhomoolds, and other rare birds OF
speech. Finally it was seen that he
was hopeess as a copy boy and so he
was made an editor at IS.
Few newspapermen have shown
such rare executive ability at such
| tender years. Shortly after he began
shaving he was star reporter In
Kansas City and when he was man
| aging editor of a paper in Cincinnati
grOuchy old editorial writer de-
clared that a new railing was built
around the stairway entrance to keep
the infant prodigy from falling down
stairs.
Long wound up his newspaper career
as editor of a Cleveland paper. 1t was
in Cleveland that he displayed a
stroke of journalistic genius that Is
seldom achieved. James Keely, of the
Chicago Tribune. thought of devoting
the first page to the list of dead the
morning after the Iroquois Theater
fire
That was acclaimed the master stroke
but Long went him one better. Lit
tie Billy White had been kidnapped
| in town near Cleveland. II became
countrywide sensation. Long was
the first to get picture of the stolen
boy. That would seem a big stroke.
but it did not satisfy him. He took
the picture and printed il life-size,
something never done before or since.
1t was simple mechanical problem.
| The picture ran lengthwise two
| sheets and it resulted in the capture
| of the kidnappers and the return of
the child to his father. 1t is said
that Long has developed more short
story writer's and illustrators than any
| other editor. He believes the story
| not the name is the thing. He is
! still in his thirties, smokes cigarettes
likes musical comedies. reads Anatole
France. Montaigne, and every mys-
terry story he can lay his hands on.
Bernarr Macfadden, sole owner of
those flawless biceps. meatless res
tanF1nfE nd
has founded a prayerless church at the
Broadhurst Theater. 1t was but the
development OF a ripe thought. and
Mr.. Macfadden-who will start almost
anything-felt that the time is here
for Physical Culture Church. which
shall be like no other church on earth
except in the matter OF collections
Five hundred persons sat in the first
Sunday.
Mr.. Macfadden explained that con-
! fusion regarding religious truths and
the differences of creed had long left
| him muscular but puzzled. After the
foundation of a church all that Is
necessary is to hire a hall. The
Physical Culture Church has four Sun
days in which to sink, blow up or
float 1t was sent down the ways
successfully last Sunday. 1t will hit
the water next sunday and trust to
luck after that for the two weeks
contracted for.
Broadway has been saddened by the
lnsistent reports that Nat Goodwin,
the actor. is becoming blind. A mis-
take in using an eye wash has caused
all the trouble and on operation has
already been performed. At the hos
pital, Mr.. Goodwin still retained his
! CHEEKY disposition. He tells of a
Kansas newspaperrnan who Joined
the army one week before the arrnis-
tice and two weeks later was dis
charged. I'm going back home and
/ run for office on my army record"
declared the scribe