New-York tribune., 1919-10-06
Books
BY Haywood Broun

TN A book called "Thc Girl and the job
by Helen Christenc Hoere and Florence
B. Satzberg, there is much good advice
for young women who don't know what kind
of work they want to do or what sort of jobs
they can get But some of the suggestions
seem to us not quite so good. For instance,
in the chapter called "Thc Writer" we find:
every one who has ever started to write
has determined that he would write
what he wished to write, and educate the
public up to his standard. But the public
does not wish to be educated; it wishes to be
amused. If girl intends to mako her living
by writing it is her business to write the
kind Of stuff the reading public demands.
Ideals are very wonderful and far pos
sible every one ought to cling to them but
ideals will never pay rent buy food, clothes
and the necessities of life"
We do not complain altogether of the
cynicism of this advice, although we must
admit being somewhat appalled, by the sug-
gestion that ideals should be standbys until
something better turns up. 1t seems to US
that "They shall not pass" would be some
what less inspiring slogan if rewritten to
read "They shall not pass if we con-
vcnently prevent them,' or, likewise,
Don't give up the ship unless you have a
previous engagement" or Glitch your
wagon to star until the price of oats is
lower" No, it seems to us that, like good
deal OF advice of the same sort, Miss Hoerle
and Miss Saltzberg have managed to be
cynical without tcing shrewd. We are sick
to death of editors, magazine and other
wise, who say: ~ know this is terrible
stuff but Pm going to use 1T because It's
just what the public wants
There is no denying that the public some
times assemblies in great numbers to see bad
plays and to buy bad books, just it often
falls all over itself to buy good books and
see good plays, but thing is certain: the
public does not want to be patronized With
very few EXCEPTIONS successful bad books are
written by men who arc doing their level
best and writing not down to their public
but up to it. Personally, take no delight
whatsoever in the books of Harold Bell
Wright, but don't question for a moment
that Mr. Wright gives the public not what
he thinks they like, but what he likes him.
self If the books are overly sentimental
lied it is because the qualities which Mr..
Wright expresses are his own qualities. They
are the qualities which he thinks ought to
be in book. If he writes badly, at least he
writes sincerely and earnestly He believes
in the all-healing power + mother love just
firmly as Mr.. Wells believes in the i'm
portance Of good chemical laboratories in
high schools. 1t is perfectly true that Mr.
Wright could not write Joan and Peter" and
more could Mr.. Wells write "The Re-
Creation of Brian Kent We do not intend
to convey belief that Harold Bell Wright
is therefore valuable and enduring figure
in the world of letters II. G. Wells, but
at least he is in there trying
1t seems to US not only the height of folly
but the height Of impertinence for any au-
thor to offer the public work which is less
than the best which he can do. If it doesn't
satisfy him we don't see how he can expect
it to satisfy anybody else. There are, to be
sure, one two authors who consciously
write down to their public and manage to
succeed, but this is one of the most difficult
feats in the world 1t is not an admirable
system. 1t is not an easy system.
Most men who say the public wants this
or the public wants that are merely vapor.
ing. Practically nobody in the world, no,
not even magazine editor. knows with any
degree Of accuracy what the public wants
Public taste is much too complex and much
too tluctuating to be susceptible to accurate
prediction. Any writer's best chance of sue
cess is to please himself to tho limit of his
ability and take n chance that he is not -
minority of one in the world. Moreover al
though we wanted to go through this piece
without any cynical reservations, we must