The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-26
By M. K. WISEHART.

lists not better known to the English lit
erary public and the English novelistsf
Americans have been too willing to ac-
cept the explanation that American nov
ehsts Lave been unread in England be-
cause the Englishmen have better stuff,
better style, better technique. But here,
if not quite home Englishman, is Ca
madam, Coningsby Dawson, who, with ex-
perience in the London literary world and
in the publishing business in America,
gives a totally different explanation.
Mr.. Dawson, now lecturing in Amer
lea on world reconstruction and giving
readings from his war time writings, says
that the London literary world cannot be
interested in the works of contemporary
author, except under unusual circum-
stances, until it has become interested in
his personality. Though the old Grub
street has passed, Mr.. Dawson says the
ways Of Grub street still remain. Owing
to variety of factors, the English lit
erary world is interested first and fore
most in the "man who is ON the spot"
II.
Ibanez, the author of The -Four Horse
men, had been published in England
years before he was published in the
United States, but recognition did not
come to the Spaniard in England until
after his success In America. Previous
ly his books had had no sale; now they
are picking up. The demand the Brit
ish public is making for Ibanez Is intro
1ucing him to English literary men. For
the fact that early and adequate recog-
milton did not come to the Spaniard is
an explanation offered by Mr.. Dawson,
who says that the London literary world
is sort of SOCIAL trades union"
He predicts that American fiction Of
certain type is now about to come in its
own in England. The American mi itary
invasion of England introduced the Eng
lish booksellers to the novelists that
American soldiers wanted to read. Some
Of these novelists are continuing in de-
mand. Mr.. Dawson thinks that Dresser,
Hergesheimer and Harrington are getting
wider appreciation and recognition in
London. He says that Hergesheimers
Three Black Pennies got bigger literary
appreciation in England than it did in
the United States.
"There is an obvious reason why the
American novelists are not better known
to the British novelsts. The London lit.
erary world is not keenly interested in the
works of contemporary man unless his
personality is familiar. If it is true in
America that a man doesn't arrive until
he has an acquaintance in literary cir
Giles, it is still more the case in London
American writers can become known BY
living in London. The London literary
world is a whispering gallery. A mai
no sooner lands at Paddington with u
manuscript than he becomes known to
the London literary world if his manu-
script Is any good.
"You will almost always find it to be
the case in London that man who comes
across and strikes success has Put IN
three or four years at spade and shovel
social work before his success came. To
arrive in London 1t seems that You must
be on the spot to set of the minds OF
those who are to make you known to the
reading public.
"This is the lamentable fact. ] am
not defending it. The old Grub street
has vanished, but the methods of Grub
street still obtain. The literary man hds
himself either a member of a sort Of so
cial trades union or not a member. II
be is not q member, then he is an out
law.
III.
at is true Of writers of other coun-
tries as well as Of America that to BE-
come known in London they have to be on
the spot. If they do not live in Lon
don, then some exceptional event is re-
.,,;r.1 IN nrake them known "a in the