The sun., 1919-05-25
Confessions" by|
Leading Co mic
Artists r
None of theGloomI
Convent ionality
Attri blu tie S, but
Their Work Has
Iss Serious Side

W THO are the men that make
w our funny pictures and are
they as sad as humorists con-
ventionally are supposed to be? Did
they study drawing or are they artists
in the sense that one finger piano
players are music composers? These
are questions that frequently occur
to people as they laugh at caricatures
and study cartoons as being subjects
on which they would like some infor-
nation, for even the man who gets
more fun out OF the living man than
he can out of any clever simulacra
must realize that these things, created
first for the laugh. have often a seri-
Gus purpose.
A good many men recognize, or say
they do. a tremendous difference be-
tween the cartoon and the caricature.
The difference is more fanciful than
real; satire, forceful or suave, pleas
ant or grim, aimed at abuses or follies,
IS the soul of both. And there is
spice of Goethe's devil-the spirit that
cature as in the sternest political car
toon.
In truth IL they are to be judged
autobiographically and are not to be
imposed to have taken Rousseau's
example and written lies into their
concession" then the cartoonists OF
this city as we'll as their little brothers
The caricaturists are a happy lot, as
fond of having fun themselves as they
are, for a stipend, of making fun OF
others.
Just to prove this before going any
further, listen to what Tom Mcnamara
says OF himself. The words are his
own. II was born in San Francisco,
can't spell worth a darn, am married
and like to talk about the weather
Swear off on movies about once a
month, don't like derby hats or stiff
StraWs. broke into the cartoon from
primary TO grammar. to high school.
drawing all the while, two years Of
high school. then out into the cold
world. News boy, office boy. collector,
dTifted to Salt Lake City, there became
reporter and cartoonist. Restless.
Wanted to see the world, saw it as far
rs Petrograd. Home agin and went
70 work on the Journal. There still;
stlll restless.
They Don't Sound DolefuI.
Skinny Shaner is, SO far as know
the only fictitious character who ever
pulled off a Christmas Fund and got
away with it, This offspring OF mine
save children's party on Randalls
Island last Christmas and money or
GERS and checks we're made payable to
him-grand total $780,"
This doesn't sound doleful. nor like
Inc habit OF speech OF a man who con-
oeives his duty to be to reform the
world
Walter Hoban, who testifies that in
color he is white and in birth Philadel-
phlan also treats the tiresome things
Of this world lightly. Hear him SO that
you may understand the cartoonist
even before you begin seriously to read
about the species:
My maiden aunts and doting grand
parents picked me for another Raphael
or Leonardo ever since began trying
draw pictures, which happened on
august -, 1890. precise to a day!)
: TOOK short swing at st. Joseph's
ooHege after that. but my record there
speaks for itself. have sworn never
mention 1t. In 1907 I accepted a
POSITION on the art stan of the Phila-
SeIphla North American. drew borders
he murdered man and crosses on
W.'pictures TO show where the crime
mad been committed.
IN 1918 came the call OF New York.
oNyed 1t and joined trained assort-
lent Of pencil pushers on a paper in
we we metropolis Shortly after my en-
,s'ment began a series called Jerry
~ the job which provided bred and
''Uer until September, 1919 VS>a