New-York tribune., 1919-11-29
Dresser and Oh Higgins
New Form of Realism in Fiction Marks
Portrait Sketches by Two American Writers

in Mr.. O'Higgins's presentation of this
he sees this as genuine romance. Or
take "Conrad." Behind the biography Of
a famous moving picture actor lies
frustrated love affair. BY the boot
straps of their sacrifice two strong
personalities imprisoned behind the
rigid caste system of a small town
have lifted themselves out of the rut of
narrow llfe-she to become social
somebody and he to become q famous
actor. And when both have made sue
cess of their Illustration, war tact
fully lntervenes which leaves her
widow, and the love affair is consum-
mated.
GIVE this what air Of reality care
1ul and excellent technique has ~at its
command, and this is still romance
OF an obvious and somewhat shabby
sort Or the one of the famous pro-
moter. whose STRINGS Of power came
to life when he defied his family and
declared his love for girl whom they
scorncd. This is reducing the subtle
symphony of the will to power to a
very simple tune, indeed. On the other
hand, in Jane Shore" where O'Hig-
gins shows simply the arc of progress
of personality without drawing the
fctlonist's circle to a close, where the
enigma OF character remains uneXpli-
Gated, he has done remarkable piece
Of work. From the Life" is proof of
an intention toward realism-an in
tention, however, that is limited by
thin perceptions, that are contention
ally symbolized.
There is no glibness or facility in
"Twelve Men" Dresser plows heavily
across the field of living, but he turns
up rich furrows of reality. The man
! n in 81
He is esthetically inscnsitivc He is
provlnclally agape at the glitter of
wealth. But the breadth and various
ness of his vision are astonishing. He
sees man not only in relation to his
social scheme, but in relation to the
larger cosmic scheme.
I He writes as if with stiff fingers.
There are passages in which it would
be pleasure to prompt him to an
easier turn of phrase. Not only is
there phrasing that makes one writhe,
but an ineptitude like this stands as
a gibe at fine writing: "My first rec
objection of him is myself as boy
OF ten and he man of twenty We
(my oldest brother)." Yet this mar
ticulateness seems the will rather to
err on the side of sincerity than on
the side of literary posing. In no
necessity does Mr. Dreiser's equip
ment fail him to set down amazingly
fine and powerful and subtle distinc-
tions.
The sketch of his brother Paul, the
famous song writer, who was the
author of "Just Tell Them That You
Saw Me" and "On the Banks of the
Wabash" has no suavity In an awk-
ward way, the more touching for it's
awkwardness, there is presented a poet
of the streets. Dresser has a great
stomach for life-a great feeling for
the wonder and romance that lurk in
the common thing. In Dresser it is
proved that n realist is poet who
finds life greater than any symbols.
AT least four of these sketches are
sympathetic pictures of religionists.
Dresser, wno is himself bitten deep
With mt9llectual pessimism, seems pro
foundW touched By the impulses that
virgo men to dogmas. "a Door Of the
Word renders quite literally Dreiser's
enco.nter with man who stood liter
ally on the Bibles injunction to love
your neighbor. Make what YOU like
Of this uncommented interview. 1t has
IN 1t perception of essential great
ness.
The Village Fcudists" shows man
in whom high sense of justice and
pity havo operated to make quarrel
'''HN ANttliN. mere are nerOlC
portions in this figure of the grocer
whose hatred of opportLrism sets him
lmpatlently against every mana bit
ter searcher for a Church that matches
with the Word.
1t has been said that Dresser is with
out humor 1t is perhaps inconcciya-
bic that Dresser should turn pun or
an oplgran-but there is tremendous
humor In the sketch of Culaane-under
which Dresser lightly conccals the pic
iure of Muldoon and tho regime of his
famous sanatorum. The huge coined '
IN the accident by which Il lot of sue
cessful middle-aged men are turned
back to scneme where physical STAN
ma IS the measure of respect was not
lost upon him. The absurd dwindIino
OF pretenslons, once men are stripped
naked, is shown in the larger ASPECTS
OF humor. There was something hugely
comlcal in the sight of these men who
had sprawled to physical defeat in thei,
pursuit OF riches or pleasure or fame
apparently to him (Culhane) the,
were all children, weaklings. failures
numskulls, no matter what thew mieb,
De IN the world outside. They had ne
understanding of the most imnortan,
OF thelr possessions, their bodies
Consider the robust fun of this inc;
dent-"lnto this chamber had come ,
distingui shed parsonage NV VIII
was washing himself rather leisu,.I,,