New-York tribune., 1920-12-03
Books

William Allen White, who is doubly
qualified to express an opinion, since he
knows the art of living in small town
and the art Of writing as we'll has re-
Gently had his say in The Emporia Ca
zette about Main Street, by Sinclair
Lewis.
There may never be the great Amer
lean novel, writes Mr. White, but
Main Street is great American novel.
1t is the story of a woman's rebellion
against the dreary, mean, ugly, op-
presslve monotony Of small-town life
i'll America. 1t happens that the small
town life of America is no better, and
probably no worse, than village life
anywhere in the world But in Main
Street the problem is fairly set and
may be intelligently studied It is q
book which every American should
read-a highly noble aspiration for
finer, broader life on this continent. It
carries a story beautifully told, and
the problem does not intrude; yet the
very artistry of the story telling
presses the deep moral upon the
reader.
"Amcrica is bigger country and a
better one for having produced a novel
liko Main Street. 1t ranks with A
Hazard of New Fortunes, The Scarlet
Letter and The Breadwinners, the great
novels of American life But it's chief
value will be found in its wide ac-
ceptancc by Americans. To write it is
to be great, but to read such book and
consider it we'll will be something eter-
nally TO the credit of this country. And
especially should Emporia read it
and all the thousands of Emporias in
this country; towns that because thay
have left Main Street and come into the
country club status and the younger
divorce set, and communit house,
and organized charity, and half dozen
community activities relative to music,
the drama, Fairgrounds and ci iic
beauty, think, therefore, that they have
reason to rest and be proud. The
journey is only we'll begun Content
ment is more wicked than red anarchy.
And if reading Main Street viii make
us pick UP our burdens and 60 for
ward-and it surely will-wc should
vote bonds to distribute Main Street
in every home in town and compel its
reading III the public Schools
II we ever get q chance anywhere, at
any time. to preach sermon our text
VIII be taken from the sixth sentence
of the second paragraph of William AL
len Whites review of Main Street
"Contentment is more wicked than red
anarchy"
From time to time during the next
few months this column is likely to
contain allusions to The Outline Of
History, by II. 6. Wells. 1t seems to
us one OF the most fascinating books
ever written, though. to he sure, we
have only accomplished 400 pages and
still have some 1900 to 60 The chap
ter on "The Races of Mankind" slowed
us up little. Personally, we take lit
tie interest in such things We have
20 race preJudlces. Some of our Lost
friends are Semites. Nor have we ever
understood why dolichoccphalic people
should not be allowed to ride IN the
same strcetcars as anybody else.
We like the book best when II begins
to talk of persons whom we know. not
socially. of course, but historically.
Here it s enormously animated by the
tendency of Wells to tnkc definite
stand on every controversy which has
ever been or ever will be. He speaks
OF Olympias, mother of Alexander the
Great, with az much passion as if she
we're unionist standing for Parlia-
ment. 1t is this vital and amazing abil-
ity to get excited about things, as we'll