The Washington herald., 1920-05-24
In the Linelight
BY George Perry Morris.

Withdrawal by w. Murray Crane
from the post of>Massachusetts' rep
resentative in the Republican Ma
tipnal Committee indicates the be-
ginning of a new era in State pol
itics. When Senator Lodge for any
reason also retIres from active
polHic ical control the nsw day will
have dawncd. Between them.
though differing radically on many
questions, the two men have domi-
mated the situation for many years.
doing II. to be sure, in a respecta bl q
New Englandlsh sort OF way. but
none the less thoroughly than Sen
ator Penrose in Pennsylvania. II
Senator Lodge has represented the
cold Boston" BrRhmin caste.
and religiously heterodoK point OF
view, Mr.. Crane has equally well
represented the hill town manufac-
turing, relIgiously orthodox point of
view He and his family have made
DaIton-where he resides-and the
adjacent country typify supremely
in New England that stage OF in
-dustrial evolution often found in
Old England. where industry and
benevolent paternAlism' go hand in
hand and all roads of political. &C.
.clesiastical. philanthropic activity
lead to the house OF the ruling fam
lily of the district. Shrewd. sensi-
Bile. frilless. generous in support OF
church and missionary activities: As
pussy foot" in his technique As
ever Allison. OF Iowa. was; hating
to speak publicly as much as Hoover
does; and pre-eminent in wisdom
when all else is worthless in solV-
ing a party tangle. Murray Crane"
finds himself at the age Of 81 lovoc
at home for many homely qualities.
and piIloried in the nation at large
as one of the craftiest men OF the
Republican pArty's 'Old Guard"
The death OF Mrs. Eleanor Hodg-
man Porter. author OF the Poly
anna" stories that have sold 80
widely. been filmed so successfully
and proved so remuneratiVe to her
in royalties. takes from the writing
guild the most constant preacher OF
the oh be joyful" gospel that the
country has known OF recent years
In many respects her "invincible
optimism" has been typical OF her
countrymen and countrywomen. II
has been quite the fashion to grid
and sneer at her as the writer OF
sentimental slush: and yet those
who have met and known her In her
Cambridge home or as they have
Chanced to meet her at the BOs-
ton Authors Club have found her
quite free from insipIdity and ex-
cessive rOmantiCism.
Michigan Methodi<ts feel hnuorcd
by the decision OF the General Con
ference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church tC make George Elliott ed
'itor Of the Methodist Review. One
of the oldest OF the class OF de-
nominationaI journals that once had
able representatives in all the sects
the Methodist Review has lived on
in virility while many OF its COM
petitOrs have died. For this result
much credit has been due 10 Rev
William V Kelley. who has held
the post since 1898. He has had
fine literary standard. been sen
sibIe in hRhdlinE discussion Of di-
visive issues; and lent his aid to
the de snominatiOral n"liCi"s making
for an aggressive educational pro
the denominational PUBLISHING
houses. The rev editor is an Ohio
an with creditahlC record in tho
pastorate. inClut' nT S,ntiun in
Washington in 1887. His bs, Ks have
shown intellectual rOwC: and a
sense of style.
Margaret Prescott Montague, who
has won the $500 prize awarded
each year Ivy the Society OF Arts
and Sciences in meme Ory Of q. Hen,
ry. tho author whose stories read
ers of The HelGl6 arc now reading
| 10 West EirRiniau who from yeaI
to year has sent forth stories ful
OF local cOlCr and Yet wholly Amer.
ican in their perspective. She wor
this prize by her story. ENGLAND
TO America" which appeared in Tho
Atlantic Monthly in 1919.
Walter Damrosch and the Now
York symphony Orchestra continue
to win applause from audience;
IhearIng their concerts now belnC
given in Europe. Americans pres
! ent no doubt furnish large anc
! influential voluntary ClsQue. ior IA
! tior alisn, is q nonjUdicisI factor il
| musical criticism. as in 50 man,
other forms OF the arprRisinE art
Reports have il that DamrnsCh go
ten recalls at Monte Carlo. ami thu
he included Wagner in his TrogIan
and got by"