New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-14

With the war over and political
campaign coming on the necessity of
standing behind the President has
passed, and so we feel free to say that
the short story which he recommended
so heartily few weeks ago is poor
stuff. Speaking to Louis Seibold, of
1.-THE World" Mr. Wilson said that he
had read three Or four good detective
stories "to balance the heavy stuff" and
then he began to speak of "Unce Sam
of Freedom Ridge" by Margaret Pres
colt Montague, and remarked:
"That lady has written story which
breathes of patriotism so pure and
wholesome as to make the other things
of Cas- seem of little consequence.
wish that every person that questions
the benefits to humanity that will be
guaranteed by the League of Nations
might read it. Don't forget to read it,
Seibold."
Being among the questioners, we
promptly read "Uncle Sam of Freedom
Ridge" and found that the author felt
that Americans should uphold the best
traditions Of the Light Brigade and
take the treaty without question and
without reason. Or, even more like
spectators at Billy Sunday revival,
they should relax to emotionalism and
hit the trail or be damned.
"Uncle Sam of Freedom Ridge" is an
impairment piece of unredeemed senti-
mentality. The author proceeds on the
bland Wilsonian assumption that the
only opposition to the treaty and the
League of Nations came from those
who said "Let Europe stew in its own
juice" There is not even a hint of the
existence of peace-loving folk who .re-
belled at the league and the treaty as
an armed threat against the freedom
of the world.
Miss Montague defends Wilson the
idealist, but forgets to say anything
about Wilson the compromiser, Wilson
the short cutter, Wilson the practical
man. There is in the whole story not
a single word about the terms Of the
treaty or the structure of the league,
By mighty leap Miss Montague tries
to make the issue lie between world
peace and world war. Even the author
of propaganda story should not for
get to touch second. No matter how
great the din, the author or the Presi-
dent who tries to find a royal road from
| first to third ought to get caught and
will be caught.
Miss Montague is frankly propa-
gandist, and her theme is almost of
necessity mechanical. Life is not much
given to a polite and orderly pointing
of morals. The writer must white such
things oct for himself. Miss Montague
has neglected to remove the shavings.
From our point of view "Uncle Sam of
Freedom Ridge" is false in theme and
treatment, too. And we don't think
much of the dialect in which it is told.
We are no more willing to accept
"onced' than we are the theory that the
wartime psychology of nation is al
together admirable and uplifting and
its peace-time reactions mean and
petty. Uncle Sam of Freedom Ridge"
seems to be just the sort of story for
which regular vaudeville fan would
fall. If this is what President Wilson
considers SERIOUS stuff" we don't even
want to know the names Of his "good
detective stories."
A President has much to do, and it is
perhaps unfair to expect him to be
national critic of books and the theater.
Yet Theodore Roosevelt found time to
boost many good book and some which
were not so good. His theatrical taste
seemed to US less sound. His only
theatrical Endorsement which we re-
member went to a conventional comedy
called "The Country Cousin" Wilson,