New-York tribune., 1920-06-20
The O. Henry Memorial Prize
Cream of Our Popular Fiction To Be Found
in Anthology

Monthly and more recently reprinted
as single volume. At the risk of
being called a misogynist and Sim
Feiner, we dissent from the decis ION.
Miss Montagues tale is original in
plot, we'll told Except for the gees"
and "goshes" scattered about the Vir-
gnian hero's dialect), and the climax
comes like a home run in the tenth
inning. But the attempt to make this
poignant little episode a symbol for
the British affection for America 10 a
fundamental artistic error. There is
an uncomfortable impression that Eng
lish "reserve" was created in order
that Americans might not know the
hardships of war and that the English
attitude toward America was one Of
sympathetic big brotherliness. Even
if this thesis were defensble Miss
Montague would still be guilty Of per-
mittng her propaganda to intrude on
her story. England to America" is q
good story. but, as Max Beerbohm once
remarked of contemporary, Miss
Montague has sold her literary birth
, right for a pot Of me sage.
The sponsors for the collection seem
to be susceptible to messages. for Fran
ces Gilchrst Wood in Turkey Red'
also Injuries we'll written story by
attempting to make of it a plea for
better understanding between the East
and the West.
Wilbur Daniel steele's "'For They
Know Not What They Do" the gloom
lest story in the book, received the
second prize. Here we have no quarrel
with the Arts and Sciences jury. for
Mr.. Steele's tale is little master
piece of atmospheric writing. Unlike
Edward j. O'Brien, also an admirer of
Mr.. Steele's work, the committee is not
averse to stories in the lighter VEIN
and it is a pleasure to note the pres
ence of such bright bits as Albert Pay
son Terhune's con Strike" Edna Fer
trice RavenePs "The High Cost of Con-
science" Further proof of the com
mittee's eclectic taste is afforded by
the inclusion Of Melville Davsson
Posts Five Thousand Dollars Re-
ward" which, however, is mystery
story in name only. for no detective
story enthusiast will find much diff
Guilty in solving the story after the
opening pages.
There are two Oriental tales-"The
Blood of the Dragon" by Thomas
Grant Springer, and "The Kitchen
Gods by DR.. G. F. Alsop. The first
is written with fine swing, but, by
Confucius, again we find a message.
In DR.. Alsop's story the linked sweet
ness is too long drawn out, although
there is much charm in the telling. OF
two animal stories, we prefer Samuel
A. Derieux's "The Trial in Tom Bel
cher's Store to Edison Marshall's
"The Elephant Remembers" There is
capital elephant fight in the latter,
but the story might have been titled
"Androcles and the Elephant" whereas
Mr.. Derieux's yarn of boy and dog
despite the familiarity of the materials,
seems somewhat more convincing.
Fannie Hurst's "Humoresque" now is
the toy of the films and doubtless our
screen Aristotle has told you Of the
story. The details are piled up some
what heavily, and the use of verbaI
leitmotifs seems trfe studied, but
it remains, nevertheless, one of the
best war stories yet written. "They
Grind Exceeding Small" by Ben Ames
Williams, indicates that the author has
not yet acquired sufficient fnesse tc
remove completely the taint of melo
drama from his more serious efforts
Louise Rice's "The Lubbeny Kiss
sounds authentic, but it's story value
is somewhat below par James Btanch
! Cabell's "Porcelain Cups" is one O.
the most finely imaginative selections
in the book. But we must warn readers
who know Mr. CaheI1 op1u h,, u1,r~,