New-York tribune., 1920-02-15
The Incompatible CeLt
A Few Among the Many
claims to GLORY

20 the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: When I wrote The Tribune what
thought the author of "Ben Bolt"
should have said about Alice, instead
of what he did say, I had no idea of
starting something. The aftermath Just
shows how the modern newspaper
reaches outflow educational it is. /
have been particularly interested in the
communication of Miss Florence Drew.
take it for granted that she is
"Miss."
Miss Drew writes: ut takes Ireland
to make such dear, lovely men that can
lift up the soul, so that one can weep
with delight"
Now, l have never studied the sons
or Erin on their native heath, but I
have observed the racial characteristics
locally. 1t appears to me that they
are so busy teaching US how to run our
municipal, state and national govern
ments, while carrying on a long range
war with England, that I can't for the
life Of me see how they can find time
for the soft stuff. I trust Miss Drew
will not misinterpret the soft stuff. /
admire the get there quality in the
Irish character, but I really think that
in matters of war, poetry and the tenn
peramental stuff the Irishman is at his
best with French blend MacMahon
was the greatest general in the French
army during the Franco-Prussian War,
1871. And down in Mexico there is
another fighting general named Obreon.
His fathers name probably was O'Brien.
On the poetic and emotional side we
have had the Max O'Rells, Dion Bou-
cicaults and many other men of genius
in literature, art and all kinds of
adventure.
Now, if that French pugilist wallops
our champion it will be found that he
is Irish on his mothers side. If John
Malone were living he would prove it
easily.
To many Tribune readers this particu-
lar John Malone will stand for the un-
known quantity. For such, this brief
biography: John was a member of the
California bar. Habitat, San Jose. John
gave up Blackstone for Shakespeare
He became legitimate actor. He
played as leading support to Edwin
Booth, Lawrence Barrett, John McCul-
lough and Nine Modjeska. John was
good actor, genial companion and a
ripe scholar. But first and always
John was an Irishman. He had mastered
everything in the history of the race
its wars, its drama, it's poetry end its
literature; and he had proven to his own
entire satisfaction that about every
man who had ever achieved anything
really great in war, craftsmanship, lit
erature or art could trace his forebears
to the Celtic race
One evening twenty-odd years ago,
just at the close of the Spanish-Ameri-
can War, John was the center of
notable group of writers and actors
at The Players He had list of
the officers of the American army
and navy who had distinguished them
had looked up their pedigrees and
climbed their family trees. He was pre-
pared to prove that each one of them
came of Irish stock. Also, every great
general of the British army during
several centuries had been an Irish
man. He had long since established the
Irish ancestry of Napoleon. 1t was
aways a treat to hear John talk; and
he usually did most Of the talking. And
he surely had line Of picturesque
expletives.
Finally he shifted to the arts. He had
established the Celtic ancestry of Dante,
Homer, Cervantes, Ovid and Shake
speare. AS the party was breaking up
Mark Twain said: John, if you live
long enough you will prove that Our
Saviour was an Irshman" John replied
calmly, II am working on that now"
MILTON NOBrES.
New York, Feb. 8, 1920.