The New York herald., 1921-10-09
David Explores
Both Good and Evil

THE WASTED GENERATION. BY
Owen Johnson. Little, Brown & Co.
TN placing before the public the
diary of David Littledale, New
= England Harvard man who had
to go to France to discover what was
the matter with America, Owen John
son makes two distinct departures
from his customary methods. David
IS the first Harvard man Mr.. Johnson
ever has ushered into fiction as hero:
and The Wasted Generation" is the
first novel in which Mr.. Johnson has
allowed his message to outrun his
story.
Perhaps the college point doesn't
matter. Still, we hear an echo Of COM
plaint from New Haven. AS a loyal
son of Yale only Yale heroes are ex-
pected from the pen of Owen John
son. In this day of F. Scott Fitz-
gerald and the Haughton coaching
system Yale can expect no less.
AS for his message" Mr.. Johnson
has pondered over affairs until he has
reached the boiling point. He sends
a direct challenge TO the young man
hood of America, proclaiming that the
arriving generation is neither grasping
it's opportunities nor accepting it's re-
sponsibilities. He scolds and threatens
and concludes by an impassioned ap-
peal to the instinct of self-preserva- :
ton.
But for all the idea that the Ameri-
can heritage is yielding before an alien
in 70 n6 int1tj
has a story theme running along
smoothly, never briskly, seldom in
tensely, yet steadily toward a happy
ending. The war is used rather as a
background than as motive.
David Littledale. the young man who
sets down his opinions so frankly from
day to day, explores two mysteries
throughout the course of the plot: the
mystery of evil and the mystery of
good. One of them was named Lefty
and the other Bernoline. Bernoline
was the greater mystery. She let
David fall in love with her on the
steamer and fell in love with him.
Then she asked him to go away and
never see her again.
There are moments when the mys-
At any rate, it holds the reader at bay
while various groups of persons dis
cuss the deplorable state of affairs at
home and abroad. With Bernoline sit
ting in a steamer chair just down the
deck, we have the patience to head
Peter Magnus out when he begins his
harangue on internationalism.
Bernoline is useful but it is Anne,
plain American, with no mysteries
about her, who gives David his ulti-
mate, though mhder happiness.
Anne constantly surprises me-"
David writes in conclusion. II find in
her such an eager outlook on life-a
longing to read, to explore, to ques-
ton, to find an Illuminating purpose
for living. Her mind, as it wakens,
leads mine on, and I react to its stim-
ulus''
Besides, Anne's father was one Of
the "unconvicted rich," an argument
not to be despised in coming to a
belated decision.
Among Owen Johnson's many read
ers there will be those who will re-
gret that he has forgotten the care-
free days of The Varmint" and "The
Tennessee Shad." They remember the
youngster who wiggled his ears as a
signal for the gerund or the gerurdive
and sigh for a return to that joyous
epoch.
Others are glad to welcome him TO
the fold of the more serious novelists.
They feel that he has graduated from
being merely an amusing writer and
find him to-day a keen observer and
stern prophet, welding a righteous
pen in a righteous cause. In other
words, he is taking his opportunities
as he finds them and living up to his
responsibilities.
OF one thing we are certain; David
Littledale is not The Prodigious
Hickey" grownup. He is Of a different
brood.