New-York tribune., 1921-02-14
Books 5

Perhaps tlle most surprising revela-
ton to be CLEANED from reading the
newspaper writings of Walt Whitman,
published by G. P. Putnam's Sons un-
der the title Of The Gathering OF the
Forces, is that during the Mexican
War Walt was jingo and f1re-eater
who called for conquest and annexation
with the loudest Of them. Only one
New York newspaper seems to have
stood steadfastly for peace and nom
! interference with Mexico. It was, Of
course, The New York Tribune, and
it received the full measure Of Whit
mans displeasure when he wrote on
November Is, 1876:
CAS- to opinions about the origin of
the war-or opinions about the greater
or lesser wisdom Of our suing for
peace--every man has right to his
own. With the views which we hold
about moral independence, we should
be the last person to find fault with
another person for expressing honest
notions on these points, whether they
coincided with our own or not. But
these sneaking innuendoes which The
Tribune is throwing out day after day
its open advocacy of the Mexican
cause, its virulent venom on every-
thing appertaining to the American
side-comprise dastardlness which
outragos all the decency that should
be observed by the conductor Of that
print, as an editor Of q print, or an
American cittzen The great Consti-
tuition which he impudently appeals to
in these very attacks makes but one
crime, which it individualizea as trea-
son~-and in It's worst phase chat Is the
very course now pursued by The Trib-
uns"
I find Walt Whitman interesting.
also, i'll his role OF dramatic critic,
since he brings forward some first
hand evidence to support the conten-
tion that the great dead actors were
to some extent mere roarers, for all
that we hear about the decadencs Of
the drama Of our day. Whitman saw
/ Edwin Forrest in "Spartacus" and liked
him only with marked reservations
These he states rather cautiously and
impersonally, for it was not until
Whitman deserted journalism for verse
that he became bold enough to sound
his yawp over the roofs Of the world.
"We do not intend" wrote Whitman,
"the following reflections" which
started during the view Of Mr.. FORESTS
performances-"to bear directly on that
actor. Mr.. T. is deserved favorite
with the public and has high talent
IN his profession. But the danger is
/ that as he has TO measure become
, identified with sort OF American style
OF acting the crowd Of vapid imitators
may spread quite all the faults OF that
style, with mono OF its excellencies.
I Indeed, too, in candor, all persons Of
thought will confess to no great fond
ness for acting which particularly
seeks TO tickle the ears OF the ground
lings.' We al!ude to the loud-mouthed,
ranting etyle-the tearing of every
1'tI!IB 10 SHlVers-~"nlcA Is SO much the
ambition of some of our players, par
ticularly the younger ones. 1t does
in such cases truly seem as il some Of
Natures journeymen had made men,
and not made them well-they initiate
humanity SO abominably. They take
every occasion, in season and out Of
season, to try the EXTREMIST strength
Of their lungs. They never let part
OF their dialogue which falls in the
Imperative mood-the mood for ex-
horting, commanding or permitting
rass by without the loudest exhibition
OF sound and the most distorted ges-
turo, Il they have to enact passion,
they do SO by all kinds Of unnatural