The Topeka state journal., 1922-06-30
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY E. HOUSE.
(From Philadelphia Public LedgsE.l

The Budget, a publication printed
and sponsored by the Alumnae Asso-
citation of the Philadelphia Girls High
and Normal schools, has this to say or
a we'll known and widely read column:
when the On Second Thought coll
umn of the Public Ledger mentioned
If Winter Comes as the best book
of the year, the intelligent reader
promptly registered a big black mark
against it, as the On Second Thought
column is so invariably wrong on mat
tiers social, ethical and literary. A
man who boasts that ShakeSpeare's
plays bore him stiff and hints that
most people share his convictions and
are only bIuffing when they appear
to enjoy them is hardly to be taken
as our guide
Well, frankly and just between our
selves, we haven't asked for an as
signment as guide to the High School
Alumnae and have no ambition to
achieve it. We fear that, too, would
bore us stiff. But the Alumnae is go
ing to have heluva time keeping the
girls from reading the column.
Meanwhile, thanking the Budget
for the ad, we pass to other matters
of no Importance.
At the moment we can think of
nothing of less importance than our
likes and dislikes, in literature, real
and alleged. We refer to them merely
that in doing so we may reach out and
touch somewhere a kindred spirit. The
real joy in columning is that of find
ing kindred spirits and getting into
closer and more intimate touch with
them. We read that which interests
US. We never read for information
except when the search for such in
formation is prompted by interest. We
never read anything because we ought
to read it or because somebody thinks
we ought to read it. We never read
olely with the idea of improving the
of knowledge. If a book doesn't in
terest we throw it away. There are
so many things that enlist our inter-
est and time is so short it seems a
pity to waste it upon something which
does not hold the attention.
Probably that is not the best sys-
tenn of reading for everybody. 1t is
best for us because it is the one we
like best and enjoy most. In our
business it isn't necessary to know n
great deal. 1t is important that the
mind should not be numbered with a
dot of junk and that it be clear up to
the limit of its capacity to frame and
express thought.
OF contemporary American writers,
we like Harrington best. He always
interests. His "AIice Adams was, for
US, one of the books of last year. It
was exaggerated, perhaps, and pitiless.
but so fundamentally true and so we'll
done. His more recent Gentle Julia"
we find delightful. OF the contem-
porary English writers, we like Ben
nett and Locke best. Bennett is in
terminable but alluring. We don't
pretend to know the comparative lit
erary rank of either. We merely
know that they interest. A book that
mons Marie, Chapdelaine." Here, if
we make no mistake. is art. 1t is a
book without an exaggerated line or
an unwarranted tear. 1t is as clean
as the SHOWS which drape the land
scape which is it's setting.
The thing that impressed US most
about Sinclair Lewis'S widely read
Main Street" was that he made scant,
If any, reference to Gopher Prairie's
most vital and permanent conflict
The real conflict in Gopher Prairie is
not for higher ideals and a more artis-
tic expression of them. It is the
world-old controversy. between those
of liberal tendencies and those of deep
religious and moral convictions. In
no other setting does that controversy
flame so fiercely or so continuously.
But inasmuch as Mr.. Lewis can see
but one side of the street at a time,
we hope he doesn't feel that he is
called upon to write it.
Having thus impaired to the column
the necessary literary flavor, we cast
about among the trivial manifesto
tions of life for sufficient additional
material to fill it.