The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-21
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY =. HOUSE.
tFron Philadelphia Public LsdgsrJ


Likely it is surplusage to say that
Victor Berger is not one of the col
umn's heroes. But we never with
hold the commendatory word If we
deem it deserved. Mr.. Berger, who
has just been elected to congress, did
not seek the Republican nomination
and made no pretense of belonging to
that party.
Due to the fact that when a radical
runs for office in this country, he
usually runs as a Republican, the
incident appears to be worth noting.
The return of Mr.. Wilson to the
leadership of the Democratic party
has been predicted. 1t is we'll within
the realm of plausibility. But Mr.
Wilson will return to leadership only
over the dead bodies of the Demo-
Gratis.
The recrudescence of the short skirt
is predicted. The inference is that
the short skirt has been away and
we are curious as to the date of its
departure We hadn't missed it.
for by the fact that we live in West
Philadelphia.
A careful reading of yesterdays
heartless teachers of the public
schools of Elizabeth. N. J., have de-
cided that hereafter pupils must learn
to write with their right hands.
That, we believe, is the lowest mean
average of outrages for any Novem-
Der II in the history of vital statistics,
Bringing Out the Hammer.
Sir-Glad to learn you are reading
Rabbit" 1t will be interesting to
get your reaction. AS slam at the
citizen An -icanus, it is almost on
par with Martin Chuzzlewit." If it
is a true picture of our culture it
is almost too gloomy to contemplate;
but perhaps, after all, it is merely the
way Sinclair Lewis Cor his wife, for I
suspect she writes his books, for they
seem the reaction of. a nasty nice
feminine) feels about it.
Dickens and Thackeray could carl
cature and laugh at mankind without
exciting disgust; but Sinclair-he
lacks the human touch. The trouble
that would imply he didn't know
them. L think it was Charles Lamb
who suffered that he could not de-
spise a man he knew.
Can it be that Mr.. Lewis is blowing
in shallow soil? Cashing in on our hui
man delight is mud-slinging. The
first book I read of his was 1.-The
job" It's worth hunting up and
reading; and if it isn't written very
largely by a woman-an Adelaide
man, I give up. c. E., H.
We suppose we might as well go
ahead and discuss ''Babbitt' at some
length and get it over. Ultimately,
the readers of the column will de-
mand that we do it. But we wish it
understood that we are a distinctly
friendly commentator. 'Babbitt'' does
not repel US nor stir US to indigna-
ton. The portraiture of George F.
Rabbit is authentic-piti1essly au-
thentic. But the occasional periods of
mental unrest-the half-stifled mo-
ments of earning-express Babbitt
not at all. They express Sinclair
Lewis. When the Lord created George
F. Babbitt he gave him a mental out
look in keeping with the character.
Lewis, of course, is economically
unsound. He has what, for want of
better tern, we shall call the radical
mind imposed upon the deep strain
of melancholy of which the Middle
Westerner is a residuary Iegatee. But
the man knows exactly what he is de-
ing. He isn't trying to paint a pretty
picture. He doesn't clutter it with
green grass, Towering plants, leafy |
bowers and ripping water. He is
content to reveal half-a-dozen stark |
figures in all their nakedness. Prob |
ably that is something that ought to |
be done. Lewis does it exceptionally |
well. Whit is the objection to per,
him do it?
AS a newspaper columnist, we've |
been trying for more than twenty |
years to do, in a polite, gentle, re-
strained way, the thing Lewis has
done with sharp, savage strokes. That
we failed has been due to two things.
One is that we lack Lewis gifts of
penetration and portrayal. The other
IS that we can always see green fields
and hear the hum ing of bees and
he song of birds. But, at thirty, !
given Lewis great talent and his
of vision, we might have !
written Main Street. and Rabbit"
We should not write either now, but
We think it well enough for somebody
% write them.
Meanwhile, if we come back-or