The Washington herald., 1922-04-09
Edgar Lee Masters Gives
Strong Historical Picture
Author of @Spoon River" Shows GlimlSes of
Old Power in Novel Build Around Char
acters of Lincoln and Douglas.


Ing. his experiences at court. and
his visits TO foreign royalties,
among them Queen Victoria, the.
Czar, Abdul Hamid of Turkey
Archduke Ferdinand OF Austria, and
King Edward OF England. He ex-.
presses a very high opInIoS Of the
latter, both as ruler ana man. Paft
Of -hs look is devoted TO the part
the former crown prince played In
the war. particularly in connection.
with the verdun drive.
Especial attention is given 20 hls
visits to England. and Englandis
aims and political leaders are said
70 be characterized with much abil-
ity. The former crown prince has
much to say Of British. French and
German diplomats IN relation TO
events leading up 20 the war.
One OF the many surprisine
revelations OF the book. which IL
written with evident sincerity. Is
crown princes character. The
author includes a eulogy OF his wife
and family, and contrsdicts reports
OF domestic troubles.
Publication OF these memoirs e.
former kaiser. and this may have
been because OF the fact that the
book very openly critIcizes his poH-
cies and character. The lack OF
sympathy between father and son IS
evident
After finishing Rupert Hughes
new novel. Souls for Sale" the
he
trip to Hollywood and found out the
true conditions there. but has met
on intimate terms. the stars ane
lesser lights of the motion picture
world. the directors and producers,
and even those precocious children
who present their mothers with
motor cars from one weeks salary.
They are real people henceforth 10
the reader, and when he watches
his favorite star upon the screen
he will have Inside" information
as TO what she has encountered
succeeding in her career: he will
know how that storm scene was
shot" asd he will have an insight
into the private life OF the average
motion-picture actor.
For Rupert Hughes passes a great
part OF his time at the motion-pic-
ture studios OF Los Angeles. His
novel is perhaps the first OF its
kind written so far by one who
knows whereof he speaks. II is by
no means propaganda, either for or
against the "mosies." but an honest
statement Of Hollywood studio life.
There are a number OF personal
ities in Souls for Sale" which are
based upon real people. Many OF
these are named. But above all,
Mr.. Hughes has told a good story.
From Stein am Rhine. switzer-
land. Cornelia Stratton Parker.
whose book. working with the
Working Woman" has Just been
published by the Harpers. describes
her new home as follows: What a
place! An old cloIster begun in
1905. finished about 1900. let my
soul expand around and through
and about these old carved rooms
with the Rhine flowing below our
very windows. never a sound or in
terruption the whole twenty-four
hours. day in, night out. and I say
to myself. A year ago today was
working in a laundry in Harlem"
Verify is the world full OF odd kinks
and windings. But one really needs
a spell in an old cloister 20 digest
two years Of New York. So digest.
and write. and study, and play with
my daughter, who bIissfElly Is
learning atrocious Swiss dialect in
the Stein public kindergarten: and
visit my sons in their simple. thor
ough Swiss school 1--WE miles away
on the shore Of Lake Constance.
where they are learning foreign
Languages in a way almost impps-
sible any place in the United States.
and. more important still. Letting a
great big Cto my mind. very neces-
sary) hunk of international feel
sink into and become part OF their
everyday background"