The New York herald., 1922-02-19

OF heartleSs. To generalize concern
hg literary America after a fifteen
months view places one at the side
Of the English visitors to the United
States who return to London sub
urbs. where they rearrange for US
in writing our manners and morals
after having observed the calm
bosoms of club women banked before
platform or rising over a teacup.
After ali. a casual observer may well
be led TO the conclusion that liter
sture In America depends largely on
q choice between one lump or two.
or even. In certain circles, three. We
confess that a year of editing has
taught us that il one seldom spills a
cup of Oolong on a Persian carpet
one is more apt to please ones hos
iess. and that if she be perchance a
hdy novelist. one may cherish a
fender hope that she will favor the
editorial desk with an article. In
deed. the afternoon tea and the
Women's Literary Society must not
be overlooked in any serious discuss
sion of present day writing: for is 1t
not in such an atmosphere that our
young poets are reared?
1t is probably some anthropolosi-
cal throw back in US as a nation
that inspires this tuft hunting Of
ours. We Ike lions. We are willing
TO pursue them. We create social
cages for them and loll before the
cages. If this worship of people who
accomplish things. artistic and other
wise. is a weakness it is a pleasant
weakness. and ii is, perhaps. the
recognition OF this in ourselves and
Cur readers that accounts for what
ever success the BookMdH has had
There have beeIr, of course. more
solid stuffs in the making of a book
magazine: criticism must be there.
the best one can secure there must
be biographical and autobiosraphical
novels. editorials that will demand
thought and provoke discussion. a
touch OF humor here and a note of
real passion there. We ourselves are
romantic. however. Our favorite
book is Lawrence Sternc's ~ Scnt-
mental Journey" Naturally. then.
tae most exciting thing in this Book
zsdn year for US has been the wide
and sudden contact with people
whom we had always admired from
tie distance OF the Vermont hills.
caite frankly. here was a country
Isouse allowed 20 scamper among
the lions. and, since he enjoyed that
Privilege. surely there must be others
who wcuid want to know how Sher-
wool Anderson used his fork or
what Mrs. Gertrude Atherton was
planning rs her next novel As re-
TSTler our interest had been i'm Oh
serving and recording the reactions
~ criminals. Perhaps we may be
f@giVea. theH. fer approaching the
iaeFary man in much the same
sl-rii. He interests us as q phenom-
t-2on. That there is a striking SINH
Iarity between the poetic tcmpera-
Taent ara the finer criminal mood is
9 sutject for another article. At
ssy rate here we were with a per-
f-ei right 20 knock at Miss Amy
1ss@cii's door without the expecta-
ter Of being turned away rs a soft
yeag fool with sentimental ambi-
tasls for a signed photograph.
81 the literary circus performed.
EtEe WAS New York. 10 which. soon
e. tate. most writer's drift. New YORK
sEh is circle of columuists wavin-
ss;Ps. reai or imagined. At the edge
q rings where the clique of pst lions
s1ee,i New Yori, with it's aStauish-
A.: Poetry Society of America. an
srssnizalion which. In its earnest ef-
fzris o. stand1rdize and systematic
ssssss. must be unique in the histors
e AT. New York with IT'S Greenwich
Jzzsse. where poetry and prose. un