Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-25
.MARGOT ASQUITH
STTRS INTEREST
OF AMERICANS
Auducious Frankness of Her
Book ArOuses Curiosity,
Meets Criticism.
BY FRANCES GORDON DENNY.

by FRAMES GOhDON DENNY.
Not since the coming of the Jersey
| Lily, back in the sos, has any English
woman stirred the interest of the Ameri-
can public as has Margot Asquith. Lily
Langtry was a world famous beauty at
time when beauty contests had not yet
called on us; and her charms were cap
italized for the exploitation of American
audiences Margot Asquith is, first of
all, the wife of England's ex-prime min
lister. She brings with her the prestige
Of old world ariStocracy and something
more-or less. One of her severest critics
has dubbed her the Grandmother of the
Flapper," a characterization that is Of
peculiar significance at this time when
the fapper is so conspicuous a figure in
social life.
1t is safe to say, then, that, great as
is the social distinction of the wife of
an English premier. and eager as demo
cratic America always is to rub us
against a title, Mrs. Asquith could not
have commanded the general attention
she has in this country if she had not
published over her own name a book that
for Grass vulgarity has no equal in mod
ern literature.
BOOK IN FRONT RANKS
AS BEST SELLER.
Her autobiography has kept its place
in the front rank of best sellers, not be
cause Of its merit, but because 1t has
been heralded as a book of such au-
dacious frankness that public curiosity
cannot rest until 1t is satisfied. Counting
on this avid curiosity, Mrs. Asquith comes
to let us see in the flesh the woman, who,
voluntarily and without any excuse
other than her own egotism, barred to the
public the most intimate secrets of her
~, arI, hak he Foh Of n
the distinction of one of the People Who
Are Most Talked About"
Her undertaking seems to be an at
tempt to initiate the diary of Marie
Bashkirtseff. but she labored under q
severe hanficap-Marie Bashirtseff was
genius, whei eas, Margot is only an
egotist. Except for the social eminence
from which her book was launched, II
might have run its course and its author
have sunk into as swift oblivion as the
neurotic creator of Three Weeks"
We are told that Mrs. Asquith is de-
voted wife and mother-even a fond
grandmother These are relations that
are supposed to bring into even the most
frivolous lives certain sense of moral
responsibility. an element Of selfre
straint and Of dignity. But, If Mrs. As
quith has been affected by these sacred
relationships, she has left no hint of it in
the self revelations which she sets forth
in her book On the contrary, she seems
to be wholly lacking In a sense of the
fitness of things. The result is that she
commits herself to the most-studied
vulgaritles.
DOESN'T KEEP
BACK "A THING"
There are persons who mistake these
vulgarities for smartness, for originality.
In fact the comment that is most fire.
quently heard where Mrs. Asquith's book
is being discussed is, "0h, it Is so differ
ent; she doesn't keep back a thingw
True. she does not That IS the pity of
it. She does not seem TO know that there
are things which normal human beings
are expected to keep back. She does
not seem to know that there are certain
restraints, certain decencies that mark
the dividing line between civilization and
sayagery.
It would have been better If Mrs. As
quith had kept back the heartless com
ments she wrote IN her book the day Of
her mothers DEATH 1t would have been
more benefting the dignity of a mother
and grandmother II she had kept back
the recital Of her night adventure with
tho unknown Officer after tho opera; (the
most up-to- date napper. however proud
she might be OF such an experience,
would hardly think Of giving It to the
public Prints It would have been better
If she had kept back the publication Of
the intimate letter Of sympathy, written
to her by man still living, on the occa-
sion of the death Of one OF her children.
/ Oh, yes, there are things that the most
ordinary sense Of delicacy would seem to
indicate should be kept back.
But Mrs. Asquith Keeps nothing back.
She mixes everything in the pot-life,
birth, death-daubs It all on with I'M
blushing eTrontery, and then comes to
America TO get the spectacular effect.
America viii probably recover from the
visitation. We have prodigious recup-
erative powers over here, but It is ex-
asperating that they have to be put to
the test.