The New York herald., 1922-09-17
Mr.. Sinclair Lewis as a Polemicist

vulgar. covetous, explosive, ostentatous
and cheaply imitation of standards they
merely covet But Babbitt though evil
IDENTIFY drawn to represent that tyrant Of
democracy. the average citizen his point
of view. his methods of self-deceptioD.-
self -glorification and f-sufficieacy is.
after all, only a convenient window
through which to spy out the real hero of
the book, which Is the city of Zenith itself.
Mr.. Sinclair Lewis proceeds to arraign
the city Of Zenith (supply whatever name
occurs to you) with an accommodating ar
ray of detailed criticism worthy Of a
Pinkerton agency and In a manner that
suggests the opening of new era Of liter
ary undertaking. He arraigns II trench
antly. imaginatively, vindictively. without
compromise or palliation. Business Is its
god and the booster its prophet Its sue
cessful business men traffic with their
consciences in open or covert alliance with
the forces of political evil that lurk in the
shadows. When socialist upheaval threat
ems to reform the city the forces of good
government e. e.. the forces OF cant and
Of Hypocrisy marshal to save the city for
themselves under the tutelage of corrupt
and corrupting boss The church as an
institution is depicted In the Christian
Presbyterian Church. intent on swelling
the membership OF its Sunday school by
booster methods inspired by a pastor. DR..
Drew, a hustling archbooster. keen for
every scrap of publicity that can add to
his self advertisement: shutting his eyes
In willing self-deception to the character
Of his associates: voicing the spiritual in
dignation of a business community against
the moral parasites and leeches that
threaten society in the guise of progress
sives or radicals. Politics as an institu-
tion is the usual corrupt alliance between
Orfutt, the boss. and profiting business
interests; open in this case-insidious in
the stultifying use OF the red flag of rad
icalism to keep the average citizen within
a sheeplike discipline. Finance and So
ciety (the higher society as institutions
are arranged in the persons of hypocrites.
crooks and snobs Religious revivals are
caricatured in the person of Mike Munday.
where vulgarity is heaped on blasphemy
Attempts at culture are arraigned in the
caricature. who supplies daily column of
verse pIlnleu IN pfoSo anu BocS ihlo
ecstacies over the literary brilliance of cer-
tain advertising bunk Attempts at Bo-
hemianism are arraigned. home life. wives.
children, the higher culture, boosters con-
ventions, interior decoration. outward dis
play social aspirations-all are thrown to-
gether in a mad. whirling. three ringed.
great American circus. without fear or
favor. Whatever else may be said of Mr.
Lewis. cowardice and compromise play no
part In his makeup
This process of arraignment never ceases
to pile up. overwhelming the story. dwarf
ing the character, preempting the atten-
ton. In this onslaught, which Dean Swift
himself never exceeded in ferocity, Mr..
Lewis has written descriptions that are a
literary delight. mordant, inspired. felici-
tous and aften illuminated with passages
of genuine poetry. To my mind it is a
performance exceeding anything he ac-
complished in Main Street" The trouble
with this arraisnment of society is that
il is all separately true and collectively
false. No one can deny that II is true OF
the life he depicts and characteristicaly
true. that many Qet us even admit the
majority of its citizens are sunk in the
middle ages of mental, moral and aesthetic
hypocrisy; that many of its financiers are
crooks; its religious leaders. blatant, mar
row minded. self seeking. pulpit thunlpers;
that. too many homes are clothed in vul-
garity, rent with chickering's. husband and