New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-16

Building the Washington Monument, Con-
gress, the Chicago packing houses, the Mime
apolis Feud with St. Paul, Kansas City's
parks, the Grand Canyon, Los Angeles, the
largest Iowa City in California, the Golden
Gate, Mount Tacoma and Glacier Park But
that is not America, any more than Hugl
Walpole's list of authors represents a fair
view of our writer's. What the Maharajah
will get is glimpse Of our high Spots our
freaks Of nature and horrible examples
What Hugh Walpole sees is our low spots
Vast areas of important serial and eco
nomlc prospects lie outside of what the gentle
reader will find who confines himself to Hugh
Walpoles authors. America cannot be re-
ported faithfully from Greenwich Village nor
seen from window and club reception
room. Millions of people ride in Fords, go to
Sunday school, join the Chamber of Commerce,
eat stewed tomatoes with bread in them, read
Harold Bell Wright and worship God. They
cannot be dismissed by ignoring the reason in
merely laughing at them because they do these
things is just one side Of the picture. The
other side, the human side, the loving side, is
as true as the technical side. So what the
Maharajah says of trains de LUXE, high powered
cars, union league clubs, and heaven knows
what of bridal chambers in big hotels at the
show places, Is much like judging the fauna
of region by the gentlemen horses at fair
with ribbons in their tails.
American life, whether it is seen or de-
scribed, is rather complicated and composite
affair. No knows all about it, indeed
probably no one knows much about it, even
though he be deeply wise and infinitely patient.
But the wiser he is, the palmer he will make
it that the little section he has seen or has
written about is the truth it is seen from
one of the hundred facets of 1y's eye, I'VE
are fearfully and wonderfully made"
WHY are politicians supposed to be so
smart? Time and again they show stu
pidity beyond words. When Wilson headed
tcians made campaign on staying out OF
war, and when he went in his political ad-
visers were surprised that the people turned
against him. The whole episode was mis-
cradle blunder. The Republicans are making
another blunder; not Of the same kind nor as
bad. They are concentrating all the force Of
the Republican party upon three interesting
measures, for which there is no sentiment
among the American masses-the tariff, the
bonus and the ship subsidy.
The manufacturers want the tariff, the sol
diers the bonus, and heaven knows who wants
the ship subsidy but some one does, doubtless
They are probably all good measures, but they
appeal to restricted classes and the Republican
party is put in the attitude of straining itself
to do things in which the people at large have
no interest What's the sense in it?
President Harding's first message was filled
with suggestions for measures that would have
stirred the people-the Federal control of in
dustrial disputes, for instance; or some au-
thoritative Federal supervision over the coal
industry, or credits for the farmer. But. no,
these things, being popular and more or less
subject to controversy and opposition, are
shelved for measures in which the people have
no interest while they are pending, and for
which great masses of the public will have
lively antpathy when these measures are
passed.
It.is politics. But politics is supposed to be
the art Of translating public sentiment into
wise laws and institutions. Politicians have