Evening star., 1924-09-14
rHE EDITOR AND HIS PEOPLE. S

THE EDITOR AND HIS PEOPLE. Sc
lected from the xEmporia Gazette
by Helen Ogden Mahin. New York:
The Macmillan Company.
~D1ToRIALs by william Allen
White, selected from his own
- paper and arranged for school
use by Helen Ogden Mahin,
who, wise teacher, gave to her
classes In editorial writing. examples
of William Allen White as "inspira-
tion and stimulus to straight think
ing and effective expression" And
the plan grew. as inspired plans are
likely to do. A new and larger out
line was adopted. including a per-
sonal and biographical study of Mr.
White and. indeed, of Kansas also.
And what textbook. One is in
cHned to envy the students of KAN
sas schools because of this live and
dynamic thing given to them as
school book. Think of it. Let's listen
TO Miss Mahin. since what she says
is both true and exceptionally well
put: "A chronological study of the
editorials of the Gazette early reveals
lack Of consistency startling at first
thought. What its editor said yester-
day. lays no dead hand on what he
says today; nor in speaking today
does he worry whit about what he
anus " say toIloltON. tIdNh uoS liz
voices an eager and vehement spirit
with entire freedom. And. you are
presently filed with a surprised
gratitude that whether you like what
he says or not, you know he Is not
foaling you, and If he does not fear
you neither does he fear your enemy.
Nor does he fear to let the world
know when he. has changed his mind;
he never Shrinks from his record.
'rhera * Snmafhino than mere
sincerity of motive in 1t. The worthy
propagandiSt IS sincere. But MT.
White is no propagandist: he has no
program to serve except to speak MS
mind at all times. The result is
striking evolution. The ardent re-
dictionary of the late eos is the bane
of the reactionarieS 20 years later;
and midway of the period he pauses
with a reminiscent: Well, well. we'll!
toIremark the fact that he and MS
kind are now advocating some of the
very things it used to scandalize them
so terribly to see the Populists trying
to,do" Read the book. made for stu
dents to come alive over. Read II
either chronologicaiiy or topically.
Each plan is revelation in Its own
way.
thur Christopher Benson. author of
"I,.:,n College Window" etc.
New York: G. p. Putnam's Sons.
You'll not be likely to meet many
reople whom you know in this
garden If Mr.. Benson's memories and
friends Henry James Cecil Spring
Ri.e Rupert Brooke. The others are
strangers. But it is a fine company
II oughout. A group of quiet ioiks
good manners. soft voices. talking
Of books and letters generally. and
little of the other arts. sketch
OF Thomas Hare. a passing glimpse
Of Ruskin. interesting and palmetto.
O. G. Waterfield. headmaster. bearing
~ vague resemblance to portraits of
Charles Dickens, a pleasant and I'M
Lressive memory. Lady Ponsonby
and Mrs. Oliphant and another who
gather about this quietly reminiscent
host Habitually reserved in judg-
ment. and moderate in praise. MT
Benson comes near to enthusiasm
in his recollections OF Henry James,
whose quality of friendship so fine
and durable of fiber delights him as
does the superb texture of his art.
1.-THE beautiful sentences, SO finished,
so deliberate, shaped themselves
audibly on the air. 1t was like be-
ing present at the actual construc-
tion of little palace Of thought. of
in.provised yet perfect design-the
slow accumulation of detail. the
widening sweep the interjection OF
grotesque and emphatic images, the
studied exaggerations; but what
could not be copied was the hrmn ess
of the whole construction. He never
strayed loosely. as most Yoluble
takers do, from subject to subject.
The motif was precisely enunciated,
revised, elongated, improved upon,
enriched, but it was always, so to
speak. strictly contrapuntal. He
dealt with the case and nothing but
the case; he completed it. dissected
it, rounded it of. 1t was done with
much deliberation, and even with
both repetition and hesitation. But
it was not only irresistibly beautiful,
II was by far the richest species Of
intellectual performance that I have.
ever been privileged to hear Fine
tribute. Amazing criticism. One re-
solves to go to Henry James again
for SO much that he missed before.
The estimate of Rupert Brooke is.
one is sure. of business complete.
The boy, himself was dazzling. His
work gets seasoned treatment here.
beautifully with the rest of US by
clustered man who looks like
captain of industry.
BLACK LAUGHTER. BY Llewellyn
Powys, author Of Ebony and
Ivory" etc. New York: Harcourt,
Brace 6 Co.
1T was nearly midnight and the
email Uganda train, which for a day
and a half had been dragging itself
across the vast highland plateau of
East Africa, was approaching the
station that for five years was to
represent my link with the civilized
world" 1t is from this complete and
distant isolation that BLACK Laugh
ter floats across into Our keen in
terest and enjoyment. And the
striking characteristic of the Laugh
ter is that no distance seems to
intervene between it and US. The
effects here are distinctly of the i'm
mediate sort, we. ourselves, taking
part in the strange experiences and
startling adventures that march
through these pages. Llewellyn
Powys is a clear medium of commu-
nication, transferring not only facts,
but atmospheres and implica tions, so
that our vicarious adventure is really
audible, visual, contactual in every
sense. A strange landscape of mar
yelous beauty and mysterious appeal
spreads out before one. Cnfam miliar
creatures, man and beast, follow
their own ways Of life before one,
now and then precipita ting a situa-
uon SO grave and menacing as to
stir the instinct either of flight or
of fighting .stand-according to the
make OF the reader. The white
mans working relation with the
black folks is given here in an in
teresting labor problem and the
makeshifts of it's solution. And. like
the poet that he the most of the
time is, Mr.. Powys talks of many
things-"the rhythm of Africa" for
instance. kill Kill. Kill! That