The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-11
DIR. FRANK CRANES
DAILY EDITORIAL
The Other Side of Main Street
By DIR. FRANK CRANE.

TVHERE is quite considerable school of writer's that
has sprung up in recent years They flood the Smart
- Aleck magazines. Their daily drool found in the
newspaper "colyum."
Their main characteristic is that they do like the kind
Of people that American civilization has produced
They hate the American business They regard his
work soulkillng his ambition absurd and his
roundings as deadly.
They look upon the thousands of American along
Main Street dull boxes inhabited by wreched unmag-
native morons who missing altogether the meaning of
life.
If they write fiction they find their heroes among the
ramps who sleep the barn rob the henroost and dis
Of anything attractive the poor boob who
goes down to the office at o'clock every morning and
home tired to his wife and children at night home
where he finds his diversion in helping the children with
their geography discussing the Chauauqua books with
his wife.
About all the color they in civilization fur
nshed by the wasrel the drunkard the bootegger the
prostitute sophomore youth who excited over
the recent discovery Of truth that was platltude IN the
days of Socrates.
Mr. Zangwin's play, "we Moderns wildly depicts these
opponents of bidding sophistication
The moving picture, "The Covered Wagon which
thrilled most of dismissed by these superior critics
with the observation that cit all right if you like
wagons"
Any effort to bring out the heroism and nobility of the
early pioneers Of this country is met with One
critic the author of various books French salons and
Paris evenings refers to the in Emerson Hough
Frontier Folk weakened, weary foorn gaunt and
homely men and women who lived sordid lives;
Referring to these superclious gentry William Macleod
Raine writes:
''They for the Americana tradition The thing
they have done of value the empire have built is
wholly Phistine. We must look to Europe for any valid
impulse Let have realism, stories of the neurotc
tons of youths who have standards except efmade
ones"
Meanwhile the great life of America flows deep,
clear and wholesome flood It has few interpreters Most
of those who write of know about well the septic
flies understand the banquet the boxcar hobo under
stands the railroad system.
Main Street be understood indeed nothing in the
world be understood except by those who love it.
For there be intelligent emotion worthwhile
criticism that does not spring from sympathy.
And Main Street is altogether the significant work
of civilization.
There happiness the square inch than has
existed in any other street built by man.
There health in it than any other thoroughfare
any other place or time
There conscience in it, loyalty honesty
and dealing than could be found the Champs
Elysees the Appian Way.
The churches along Main Street filled with sincerity of
purpose and those who bow at their affairs out to make
better world.
The who walk along Main Street employed in
making the world decenter place to live in The women
who their babies in the houses of Main Street
bringing up children who helping to bring about the
Golden Age.
There Romance Main Street The boys girls are
making there sounder sweeter wholesome love than
ever snickered Broadway suggested in Partisan
cafe or whispered in the groves of Athens
Main Street is the United States and who does
not know its people and who does have vision enough
to their sterling worth and intrinsic beauty know
what America
Copyright 1924 Mcclure Newspaper syndcate>