The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-10
NOOK IN ABBEY H DENIED BYRON
 BY CHAPTER DEAN
Action Causes Debate On Question Of Cathedral
 Monuments
(By Associated Press.)

LONDON, Aug. 9.-The action of the dean of the chapter of Westminster Abbey in refusing because of Lord Byron's unconventional personal life the petition from a group of his admirers who desired to honor Byron as a poet with tablet in the poets corner of the abbey, has caused an interesting dis cussion on the general question of monu- ments in English cathedrals.
 Probably in no other country of Europe are there so many huge monu- mepts, in most instances to persons of nsighborhood prominence, to be found in the cathedrals as in England. Cynics sometimes observe that the dead crowd the living out of the churches. Dr. 1nge, the gloomy dean of St. Paurs," says:
 Most of our cathedrals are ob- structed by recumbent effigies of bishops, deans and archdeacons who were never more than respectable off. cials and who except for their obtrusive monuments are quite forgotten within twenty years after their deaths"
 Varying standards of tastes and judgment have influenced the abbey of- ficials in determining who should be honored in death in the old minister during the last 500 years. The ugliness of many of the monuments led Dean Inge to observe that parts of Vest minister Abbey look like the yard of a mad stone mason"
 The discussion, which the abbey au- thorities have revived by refusing the Byron memorial, seem destined to recur perennially. It is recalled that Robbie Burns has his niche in the poets corner, though he lived neither in sobriety nor chastity. More interesting is Chaucer's tomb, the most ancient grave in the poets corner, although the author of the Canterbury Tales was not inferred there as a poet but because his position as clerk of the works at Westminster en- titled him to sepulchre within the abbey precincts.
 Illicit Stills Flourish.
 Although Scotland has gone partly dry and the statistics for 1923 show decrease in drunkenness in Glasgow of CT per thousand of the population there is a growing desire among the vets to get liquor surreptitiously and at cheaper than the ordinary market rates. To such an extent has this grown recently that the illicit distillings have correspondingly increased, especial ly in the industrial parts of western Scotland.
 Police authorities have difficulty in tracing these distilleries and express the belief that their maintainance is due to an organized traffic in disposing of the spirits. Raids occur every week and police seldom make one of their flying visits without claiming a victim.
 Art Sales Grow.
 rau, rrov of finding art patrons has been adopted by a band of artists who, deciding that they had waited long enough for the people to come and buy their pictures, now are taking their pie lures to the people, with good deal ot success.
 In the heart of a new forest village called Woodgreen there is Q party of artists headed by D. Hesketh Hubbard, who founded the Society of Printmakers and Collectors. They work steadily on prints, etchings and paintings, which are put into portfolios and circulated among collectors and prospective collectors in England and abroad.
 Through this modern method sales have gone up by leaps and bounds, gathering sufficient revenue to defray the expenses of exhibitions which also result in new customers. The society numbers 51 artist members and 2I4 col lectors, all of whom are deriving in- come from the scheme.
 New Craze Started.
 A new craze, the origin of which can not be traced, has just started in Lon don. It is nothing more exciting than touching the knocker on the door at No. 10 Downing street, the official res idence of the prime minister, but 1t seems to be finding increasing favor among the crowds who gather daily to watch the ministerial arrivals and de- partures.
 It has become a constant occurrence to see somebody among the crowd sud denly step forward and touch the knocker, whereupon the rest follow suit. None of the touchers say what prompts them thus to make a fetish of a very ordinary metal knocker, but the custom grows and on Monday last, which was a public holiday, there was a long line of people, each waiting his turn at the knocker.
 Most of those going through the rite are visiting country folk, but many Londoners have shared in it and 1t IS said that even some American visitors have fallen victims to the mania through the force of example. The po- lice. look on amusedly, but do not inter- fere, as the touchers do not sound the knocker or otherwise disturb the pre-