davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-14
By Upton Sinclair

swim against the current. The other
day she handed down her opinion upon
~ bet seller Of the day, Gentle
men Prefer Blondes" 81 have just
s-~.l lce,dlng what seems to me to be
the great American novel" For the
benefit of those who read this book
ten years from now l explain that
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" is d
witty and cynical sketch of the high
priced young harlots of our interna-
tional bourgeoisie. 1t isn't a novel,
and to call it great" represents an
abdication of judgment hardly to be
believed of the woman who wrote
"The House of Mirth."
Who else from those old muckrak-
ing days? Ernest Poole wrote "The
Harbor," really beautiful novel of
the class struggle in New York; now
he writes amiable and unimportant
stories of the domestic problems of
the well-to-do. Herbert Quick wrote
noble fighting book, 'The Broken
Lance" the story of rebel clergy
man; and then he toned down and
produced three volume chronicle of
Iowa, apologizing for the graft and
waste he had formerly denounced.
And then Brand Whitlock, who
wrote the best story Of all "The Turn
of the Balance" Nobody else has
portrayed so completely the mixture
Of graft and cruelty which calls itself
criminal law" in capitalist America;
not even "An American Tragedy" has
more heart-shaking climax. And
now what? The one-time radical
mayor became ambassador to Bel
quinn, and popular hero with strings
Of titles and decorations; he comes
home and settles down to write about
a wealthy carriage manufacturer of
the middle west who renews his youth
with pretty little milliner, but has.
the misfortune to be caught by the
fire department. That is 81. Hardin
and Son." and it is pathetic enough,
but where is the old vision? And then
'Uprooted," about the elegant idlers
whom Ambassador Whitlock watched
in Europe; but what has happened to
make them so dignified and so i'm
portant, both to their creator and to
US?
The spiritual transformation is re-
vealed in one sentence of the book,
where the author turns aside from his
story for sheer at the French work.
ers: "hangdog ragamuffins were
slouching on the benches, reading in
socialist newspapers of the happy
time to come when all men every
where would knock off work and live
on the stock on hand" I wrote a let
ter to the author of that sentence,
asking him to justify it. I haye been
reading socialist papers, magazines
and books both here and abroad, for
twenty-five years, and have never
seen hint Of such an idea and
challenged the eX-ambassador to show
such n line in any socialist publica-
ton. The fact is that the socialists,
in France, as everywhere else, seek
exactly the opposite goal, a world in
which it is impossible. for anyone to
live without working. But in Brand
Whitlock's novel are portrayed
group of people no one Of whom is
doing any useful work-with the pos
sible exception of the hero, who paints
portraits of wealthy idlers. Surely
these are the persons Giving on the
stock on hand" Needless to say. the
ex-ambassador did not reply to this
letter. What could he have said?
(To Be Continued).
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-14

Lawrence strike, and l remember
writing letter to Mr.. Churchill; sit
ting up till three or four o'clock in
the morning, pouring out my elo-
quence in an effort to persuade him
to deal with a great mass strike. He
replied that l myself was the person
to do it; as if the Episcopal Church
would listen to the author Of "The
Profits Of Religion!"
But l must have made some i'm
preston on this dignified and con-
scientious gentleman; for three or
four years later appeared "The
Dwelling Place of Light; a novel
with SCIENCES laid in New England
midtown, and a strike for it's cul-
mination. But alas, it was a serial
for the Cosmopolitan Magazine"
written down to the Hearst level. A
stenographer. of good family, Of
course, though fallen into reduced cir
cumstances, and how she was seduced
by her employer--all the anguish of
a great strike serving for a pic
turesque background to such theme!
] think Mr.. Churchill must have been
made ashamed, for ten years have
passed, and he has not published
novel since.
The other day | wrote, asking him
to tell me why, if it was not secret;
and he answered that it was a secret
from himself as well as from me. l
suspect that means he has had some
kind of religious experience, reducing
the Importance of worldly affairs in
his mind. l can understand that; l
too was brought up in the Church
of Good Society, and carried the
bishops train in the stately ceremon-
ials; | too have hade magic hands
laid upon my head, and magic for
mulas pronounced over it. Also, I
realize that we don't know very much
about this universe; we walk, as it
were, upon the quaking top of vol
cano. But l take my stand upon the
conviction that whatever gods may
control our destinies, it will not dis
please them that men should cease to
slaughter one another, and TO rob one
another of the fruits of toll.
We left Robert Herrick, univer-
sity professor, writing novels full of
keen insight into the faults of his
country. He is still doing it, in the
same spirit of grave and rather
mournful despair He has no hope;
but he is not among the academic
ones who hold vested interest in
pessimism, and are ready, like Paul
Elmer More, to bite you if you VEN
ture to suggest that man may some
day master his fate. Robert Herrick
would be glad Of q faith, but he has
no knowledge of the labor movement,
the embryo Of the new society. His
last novel, Chimes" is the spiritual
confession Of professor. He gently
rebukes "The Goose-step" IS too ex-
IRENE, but | laughed as | read his
novel; am well content with his pic
ture of capitalisS-endowed education!
And then Edith Wharton. The war
hit this vigorous mind hard blow;
she got two doses Of patriotism, first
French, and then American. Now she
has gone back to writing novels about
smart society, bit the sting is gone
out of them. Is it that we are no
longer startled to hear about idleness,
waste and wantonness among the
rich? Or is it that Edith Wharton
herself has grown used to the spec
tacle, and tired and hopeless? I'M
the latter; she is sixty-five
years old, and it is not so easy to
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-14
Continued from Last Iasue.)
XX
The EX-Muckrakers

ROME had Juvenal, as well as Pc
IA tronius; and in the same way there
are writers in America serving as
antibodies to the poisons of pluto
cracy. Some, like Virgil in Rome,
yearn back to the good old days of
the founding fathers; others are
merely muddled, cropping blindly;
few are clear-sighted. AS we set out
to study them, make note of this fact
at the outset, we part company with
the great magazines, with calculations
up in the one or two and half mil
lions. No more shall we present wal
nut sideboards to Colonel Lorimer, no
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-14

WILLIAM j. BURNS was not .oo
" busy with his jury-fixing troubles
in Washington to attend to his duties
as chief stool-pigeon for the I. r. T.
at the mass meeting last Friday night
where efforts to organize the traction
employees were made by officials of
the Amalgamated Union. Burns feels
more at home as strikebreaker, or
agent-provocateur whore the victims
are of the working class than getting
involved in scrap between two
groups of capitalists The money is
good either way, but it is much more
pleasant for Mr.. Burns to be hailed
universally in the capitalist press as
q bulwark Of law and order than to
be lampooned by one section of the
press and treated to faint damns in
another section as is the case with
his jury-fixing escapade.
THE moving picture magnates of
4 Hollywood are preparing to describe
q circle with the axe and one of the
necks scheduled for the attentions of
the lethal weapon is that of Pola
Negri. Here is one axe we are in
sympathy with.
IT. J. O'FLAHERTY.
New Britain herald., 1927-02-15
KILL "ANTI-VAMPING" BILL.
Nebraska Assembly Declines to
 Dignify PrODOsed Law.

Lincoln. Neb., Feb. 15 Pl-Sena- tor William N. Chambers "sheik" Or "anti-vamping" bill has fallen be- fore the axe of the Nebraska senate judiciary committee.
 The bill would have limited dam- ages in alienation of affections or breach of promise suits to one cent. This bill, if it passed, would make real romance possible again." Sena- tor Chambers urged. Tn the movie alone can you see any more the TO- nance Of the rich mans son marry ing the shop girl. It doesn't happen in real life in these days because the rich mans son is afraid to have any thing to do with poor girls. He has no way of knowing they may not be merely shamming to lay the founda- tions for a s50,000 damage suit"
 The bill was even denied the priv ilege of getting out on the senate floor.
New Britain herald., 1927-02-15
KNEE BREECHES AS ATTIRE FOR MALES
PaFiSian Style Experts ReYOlting
 Against Trousers

Paris, Feb. 15 (UP) - Now that decreed that the short skirt has come to stay along with bobbed hair there is a movement among men of fashion to abolish the trousers and revert to the knee brooches of our great grandfathers. If women have gained by cutting half yard off the bottom of their skirts, these Beau Brummels argue. why should men persist in wearing pantaloons which make their legs look like an olc- plants?
 It is interesting that the word pantaloons," regarded generally as being of ancient French lineage, did not acquire French naturalization until less than a century ago. about 1SG0. It came from a parsonage iu popular Italian comedies named Doctor Pantaloa. who was supposed to live in the -Pantaleone quar- ter of Venice. He was always de- picted as a drunken debauchee. wearing enormous trousers entirely covering his shoes. Previous 10 tho entry of the word "pantalon' into French the knee brooches. were known as ''culottes de hussard." or hussar trousers brought into fashion by the Hungarians.
 When who could not boast of well formed calves welcomed the new garment Advocates of change 10 
 were courageous enough to adopt the short skirt even though some of them did not possess slightly limbs as others. They ask if men are not brave enough to do the same.
New Britain herald., 1927-02-15
LEGION PROGRESSES
 TOWARD FIRE DEPT.
Readjustment Of Insurance Rates Considered Possible
TOWN WILL BE SURVEYED
Athletic Club to Exhibit Display Of
 Setback Players at Washington's
 Birthday Event - Affirmative of Stevens Bill Sticks to Its Guns

After several weeks of inactivity Bolton -Kasica post, American Le- zion has announced the results of its preliminary work on the fire protec ton question. Working with con- mittee headed by Adolph w. Schultz and including Dr. Matthew Griswold, Arthur Benson of East Berlin, My ron Goodrich, and Howard Bunca and aided by town officials, the post is rapidly shaping up the campaign for the establishment of lower in surance rates in the town and the possible installation of a local fire department.
 Along the lines of insurance re- adjustment, the Legion has pro- grcssed remarkably. The board of selectmen at their last regular meet ing, consented to sign an application from the New England Insurance Exchange of Boston which permits the Exchanges engineers to survey the town and recommend changes which would lead to readjustment of rates. The Legion is jubilant over the fact that it's committee has received official recognition from the officials of the town who have signified through their signing of the application, their readiness to stand back of the Legion in its invcstiga- ton.
 Private investigation by the Le- zion members and particularly those who are members of the committee reveals that citizens as whole seems to be in favor of the estab- lishment of some fire protection. AL though no fault is found with the service rendered by the New Brit ain department, it is generally felt that a local station would prove more efficient, the Legion members state.
 With possible reduction in insur- ance rates such as is hoped for by the Legionnaires the fire station will be almost supporting it's actlvi- ties sponsored by the money which would be saved through the rerating of the local properties, they point out.
 Aside from the fire question, the Legion is active in other ways here. A Boy Scout troop is in the making at the local post. Scout Executive O. A. Erickson of New Britain ap- bearing at the last meeting of the post in the interests of the proposed troop. Adolph w. Schultz was ap- pointed chairman of a committee to deal with the matter. having as his fellow committeeman pr. Matthew Griswold Myron Goodrich and Paul Stange. Schultz will attend the New Britain school of Scout Masters as will Paul Stange and George Han ford.
 It is generally believed that a Boy Scout troop Is needed and that 1t will work towards the betterment of the community.
 Another speaker at the last meet ing of the Legion was the eX-chief of the New Haven fire department, F. A. Murray, now a representative of a fire engine company, who spoke on the matter of apparatus in con- junction with the posts fire activi- &A
New Britain herald., 1927-02-15
routes of the Kensington post office
 Grange Meeting

The bi-monthly meeting of Berlin Grange 24, P. of H.. will be held this evening at the Grange hall on Pennington avenue. Each mem- Der is requested to bring a Valcn- tine as the exchange of the mis- sives will be held following the reg ular meeting. An amusing pro- rgram of entertainment has been ar ranged by those in charge of to- nights meeting.
 East Berlin Items.
 The meeting of the Knights of Pythias this evening will be large ly attended as plans for the activi- ties of the organization for the year will be made, The international eX- tension program announced recently by the Supreme Lodge will in a large measure direct the activities of Mat tabesett lodge, according to Chancel- Tor Commander r. G. Kramer, who has just been installed with eight other officers of the lodge. The new officers of the lodge recently in stalled are: Chancellor Commander, F. G. Kramer; vice chancellor, Frank Potts; master of finance. Max Sugen- hime, master at arms, Edwin Ben son: keeper of records and seal, George II. Pollard; master of works, Wallace Kelsey; prelate, w. H.. Fogette; outer guard, E. H. kahms; inner guard. Fred Rich.
 Clifton Benson is ill at his home on Cottage street with an attack of the grippe.
 Additional cases of chicken poX at the south end of the town have been reported. It is estimated that there are now six cases of the dis case in town.
 Miss Marguerite Bourgeois has re- turned from visit with relatives in New Britain.
 Mr. and Mrs. Gustav Petit have been entertaining friends from Hart ford during the past few days.
 Miss Betty Walsh is ill at her home on Wilcox avenue. The Epworth League of the Meth odist church held business meet ing and social last evening in the so- cial rooms of the church.
 Miss Mary Haskell of Wilcox av- enue is reported as being critically ill.
 The fife and drum corps are plan ming to raise money for the further ing of the work of the organiza- ton. A public exhibition by the corps is being planned in the near future.
 Keep young, keep healthy through enervating body massage. w. E.. Ogle.-advt.
New Britain herald., 1927-02-15
Daughters of Union Veterans

The regular meeting of Sarah F. Reynolds Tent, No. 1S, Daughters Of Union Veterans will be held at o'clock on Wednesday evening. Feb ruary 18th. The birthdays of both Lincoln and Washington will be observed with appropriate exercises.
 Choral Club Rehearsal
 A rehearsal of the Women's Chor- al club will be held at o'clock this evening in Trinity church.
 Valentine Dance Tonight
 Through an error the Valentine dance to be given by the New De- parture Girls club was announced for last night. The dance will be held tonight at the high school gymnasium.
New Britain herald., 1927-02-15
AN EASY WAY
 TO LOSE FAT

The right way 10 lose fat is by com batting the cause. By correcting gland which largely controls nutrition. No abnormal exercise or diet is required. Simply take Marmola Prescription Tablets, four a day, until proper re- salts are accomplished.
 Marinola is the scientific method. Ii fas been used for lo years. The nor nal figures that it brings are seen in every circle now. And the use has grown, through those results, to very large proportions.
 All druggists supply Marmoia at $l box. Each box contains a pamphlet which explains the results you see and feel. Go get it now. Learn what otl1- CTS know about it. You will be de- lighted.
New Britain herald., 1927-02-15
That Baby You've
 Longed For
Mrs. Burton Advises Women on Moth
 erhood and Compnnionshp

"For several years I was denied the blessing of motherhood,'' writes Mrs Margaret Burton of Kansas City. "f was terribly nervous and subject to pc riods of terrible suffering and melan- ohoia. Now l am the proud mother o' q beautiful little daughter and & true companion and inspiration to my hus- band. l believe hundreds of other women would like to know the secret of my happiness and l will gladly reveal 1t to any married woman who will write me-. Mrs. Burton offers her advice entirely without charge She has nothing to sell Letters should be addressed to Mrs Margaret Burton, S0S2 Massachusetts. Kansas City. Mo, Correspondence will he strictly confidential.
New Britain herald., 1927-02-15

READ HERALD CLASSIFIED ADS
 FOR YOUR WANTS
Evening star., 1927-05-22

nue. to the Mall. It is believed that
this would distinctly improve the ap.
pearance Of the main thoroughfare
and present a more effective frontage
OF public structures, lining them at
the western end of the great row with
the present District Building. which
otherwise would be recessed.
There will be plenty Of room within
the Mall-Avenue triangle for all the
Federal constructions Immediately re-
quired and Of possible early provision.
Herein lies the advantage of taking
the triangle as whole and treating
it as unit rather than taking it in
piecemeal and treating it as a series
Of city squares, their limits being
rigidly regarded in all emplacements.
The Commission of Fine Arts has rec
commended the continuous-facade plan.
with arched openings in few places
to accommodate north and south traf-
fc. This idea will likewise be studied
by the architects for recommendation
to the public buildings commission.
1t is believed that such treatment of
of the south side of Pennsylvania ave-
nue. would be most effective and i'm.
pressive.
Many considerations enter into the
but evidently the first of
weight is the general appearance re.
sulting from the grouping of these
buildings. The problem
Is not to be solved with false economy.
Congress has appropriated literally
for the buildings themselves. and will
at the next session without question
provide the funds for the purchase of
he remaining portions of the triangle.
Additional funds will be available as
the project develops and plans for
new buildings in addition to the i'm.
mediate program are drawn. The day
IF cheese-p pairing and make.shifting in
1ousing the Federal activities has
passed.
Evening star., 1927-05-22
Ancient Wonders.

The discovery of the tomb Of King
"Tut" and the excellent pressagent.
ing of the same. gave rise to an un-
paralleled interest in excavation
throughout the world. Thousands
who hitherto had given little thought
to the romance Of this important and
tedious work suddenly found them.
selves actually interested in what
they had imagined to be the province
only Of bespectacled professors.
News Of the visit Of King Victor
Emmanuel to the excavation already
in progress at the buried city Of Her
culaneum, and the inauguration OF
new excavations, meets the greatest
popular response In the history Of
such enterprises.
Herculaneum was inhabited by peo.
pie of wealth and culture, whereas
Pompeii, buried beneath the same
lava, was a sort of Coney Island OF
that far day and age. 1t is believed
that the discoveries to be made at the
former place Wllt AoI outWCASh SAocS
made at Pompeii, as interesting as
they have been.
Among other finds. the excavators
hope to uncover many ''lost books" :"
The preserved literature of ancient
Greece and Rome. while large. is only
a. 1.-THE Of what 1t must have been
Incursions of barbarians from the
North, hardy men without under
standing or respect for book learn
ing" resulted in the wholesale de
struction Of libraries.
Those who have unused over extan'
literature will find themselves thrill
ing at the merest prospect of dipping
into work which has been lost to th'
world for 2.O00A years. Nothing Il
more immutables' in human expert
Evening star., 1927-05-22

In the flooded districts of Louisi-
ana in the face of common calamity.
many strange things are happening
which nature experts would tell you
could not happen. Rabbits have been
observed by hundreds in treetops.
One day when Uncle Remus" was
spinning a yarn on the back steps he
came to a part where he said:
And so Brer Rabbit, he cline de
tree"
"But, Uncle Remus." protested the
little boy, rabbits can't climb trees"
Jaw, go long, chile, you don't
you Br'er Rabbit he just obleeged
to cline dat tree"
And so, years after the creator OF
Uncle Remus has passed on to what
ever high reward comes to gentle
and loving soul, "Br'er Rabbit" actu-
ally has climbed the trees in the
flood-swept country. For rabbits
have been found able to swim enough
to keep themselves afioat and have
fought their way out of the water
into the branches of intercepting
trees. OF course, many have been
drowned in the unequal struggle, but
the rabbit in the tree is no longer
just bit of Southland lore.
The flood, oddly enough, has re-
vealed Louisiana as one of the great
fur-producing sections of the North
American Continent. During last
season more than 100000 muskrats
were taken in the two Louisiana
parishes south of New Orleans. which
were inundated when the city blew
an artificial crevasse in the levee
IA miles down the river. Many mink
are also to be found in the LouiSi-
ana lowlands and it was the trappers
of these sections who protested
against the involuntary flood which
was loosed upon them as a means of
saving possibly hundreds of lives and
millions of property damage.
1t is the claim of State conservation
officials that the muskrat crop" will
not be destroyed by the waters, or
even seriously affected, for after the
flood in that section of 1922 the catches
became greater and greater. Still
prodigious efforts have been made to
help the rats and their young, known
as mice in their struggles against
the water All sorts of improvised
RATS, covered with grass and moss,
were set af1oat for the valuable little
fur-bearing animals to climb upon.
Railroad ties also were floated into
the muddy tide and became rescue
craft. The common peril made friends
of some strange beings. On one log
floating down stream a game warden
saw a black snake, a rabbit and a
muskrat riding peacefully together.
What happened when all got hungry,
the warden could not say.
When Secretary of Commerce
Hoover and Secretary of War Davis
got down into Louisiana on their
flood investigations they found them
selves confronted by many strange
geographical names and also by river
terms which they had quickly to learn
before they could talk the language
of the old-timers along the muddy flow.
Most of the names and terms used on
the river are either straightout French
or of French derivation-survivors Of
the days when Louisiana was French
territory.
The river which has been most
prominently in the public eye the