Evening star., 1933-10-24

Henry L Mencken retires from ed-
torial direction of the American Mer-
curry. but the public refuses to believe
that caustic force in current life has
been eliminated. Admirers Of his bril-
liant pen 1t is indicated, will continue
to remember his shafts at human weak
ness and to expect further contributions
to literature
This gifted critic was the head and
front Of what might be called the kid
ding era" says the Abilene Reporter.
That paper holds that he and his as
sociates made big noise after the
close Of the war, when people were
ready for a bit Of idol smashing" but
that taste in literature has turned to
soberer mediums" The Reporter would
not be surprised to see the world turn
with welcoming arms to an era Of
mushy poetry. Little Lord Fauntleroy
Our leading debunker and punctlrer
Of hypocrisy" Is the description given
e ssas hf he ads peopie mad baa saso ao
made them think" The Argus con-
cludes: Now that some Of the smoke
has lifted, We can see that Mencken was
often right in some of his contentious
Probably now that he has come
to middle age, he will no longer use
vitriol for q writing fluid, but we shall
be treated to the seasoned reflections of
sage. In any case we cannot conceive
Of Mr.. Mencken writing dry-as- dust
stuff ct any age We hope he will anger
Us occasionally. just to keep his hand in
and to show us he has not entirely abb
dicated his critics throne. We have al
ways enjoyed hearing him bark, know
ing all the while that his bark was far
and slasher Of q literary musketeer IS
actually q very well behaved gentleman
in private life. and Is genial and COM
panionable to a degree. Morally, he has
always been better than some of his
detractors"
He was champion Of cynicSm and
high priest Of invective," AYERS the
Omaha World-Herald. with the sugges-
ton that. rightly, his retirement to a
respectable old age should be accom-
panied by low music. with a certain
amount Of appreciation for one who not
only served q function but was enter
tanning q we'll" Explaining its idea Of
this fuction, the World Herald con-
ttnues: TT was to furnish periodical
jolts to complacency. When he was
riding high, back in the dim, distant
twenties, we were, on the whole, SNUG
lot. We were satisfied and sleek.
Mencken, with q magnificent command
Of language and absolutely no respect
for conventions, flung literary mud pies
at US with measured accuracy. A sub
stitute for what we were he did not
offer. OF course not His criticism was
purely destructive But 1t was none
the less good. 1t was criticism which,
however It reused our anger or pricked
our self-esteem, did stimulate US into
enraged denial, and thereby provoked
rarely right. Like Bernard Shaw, he
was too fond Of the picturesque half
truth, teo welded 70 superflciality. But
how he could roar!"
'The magazine world is poorer in
his loss" thinks the Akron Beacon
Journal, voicins the expectation that In
his future work there will be Journal
istic masterpieces and some racy and
uproarious volumes" The Roanoke
Times states that he has been "a useful
irritant In our social sst-up," and that
his energy, wit, humor and drollery
have made . decided and valuable con-
tribution to the Americana of his gen.
Grafton" The Danbury News Times,
appraising his work as of the wrecking
variety, adds that "he might desire to
clear 6 way for new structures. but his
part Of the job carried the dynamite.
the blasting and the blowing up and
"As broad general proposition" ad-
vises the Newark Evening News. "he Is
not . devout admirer Of the prevalent
human race. He seems TO sense some