Detroit evening times., 1943-08-31
Some Editors
Are aHardLo a
They Treat Writers
Rather Hiqh-Hot
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER

I AN not shilling for the La
dies Home Journal, because l
am strictly newspaper except a
couple of times a year when l
break out with a message 10
humanity on slick paper. but if
you want 10 see some fun. dip
your bill into the Lid for 6c-
tober.
- -GFaeHe- Heffffefa fixed tip
match between James Carey.
the secretary-treasurer of the
Go. and me which was 10 have
been the main event, but the
copy didn't fit a certain page so
they took II off the top Of the
bill and used il for a chaser.
1t was Just as well, too, be-
cause Carey led with his chin
ana they have still got him on
the table IN his dressing room
and Phil Murray IS pouring cold
water down his trunks and icing
the back OF his neck and yelling
70, a doctor 1t was luSt no con-
test
s1ti That isn't what's on my
- mnd What | want 10 dis
cuSS with you is the cold con-
Summate gall and conceit OF
these magazine people Do they
think they're good Do YOU
know what Lorlmer wrote my
manager?
Well. after explaining why
they had 10 take the debate
out Of the feature position and
stuff II IN the chinkS between
the golfers and electric belts,
as we say IN our business. Lori
Nor wrote
"Of course. from our point
Of view. an author should con-
slider himself lucky to he IN
the Ladies Home Journal at al
and any position is good posi-.
tiOn."
And ne lSn-t-klddlnE- either
Most Of these magazine mugs
actually do believe they are
dong You a great honor 10 pub
llsh your copy and they are Al.
most all strictly sweat shop M
their methods and want more
Nnpll-aHA- -t-trt-titrt1cr-for tt1rIr
dough than a prison contractor
one time l made a deal 20 do
a magazine piece about Iot-
tories, a subject oN which ] have
a lot Of Information and Ner,-
StrnrE oPTHIOn and Wncn
turned u IN the editor to7ol
u back and wanted me ft--
verse myself and argue IN IA
Nor OF lotteries
Fhey think their money can
huN not only your experience
work time ability and reputa-
'Ion but your principles, as VOL
| ORINER probably gets h.,
Il IDEAS from hi, old man who
used 10 run the Saturday Eve.
nlrg Post
old George Was so fnickv and
arbitrary 'tg' he even tried 20
regulate The private lives Of ms
stable oi writer's 20 the extent
'Hai th.N W-Le s4plsaSnd "a
avoid personal scandal under
penalty of bani>hment
Somc years ago = dame cot
mixed up with another WomanS
husband and vent all 20 pieces
because she WIS afraid y would
un hcr with tho old man Lori
nor who had been buying a lot
%. her stuff.
on f NoI were one ~ his
>oHi, YOU couldn't write for
other magazines. although he
would not pat YOU on a regular
p1y .o'l and reserved tho riCiA
10 reject anything that didn -
slu hlS particular taste
They get that way because
they do pay pretty well for the
pieces that happen 10 suit their
precious and faStidouS fancy
and thousands Of writers all
over the country constantly
=st4eetfHF stuff a. tt1cn on
speculation
This relieves them of The
necessity 10 make binding com.
nitmcntS even 10 the regular
contributors and the result IS
they have 10 be butiered and
ScS>ed and cultivated end.
after a few years OF this. get
20 thinking tt1iS means that
they are Wonder-mcn when
tho fact is that their ntaga-
zines are written no better
than newspapers and, gener-
ally speaking, aren't edited
nearly so well.
THEY also play up the pub
Il hCity or reputation value
OF magazine publication 10 a
writer as though you ought TO
take part oi your pay IN pres
tige As many writers, especially
young or obscure ones, do.
The New Yorker. for OK
ample. pays peanuts. and that
Ross Will Jerk your apy every
which way and throw II back
and back for redoing accord
ing TO his peculiar personal
tastes and by the time YOU
cot N acrnss and cot Nnur mod.