Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-03-31
By Horny Macarthur

Buckley said it was true that
IschoolteacherS were underpaid
Miss Peterson tore into the merits
Iof that as an answer to her argu-
ment and Miss Emerson tore ir
to change battlers again.
How about this Supreme Court
justice you say has been getting
help from Alger Hiss, Wechslel
wanted to know. You say you
name names; name him. Couldn't
do that. said Mortimer. for fea,
of involving the network in a
libel suit, but we named -Alger
Hiss. Why, you great big fearless
newspaperman. you, said Wechs-
Ter. You named Alger Hiss.
And when did you resign from
the Young Communist League
asked Mortimer. In 1897, said
Wechsler. and if you want to de-
bate my patriotism I'll be happy
to do it any time but right now
we're talking about q book by
Lait and Mortimer. Miss Emer-
son thought Miss Peterson ought
to do some more talking.
Miss Peterson, with the air OF
a woman who has just discovered
a cockroach in the crepes suzette
charged that the book is nothing
but a catalogue of places where
sin may be committed and bets
placed on horses. Thank you fol-
selling several thousand copies OF
our book, Mortimer interrupted
I think too much of the American
public to think people will buy &
book for that reason, said Miss
Peterson, but I'm glad to know
why you wrote it.
1--WE have to change THIS sub
ject," walled Miss Emerson, "oi
well be OF the air. I just got
a signal"
Wechsler allowed as how hi
didn't think much Of waiting unit
Ia man is. dead to malign him, q.
in the books charge that the lat,
Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia dines
regularly with Frank Costello
How did Mortimer know this
Mortimer saw it with his own eyes
Why didn't he print it then? Be
cause he was in the Sunday de
partment at the time. Didn't h,
tell anyone else at the Mirror
Oh, yes. he told somebody else.
Either the Mirror city desl
didn't have faith in q Mortime
tip, checked it and found it un
true. or checked it and found
true but didn't print the story
Without saying so, Wechsler mad
it clear what he thought.
Finally the half-hour reache,
its close and Miss Emerson trie,
to sign off as gracefully as pos
sible, but it wasn't to be allowed
AS she passed over Wechsler'
name there was a burst Of ap
plause from the studio audiencI
and Mortimer interrupted her. &c
see Mr. Wechsler brought hi
stooges with him." he bleated.
\ ~ y
This has been gone into at SOM
length because, unless something
Is done, it viii be time to writ
an epitaph for Author Meets tn,
Critics" and that will be too bad
There Is still a spark Of life in ii
but unless somebody sends for al
oxygen tent Dumont will have /,
corpse on its hands.
| The fault is not entirely will
Miss Emerson'S occasional failure
to keep heated male opponents il
check. The man selecting books
authors and critics also must tax,
some blame. Author Meets thu
Critics" used to be one OF TIL
oases In television's desert. Their
were conflicts on 1t. and Otter
heated ones, but they involved
ideas. The program could delight
as not all Of television does, thos,
to whom the thought Of having ,
thought was not completely ter
rifying.
Differences of opinion attrac
attention. Of course, since confiic
is the essence of drama. The NOR,
sanguinary the conflict, the bette
its chance Of attracting attention
A book does not merit the atten
ton Of Author Meets the Critics
merely because 1t is o book. how
ever, or because there is q differ
ence Of opinion about it. Som,
books just aren't worth wasting
the time Of q Virgilia Peterson.
James Wechsler, . television net
work. or the viewers.