Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-24

The YEARS WITH X
So is wonderful for several
all-but-yelping likeness, fond
man who brought into being
a magazine that is synony-
nous with the light touch.
It is also a history of that
publication from its lean be-
ginnings to its present sleek
eminence. And just as a
dividend, it gives an unob-
trusive but nonetheless be-
quilting sketch of the author,
who wrote for. fought with,
marvelled at and treasured
Harold Ross for their IS
years of tempestuouS associa-
ton.
Pulling Credentials
The credentials of Harold
w. Ross of Aspen. Colo. to
be the editor of Americas
most urbane magazine were
in hopeless disarray. He was
rude. loud-voiced, unjust,
irascible, unsociable, incon-
Sistent, profane, suspicious.
despairing and given to ar
bitrary and outrageous state
ments to strangers and turn
of-the-century slang. He
could not write in the New
Yorker style himself. He
hardly ever read a book.
His favorite authors were
Jack London, H. G Wells
and Kipling-all Indifferent
stylists. He knew nothing Of
world affairs. Stunned art
and music. He was terrified
that sex would creep into
either his magazine or his
Office. To him it was IAN
ominous and omnibus word"
that could mean only trouble.
He was, despite three mar
riages, so shy of women, re-
ports his old-line staffer
that "he could look as be-
leagured as Custer in the
presence of one" He was a
disastrous administrator, hir-
ing and firing like a fright
ened emperor.
This was the editor of the
New Yorker? Yes, this and
no other. And why did
writer's of the eminence of
Ring Lardner prefer a few
kind words from him to a fee
20 times larger from another
magazine?
The Ross Magic
James Thurber, a willing
thrall for so long, explains
the Ross magic this way:
"He dreamed of perfection.
not of power or personal for
tune. He was a visionary and
practicalist, imperfect at
both, a dreamer and a hard
worker, a genius and a plod-
der, obstinate, and reason
able, cosmopolitan and pro-
vincial. wide-eyed and world
weary"
AS to how he sought end
lessly for that perfection, and
the success he so often
achieved, James Thurber,
knowing himself to be in the
presence of the uncanny, de-
scribes it in only the eerie
terms which make it palpable
if not understandable.
HE had a sound sense, a
unique, almost intuitive per-
oeption Of what was wrong
with something, incomplete
or out of balance, under
stated or emphasized. He re-
minded me of an Army scout
riding at the head of troop
of cavalry who suddenly
raises his hand in a green
and silent valley and says
Indians, although to the or
binary eye and ear there is
no faintest sight or sound of
anything alarming"
A Model Of Clarity
James Thurber, with in
credible patience and skill
has untangled the various
conflicting strands in the
Ross character with heroic
patience and loving skill. He
reports briefly on Ross miser-
~ mother, who may have had
a great deal to do with max
ing her son a profigate gam
bier. a generous money
lender and so Indifferent a
manager of his own affairs
that a secretary did him out
of $4,000 with the greatest
of ease.
1.-THE Years with Ross" is.
as / have tried to indicate,
just about a model of clarity.