THE AMERICAN MAGAZINE
THE CROWELL PUBLISHING COMPANY

EDITORIAL ROOMS

381 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

March 18, 1930.

Mrs. Edith Wharton,
53 rue de Varenne,
Paris, France.

Dear Mrs. Wharton:—

I am delighted to hear the subject I suggested in my letter of October 28th appeals to you. Next September is perfectly all right as to time, and I shall look forward with the keenest of interest to the arrival of the manuscript.

May I again emphasize the importance of making the article very definite, concrete and personal? Talk to us frankly about ourselves as Americans. Let us meet ourselves face to face, let us see our faults, virtues and characteristics. Tell us where we fall short, what we can do to improve ourselves, what we should watch out for. An article of this kind can be full of the most helpful suggestions. We are all seeking individual betterment, we all want to be classed as hundred per cent Americans.

By next fall our circulation will be well over 1,500,000 so your article will reach a very big audience.

Please don't forget that I want a fine, new photograph of you to run with the article.

Again expressing my delight that you are going to do this article for us,— I am,

h

Paris, 9 June 1920

John M. Siddall Esqr
The American Magazine
361, Fourth Avenue
New York,

Dear Sir,

Some months ago I agreed to give you an article for the September number of your magazine. The subject suggested by you was, in a general way, "America and the Americans."

The turn of events in my own country since then is such that I no longer understand the new American; at any rate I have nothing to say about him that would be likely to interest your readers.

May I suggest, as an alternative, sending you a short story of 5 or 6,000 words? My price for a story is $1,000, but in consideration of my having promised you an article which I do not feel able to write — at any rate on that subject — I propose $750 as the price of the story. If this does not meet with your approval, on what subject would you like an article?

Believe me,

Yours very truly

EDITORIAL ROOMS

381 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

June 29, 1920.

Mrs. Edith Wharton,
53 Rue De Varenne,
Paris, France.

Dear Mrs. Wharton:—

I am sorry you do not think you can write the comparative American article about which we have corresponded. However, I can well understand that you feel the new American is a stranger to you. He undoubtedly is a stranger to himself and it may be some little time before the man and the environment harmonize.

I wish I had some other subject I could suggest. But at the time of writing I have nothing in mind. If a likely subject presents itself I will certainly get into touch with you right away and I hope you will write me if any suitable idea suggests itself to you.

The short stories we use in this magazine are very simple and unproblematical and, speaking very frankly, I don't like to purchase them sight unseen. I'm pretty well stocked up on short stories, too. I thank you very much though for making this alternative suggestion. It is very good of you.

Hoping we may yet be able to find some subject which you will be glad to write about, — I am,

h