Royal Cortissoz 553 THE FIELD OF ART-Emile-Antoine Bourdelle THE FINANCIAL SITUATION-Problems of Railway Consolidation and Income Tax Reduction- BEHIND THE SCENES WITH SCRIBNER'S AUTHORS Published Monthly 561 } FRONT ADVERTISING SECTION 35 Cents; $4.00 a Year Foreign, $5.00 a Year 597-599 FIFTH AVE NEW YORK + 7 BEAK STREET, LONDON, W. 1 Publishers of SCRIBNERS and ARCHITECTVRE MAGAZINE Copyrighted in 1925 in United States, Canada, and Great Britain by Charles Scribner's Sons. Printed in New York. All rights reserved. [0, dear reader, the illustrations above do that arouses the enthusiasm of the most crit No, Webster Hall brawl. They are the genii of Jesse Lynch Williams's "I Went to College" and Mary Alice Barrows's "Heartbreak Dance," in this number. The high gods must take delight in the publication of "I Went to College" just at this time. Shortly after Mr. Williams wrote it the University of Michigan announced that the holder of the Fellowship of Creative Arts for this year would be none other than he. And at about the time you are reading this scandalous article he is taking up his duties as a figure of academic importance at Ann Arbor. Mr. Williams is the first dramatist to hold this post, formerly occupied by Robert Frost and Robert Bridges, English poet laureate. In 1917 his play "Why Marry?" won the Pulitzer Prize. As we write, one of the theatrical events looked forward to with most interest is the first night of Jesse Lynch Williams's new play, "The Lovely Lady." "Heartbreak Dance" is all true and all sympathetically told by Mary Alice Barrows. Miss Barrows is chief supervisor of dance halls for the San Francisco Centre, a group of civic clubs. Her article is not a plea for uplifting; it is a glance of understanding at these puzzled dwellers on earth-drudges by day, unsatisfied seekers for pleasure at night. Edwin Grant Conklin will stir the fundamentalists by his statement that "belief in a big man in the skies who made us little men in his own image is rapidly yielding place to more idealistic conceptions." (The italics are ours.) "Our deepest instincts are for growth," he says; "the joy of life is progress. Only this would make immortality endurable." While we recognize the pre-eminence of Dr. Conklin among scientists, the fact that his course is one of the most difficult at Princeton, that it involves long, hard laboratory work, that it nevertheless attracts students not compelled to take it-average college men drawn by the personality of this great teacher-that it is the one course in Princeton about which is heard never one growl-that fact makes him especially valuable to readers of this magazine. He can talk about what he knows in a way ical audience in the world. such as Douglas Freeman (in the October One enjoys humor, gallantry, dash, pluck, number) revealed in the Robert E. Lee of prewar days, but one loves the courage, the symothers, of the Robert E. Lee, commander of the pathy, the whimsicality, the thought for Army of Northern Virginia, shown to us in his touch to this whole picture is that of Lee peerletters in this number. For us the crowning ing through the smoke of the fierce battle of Fredericksburg, straining for a glimpse of the in the corner of the yard of the old Fitzhugh big oak-tree under which he courted his wife, mansion. A playgoer for sixty years, Brander Matthews has seen many actresses come and go. His article in this number is almost in the nature of a pious rite, a thank offering for past delights. It is actuated by a desire to perpetuate the memory of those whose fame is "having nothing to validate it except the unlargely of the moment, soon fading away, substantial echo of departed popularity." Charles H. Sherrill, former brigadier-general, former minister to the Argentine, diplomat, lawyer, is known to too many for us to dilate upon his accomplishments here. But we go behind that to find Charlie Sherrill, American one-hundred-yards champion of 1887, holder of seven intercollegiate championships, organizer of international intercollegiate track meets. And also to the Charles H. Sherrill who wrote "French Memories of Eighteenth-Century America" and "Stained Glass Tours in England," and followed the latter with similar books on France, Italy, Spain, and Flanders. "The Danube as Peacemaker" is a result of interviews with significant figures in eastern Europe during his recent trips abroad. We have a passion for the well-rounded man. That's why we like Conklin, the scientist and teacher; Lee, the courageous, the calm, the sentimental; Sherrill, the athlete, the lover of stained glass, the student of politics. And now we come to Frederick Peterson, who can write two books with such titles as "American Text-book of Legal Medicine and Toxicology" and "Chinese Lyrics." A deep student and authority of mental diseases, he has found time to delight in the arts; he has written poetry; he came across the trail of the mysterious Masson of Kentucky, pursued him, only to find his origins nearly lost in the pioneer past, and yet succeeded in presenting "the irreclaimable vagabond" in very interesting manner. "If," telephoned Matthew Wilson Black to the lady who asked him to make a literary address, "you are interested in either of the things I care about most in all the world-boys or poetry-I shall be glad to talk." For a college don, Mr. Black has a very peculiar attitude toward boys. "The hero of the most portentous cult in modern sculpture since that of Rodin" is the subject of Royal Cortissoz's interesting chat, and if you will look at the illustrations for the article, you will want to know more about this remarkable person. Edward Shenton is in the happy position of having the talent to illustrate his own stories. This is his first appearance in SCRIBNER'S MAGAZINE. He is connected with the Penn Publishing Company, of Philadelphia. The contributors of poetry this month are Mrs. Corinne Roosevelt Robinson, civic leader, interested in politics and poetry, sister of Theodore Roosevelt the first; Nathalie Sedgwick Colby (Mrs. Bainbridge Colby), contributor of prose and verse to several magazines; and Charles F. Lummis, newspaper man, preserver of California's missions and landmarks, who walked from Cincinnati to Los Angeles by a roundabout route just because he liked to walk. NEXT MONTH Galsworthy's "The Silver Spoon " The whirl of modern society 66 a dance of gnats taking itself damned seriously," one of his characters calls it-interpreted by a master. Mr. Galsworthy's first fulllength fiction since the great success, “The White Monkey." At this writing Captain John W. Thomason, Jr., is still with the Special Service Squadron on board the U. S. S. Rochester in the Canal Zone. Alexander Woollcott, in his department, "The Stage," in the New York World for September 21, said: Except, then, for this picture and the three plays hereinbefore cheered for, this department has no ardent recommendations to make, unless you wish to buy the September SCRIBNER'S and read the incomparable feat in word and line therein achieved by Captain John W. Thomason, Jr., of the United States Marines. "Monkey-Meat" is Captain Thomason's first short story. In an early number we shall publish "The Conquest of Mike," which is laid in days after the war and finds the Marines in other lands. Valma Clark has been plugging away busily building up more and more of a reputation for herself as a short-story writer. Since her recent trip abroad, where she gathered material for "Enter Eve," she has been writing at her home in Rochester. William Lyon Phelps has left Seven Gables at Grindstone City, Mich., and gone back to the intellectual grindstone at Yale University. The story of Mr. Phelps's argument with the editor of the Port Huron Times Herald is told in the adjoining department. It has to do with the professor's penchant for asking questions such as: "Where are a cow's horns?" Alexander Dana Noyes's recent comment on the state of the farmer's pocket-book and the underlying influences in this season's market received much attention from the newspapers of the country, which began to speculate as to whether the farmer attributes his solvency to the help of politicians or to his own self-help methods, plus gradual economic adjustment. To date no roaring answer from the farmer has been heard. As we go to press, the following comment on Douglas Freeman (editor of "Lee and the Ladies"), by the writer of an article on the evolution controversy in Virginia in the New hand: York World of September 26th, comes to Doctor Douglas Freeman, of the Richmond News Leader, who is already engaged in undermining the Many regard his editorials as the strongest being arguments of the Fundamentalists, is a brilliant man. written to-day in the South. And he is respected. Business Men Fall Out-Is Eddie Guest a Golf Player?-Radio Waves from the Brain-The Barnum of Them All "What Price Organization?" hit the business world in two ways. It so stirred F. Roger Miller, chairman of the Board of Managers of the National School for Commercial and Trade Executives, that he indited a four-page letter to the editors, which says in part: In the article by Jesse R. Sprague which appears in your September issue, you have published a misleading and wholly unwarranted attack upon the business organizations and executives of the United States. As one of the "salaried executives" subjected to ridicule, criticism, and condemnation, without hearing or consideration by the author or the editor, I am presuming to ask some questions. What is the purpose of your attack upon the co-operative organizations to which millions of good men and women are devoting not only their money but their time, talents, and energies? Evidence of astonishing ignorance is displayed in the statement that "the United States is the only country in which organization has become deeply rooted." And this ignorance is further and more emphatically expressed in the statement that the organization movement in this country began during the World War period. (Here follows a whole series of questions, of which samples are: "Where were the first Chambers of Commerce organized?" "Name the birthplace of the trade association idea." "What did George Washington say on the subject of organization, when and where?"-Observer.) Mr. Sprague declares that we have too many organizations in America. I am inclined to agree with him, but for other reasons. The dangers I see in over-organization are wasted effort, duplication of activities, needless expenditure of money in overlapping philanthropies, and unnecessary strain upon the mental and physical energies of the men and women who are willing to give themselves in service to humanity. But, if Mr. Sprague were able to abolish organizations which do not have his approval, where would he begin? This is a problem with which organization men everywhere have been greatly concerned, and even now there is an increasing trend toward centralization. In this readjustment period, the weak organizations will die and the really worthy agencies will emerge stronger than they have ever been in the past. THEY ARGUE IN AGREEMENT To which cross-examination Mr. Sprague replies: The editor of SCRIBNER'S MAGAZINE has forwarded me your letter in which you give me a rather thorough scolding in four large pages on account of my article "What Price Organization?" I had no idea this modest piece would arouse such strong feelings, especially in one connected with organization work, for its intent was favorable to the legitimate organization; only those palpably otherwise were criticized. In that regard your letter is really stronger than my article. I wrote 'against legitimate organization there is nothing to be said, for the United States is a large country and requires coordinated effort to transact its proper business." In contrast to that I would beg you to look up the copy of your letter and see what you said on page three. (Thir paragraph from the end of part quoted above.-Observer. And so, it appears, we are quite agreed; the only differet.ce being that you, actually being in organization work and en the inside, so to speak, feel more keenly than I the dangers that may come to America through too many organizations. You put your finger right on the spot and tell what happers. Yet there are statements in your letter to which I must take exception even though we are agreed on the main port You say I display "astonishing ignorance," and that, nat.rally, hurts my vanity and makes me want to justify myself. I really was a chamber of commerce member for twenty years and during that time tried to make my membersh count for something. The Rotary Club of San Antoni Texas, still carries me on its rolls as an honorary member. During recent years I have visited many chambers of an merce in England and France, and have spoken before enganizations in both those countries. I was at the International Chamber of Commerce convention in Rome in 10: On my desk there are invitations to speak to organizatios of business men in several American cities. An article of mine that appeared some months ago in The Saturday Evening Post has been issued in booklet form by the chamber of a Pennsylvania city as a part of its civic publicity. One dislikes to mention these personal matters; and there fore I say with better grace that in the SCRIBNER article sore of the incidents to which you took especial exception wes furnished me by my very good friend, Mr. Colvin Brown d the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, one of the organizations, I take it, from which you draw your income. Replied Mr. Miller to Mr. Sprague: I am somewhat familiar with your organization record in Newport News and in San Antonio. I still insist that you have displayed astonishing ignorance concerning civic at: commercial organizations in America and elsewhere. I have read and enjoyed many of your articles on busines subjects, and I was utterly astonished to discover the att tude indicated in your contribution to SCRIBNER'S. YOU N that material for a portion of the article was furnished b Mr. Brown of the National Chamber. Will you please ins cate the specific incidents related to you by Mr. Brows Will you also please state whether your article was submitted to Mr. Brown for approval before publication? You are in error again in assuming that any part of my come is drawn from the National Chamber. The manizes and faculty members of the National School serve with compensation and most of them pay their own pers expenses. It seems to us wise to point out a slight misquot.tion by Mr. Miller in one of his charges of ignoranor Mr. Sprague actually said (after describing an em tional spree at a luncheon club): "Curiously, the United States is the only country where organiz tion has become so deeply rooted. It is also a tai that with us it came about largely through our par ticipation in the World War." Omission of "so" b |