I THE BIBLE IN ILLINOIS HAVE read with interest your editorial "The Bible in California" in The Outlook for November 15, and sympathize fully with your interpretation of the situation. This is not the only instance of the kind. The Supreme Court of Illinois handed down a similar decision a number of years ago, and on the same grounds-namely, that the Bible is a "sectarian book." In this case the decision was not with regard to any particular translation, but with regard to the Bible itself. The new State Constitution, recently offered by the Constitutional Convention which has been working on it for several years, which is to be submitted to popular vote December 7 next, provides that it shall not be unlawful to read the Bible in any version in the public schools of the State. F. J. GURNEY. The University of Chicago. OUTSIDE AN EDITORIAL OFFICE LOOKING IN Ο WING to some misadventure with the mails, I have only just received my copy of The Outlook for October 11, and have therefore just discovered that valiant and delightful defense of the editor as such, entitled "Inside an Editorial Office Looking Out." As a person of some experience with editors, I have no fault to find with the argument for the defense, and no more bias in favor of that miserable sinner the would-be contributor than would naturally be expected of one of the tribe. Still, I am willing to offer a little feeble testimony on his behalf. In regard to office boys, my only objection to them is their disconcerting hauteur. The icy gleam in their eyes has a diminishing effect on your size, like the comparative figures in an illustrated table of statistics. But I never encountered an Outlook office boy, so we can leave him out of the discussion. The next person in line is the reader, and of that functionary I have the following experiences to relate. At an annual meeting of the Authors' League, several years ago, a young woman, a reader for a magazine, arose to bring what she evidently regarded as a serious charge against the would-be contributor. He didn't always use the right kind of clip to keep the sheets of his manuscript together; it should not be a clamp, but a removable clip. Reasonable enough, so far. But she proceeded to add that this was the cause of the rejection of many stories. The reader might be interrupted or called away, and on her return to the manuscript the sheets would have flopped over, compelling her to find the place again. Frequently, in such cases, she threw the article aside. So much for the result of a mechanical error upon the writer's labor and ambi tion. If you wish to have your work considered, do not inconvenience the reader; this was the case, as gravely stated by the reader herself. Personally, I was not guilty, as I always use the proper clip when one is needed; but I was angry with that reader, and so I am still. One more instance. The editor of a certain periodical once said to me, "You haven't sent us any verse for a long time." "Haven't I?" I retorted. "I've sent several poems, but they came back like boomerangs." "That's strange," said he; "I never saw any of them, and I have entire charge of the poetry. In future address them to me personally." I did so, and had a poem accepted which had been returned by that very magazine. Is it any wonder that I continued to address that editor personally? I am absolutely sure that he is not one whose judgment could be influenced by friendship or any form of favor. The instance simply shows that readers do sometimes stand in the way. There must be readers of course, and no doubt they are mostly conscientious persons; but if the poor would-be contributor has a certain fear of them, is it altogether unreasonable? I have another bit of testimony which suggests that the personnel of all maga And even if experienced, he may err; and he knows that to betray inexperience is a capital crime. Editors differ on minor points; and a contributor, other than a "PROMINENT and WELLKNOWN writer," always feels nervous. Hence his apprehensive, unreasonable attitude. As I once heard a Negro orator say, "How would you like to be a problem?" One thing I know: I shouldn't like to be an editor. They can't imaging the sympathy I have for them, in these days of frenzied art and excessive production. The antagonism is accentuated by the clash of schools. Such is my own dislike to freak poetry that if I were an editor I should probably become perfectly brutal. And yet they are gentle souls, until you find out what they are thinking. Just one thing I wish they would not do -thank you so touchingly for the opportunity to see your manuscript. It is too ironical for endurance, and adds force to the gesture with which you crumple up that rejection slip and slam it into the waste-basket. MARION COUтHOUY SMITH. zine offices are not completely imper. Ib vious to interested considerations. On one occasion I received an editorial request for a certain change in an accepted poem. I am not usually concerned about "the dot of an i or the crossing of a t," but I felt that this particular change would ruin the poem, so I went posthaste to the office, and asked to see one of the editors. I was met with the usual cool and suspicious politeness, until I added, "about an accepted contribution." "Oh, an accepted contribution," exclaimed the custodian of the outer hall, with a complete change of tone. "Certainly, madame; take a seat." I was admitted to a sanctum, and forthwith appeared, not a formal substitute, but a really-truly editor, looking as human as anything. I explained my difficulty, he agreed with my view, and the poem was saved. The point is that to the writer of an accepted manuscript the temperature of the place had gone up about twenty degrees. We-ell, why not? There is human nature inside the office as well as outside; and where opposing interests are frequently involved a certain amount of antagonism is apt to be developed. The case in The Outlook editorial is ably and fairly sustained. I do not quarrel with any of its conclusions. any more than with its delightful humor. In the case of the editors of The Outlook, it would never occur to me to doubt their sincerity and good judgment. And of course editors in general are not nearly as black as they are painted. But neither is the would-be contributor. What can he do but offer his wares? THE CASE OF MADAME JEANNIN: THE OTHER SIDE N the issue of The Outlook for November 29 Mr. Arthur R. Kimball, well known to us as a responsible and patriotic American citizen, told the story of Madame Aline Jeannin in a letter to the editors. She is, the letter stated, a woman of culture and refinement, owning property here and abroad, who on her return to America from a visit abroad was detained at Ellis Island because of her failure to comply with a technical requirement as to a visé of her passport. There, the letter further stated, she "had to sleep in a hammock. without decencies or privacies, was compelled to mix with the riff-raff of Europe, and not allowed to communicate with her son-in-law, Captain Lusher, for ten days." When he did see her, he found her "in a deplorable condition," "in great distress of mind and broken down by sickness." Only by orders from Washington was she saved from being deported, and "for ten days she hovered between life and death." It seemed proper to the editors of The Outlook to call the attention of the Commissioner of Immigration of the Port of New York to this matter and to offer him an opportunity to comment upon it. We print below the letter received in reply to our request. It seems to us quite inadequate as a defense of the treatment she received at Ellis Island, although it may be a good technical defense for her detention there and for the legal decision reached to deport her. The Commissioner tells us that the law allows no difference of treatment as be tween an alien immigrant and an alien who has lived some time in America, gone to Europe for a short visit, and returned home here to her daughter, who is an American citizen, wife of an American officer. Well, there ought to be! The Commissioner no doubt states the law correctly; we think Congress ought to consider this when it revises the present law.-THE EDITORS. As regards the case of Aline Burri Jeannin, I have gone into this matter thoroughly, and find that all the trouble that came to Madame Jeannin, and the inconvenience and trouble caused this office, could have been avoided by her had she paid due respect to the laws of the United States in the first instance. When she arrived here, she was not in ignorance of the fact that she had not complied with the State Department's ruling regarding passport visés, and everything that followed is due to just that fact. When she arrived here, her passport showed that she had "been warned not to proceed without visa." The Immigration Department is bound to respect the State Department's rulings, and every alien must be held until the State Department waives the visa. If the State Department declines to waive a visa, the alien must be deported. As for the delay in passing upon her case, you no doubt are aware that under the present Quota Law the steamship companies are permitted to bring in twenty per cent of their yearly quota cach month. This means that from July 1 until the quotas for certain countries are exhausted Ellis Island is simply swamped with immigration, and the small force of employees here are unable to cope with the situation. All during September detentions were running as high as 2,000 daily, with anywhere from 500 to 800 cases pending to be heard by Boards of Special Inquiry. This office had no alternative but to detain Madame Jeannin. From an immigration viewpoint, there was nothing else to do. As soon as it was possible to hear her case (she naturally and equitably had to take her turn with others, whose detention was not caused by any deliberate act of their own, as in the case of Madame Jeannin) she was given a hearing, her case was forwarded to Washington, and the State Department saw fit to waive the visé. If Madame Jeannin suffered in health by her detention here, it is a matter of keen regret. However, I cannot understand the attitude of disregard by foreigners for American laws. Had she followed the advice that was given her, she would in all probability never have had to come to Ellis Island at all. As for the statement contained in Mr. Kimball's letter to you, that she was not allowed to have counsel present at her hearing, this illustrates the fact that he does not know that the immigration laws do not permit counsel present at the special inquiry hearings, nor is one necessary. Ellis Island was created by Congress as a place where aliens (and no distinction is made in the law between "immigrant aliens" and persons who are not citizens) may present their credentials to enter the United States. The law is framed to meet a very definite and critical problem in this country, and has to be framed broad enough to apply to all aliens. While every possible comfort is given to aliens who are detained here with the appropriation Congress allots, it cannot be expected to be a hotel. I assure you that Mr. Kimball's statement of "third degree" methods is grossly exaggerated. He surely, as an American citizen, would not claim that the United States has no right to promulgate a law and state what questions aliens must answer. Nor do I understand how Mr. Kimball can state that the lady in question "had to sleep in a hammock." Such a thing is unheard of at Ellis Island. I further note that Mr. Kimball states that he was assured when in London that he needed no visa on his passport. I take it that Mr. Kimball is an American citizen. The immigration laws do not apply to him. But had he arrived here, an alien, without a visé, he would most certainly have been detained. The fact remains, however, that in Madame Jeannin's case, the Consul told her that she would require a visa, and notified us that she had sailed in spite of his warning. It seems a pity that Ellis Island is called upon to bear abuse for administering a law passed by Congress for the protection of the United States. If at any time The Outlook cares to send a representative to Ellis Island to look into conditions here and the problem that we are called upon to solve, I shall be very glad to see him, in order that The Outlook may be in a position to judge for itself when stories of this kind come to it. ROBERT E. TOD, Commissioner. U. S. Department of Labor Immigration Service Office of the Commissioner Ellis Island, N. Y. November 27, 1922. DEVASTATION IN ENGLAND -UNEMPLOYMENT It N the issue of The Outlook for September 27, 1922, appears an article entitled "A Germanized English Policy," by Elbert Francis Baldwin, which, though it gives an excellent statement of France's present position, grossly misrepresents the point of view of Great Britain. I have no doubt that the writer himself would be the first to admit that a reconciliation of the diverging points of view of France and England is one of the most imperative needs of statesmanship to-day. No matter how misguided the policy of one country may be deemed, the true aim should be to grasp the underlying cause of that policy, and not to attempt conversion by any criticism which, however meant, appears abusive. There is a growing tendency in these countries themselves to air their differences of opinions by calling the other side names, and the inevitable result is the widening of the existing breach. All the more reason why American writers, speaking to American audiences, should refrain from even seeming to fall into the same error. For over two years now England has had between 1,500,000 and 2,000,000 men continuously out of work. The actual number who suffer through partial or temporary employment is far greater. This is a frightful index of suffering. Hungry people and idle people are just as much indications of the aftermath of war as shattered villages. Nor can these unemployed find work again as long as the economic chaos prevails in Europe. It is true that England must have customers, because without customers her people will starve. A reparations policy which will continue indefinitely the present state of things will be fatal to England. In the long. run, it will be also fatal to France. The reason for this is plain. Whether we like it or not, the various countries of Europe are far from being self-supporting economic units. The dislocation or unrest of one is reflected sooner or later in all of the others. Particularly is this evident in England. England manufactures and sells to the world. To do this the greater portion of her population has been drawn into factories, coal mines, shipyards, or other lines of endeavor looking to the selling or carrying of goods abroad. No dwelling on the crimes of Germany can alter the fact that she was, and is, an important and necessary element in the interdependent economic structure of Europe. For England to seek to have Germany again for a customer is not an act of misguided chivalry to a defeated foe, nor a gesture of hypocritical forgiveness; it is an act of self-preservation. It may be open to question whether the steps which England proposes are those which in the long run will prove to be the right ones, but in criticising these steps it is unfair to be wholly blind to the stark necessities motivating England's policy. It is true that France's claim for security is too often disregarded, but no friend of France, however ardent, can expect to win sympathy, let alone suggest a working policy, who fails to take into account the needs of England, which in their way are just as imperative. Cuno's Cabinet...... 650 An Intolerable Filibuster Philadelphia Box 153 The Speakable Turk. How History is Made.. 651 CHARLOTTE O'GIRR CLARKE. 653 Special Correspondence from Baron Serge A. Korff St. John's Riverside Hospital Training School for Nurses YONKERS, NEW YORK Registered in New York State, offers a 2% years' courseas general training to refined, educated wonen. Requirements one year high school or its equivalent. Apply to the Directress of Nurses, Yonkers, New York. By Fullerton Waldo Service Employee Gives an Inside View.... ... By Commander B. B. Wygant, U. S. Navy Human Snowbirds... 664 666 670 Foreign postage extra ...... 672 A Picture from an Outlook Reader The Book Table: CHRISTIAN CENTURY 508 S. Dearborn St., Chicago Iwo officers discuss the results for the United States Navy of the decision made last year at the Washington Arms Conference. Dudley W. Knox, a captain of the United States Navy, was retired last year for physical disability after more than twenty-nine years of active service, which included service on Admiral Sims's staff during the war. He is the author of a book entitled "The Eclipse of American Sea Power," and is the present naval editor of the "Army and Navy Journal." The second half of the discussion is by B. B. Wygant, who is a Commander on the U. S. S. California, at San Francisco. E RNEST HAMLIN ABBOTT, whose signed editorial on the effect of the Conference is published in this issue, represented The Outlook at Paris and Washington. B ARON S. A. KORFF, formerly assistant Governer-General of Finland under Russia's first free Government, is now in Washington. He has just returned from a trip to Europe and is well acquainted with recent developments there. Few men have such accurate and general information and such sound judgment upon international affairs. At the Institute of National Politics at Williamstown a year ago last summer he was one of the lecturers, and next to Lord Bryce he made the greatest impression. He sends this brief account of the present German Government at our request. The Upward Climb WHO WHO were these far-distant ancestors of modern man? What did they do, and how did they live? What did they eat? Above all, how did the human race climb from that dark past into its present place? Why and how did the big jaw and little forehead disappear, and turn into the lofty head of modern man? How and why did man cease to look on the ground and look to the skies? Sometimes men lose heart over the world as it is to-day, but one glance backward into that dim past is the most encouraging thing that man can have, for it gives incredible hope for a glorious future. The wonderful complete story of man's upward climb is told with all the romance, all the vividness of that greatest of novelists H.G.WELLS in the Discovery of Fire Outline of Now for the First Time 4 Handy Full-Size Volumes. Profusely Illustrated-100 Extra Illustrations. Completely Revised by H. G. WELLS himself Although more than a million copies have been sold here and abroad, practically the only complaint we have heard of Wells' "Outline of History" has been that it was too bulky to handle, too big to hold comfortably while reading. So we decided to bring it out in a form that would be not only convenient and easy to handle, but as handsome a set of books and as beautifully illustrated as any History made. That meant starting all over from the very beginning, setting everything anew in fresh, clear type, gathering from the four corners of the earth a hundred of the most famous historical paintings for illustrations. Mr. Wells threw himself into this task with all his marvelous enthusiasm. For a long time he had felt that certain parts of the "Outline" needed elaborating, certain other parts revision. This was his chance. Starting at the very beginning, he made changes on every single page of the text, rewrote whole chapters, added page after page of new material. One Fourth Off!-SEND NO MONEY And now, at last, we can offer you the new, revised, illustrated history, complete in four beautiful, durable, cloth-bound volumes, in convenient library size, at 25% less than the price of the original 2-volume sell Think of it! Thoroughly revised, printed from brand-new, clear, readable plates, with a hundred famous historical pictures from the great art galleries of the world, and bound up into four durable, cloth-bound, library-size volumes all for a fourth less than the ordinary 2-volume set would cost you even now in any book-store! But Mail the Outlook 12-13-22 30Irvin Place New York You may send me, on approval, charges paid by you, Wells' Outline of History, in the usable 4-volume illustrated edition, at the special reduced price. Also enter my subscription to the Review of Reviews for one full year at its regular price-$4. I will either send $1 in 5 days and $1 a month for 11 months, or I will return the Wells' history within a week, send you 25c for the first copy of the magazine delivered, and cancel this order. Name.. Address. First Cooked Food The First Sail Domestication of Animals REVIEW OF REVIEWS CO., 30 Irving Place, New York Occupation For full cash with order, send only $10 |