Page:O. Henry Memorial Award Prize Stories for 1919.pdf/15

Rh author of the best story, and according to a recognized system of counts, the best is “England to America”: the second best, “ For They Know not What They Do.” The first award, therefore, goes to Miss Margaret Prescott Montague; the second to Mr. Wilbur Daniel Steele.

The Committee were remarkably unanimous in answering the question, “What is a short-story?”; but they differed, rather violently, over the fulfilment of requirements by the various illustrations. Without doubt, the most provocative of these was Mr. Steele’s “Contact.” Three of the Committee think it a short-story; two declare it an article; all agree that no finer instance of literature in brief form was published in 1919.

Their diverging views, however, challenged curiosity: what did the publishers think about it? The editor of Harper's wrote:

And the author:

These data reconcile, in part, the conflicting points of view, or at least show the tenability of each.

In addition to the first requisite of struggle, “the