Page:The New Yorker 0004, 1925-03-14.pdf/3

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Advisory Editors : Ralph Barton, Marc Connelly, Rea Irvin, George S. Kaufman, Alice Duer Miller, Dorothy Parker, Alexander Woollcott

THE signs of tremendous agogging by members of the Monday Opera Club these days are the advance tokens, of course, of the possible visit to our shores of Queen Marie of Rumania. Miss Zoe a Beckley, a newspaper sob sister who has shed sufficient tears in type to keep the alligator industry going for ten years, is arranging the affair. At the time of writ - ing, Miss Beckley was concluding a two weeks' tour of Her Majesty 's domains as the guest of the Queen, much discussion of details having gone on. More may be going on in Bucharest at this moment.

Miss Beckley bids fair to become the greatest white elephant importer of our generation. She was Lady Astor's liaison agent during her visit, and it is to her that the United States owes M. Coue and the " every day in every way” fad from which it was rescued by Mah Jongg and cross word puzzles. There is a ray of hope here: maybe Her Majesty of Rumania will bring us something which will drive the cross word puzzle books on to the bargain counters of the chain drug stores.

The Queen is understood to have been offered a contract with one newspaper to write her impressions of the United States. For New York City rights to the series, the price offered is truly regal, naturally, about as much as Irvin Cobb gets for one short story, to wit, four thousand dollars. Considering the remaining markets for a syndicated series, it is evident that Her Majesty should be able to stop off for a shopping excursion in Paris on the return trip.

What causes the agogging in Monday Opera Club circles is the memory of the graciousness of the Grand Duchess Cyril, who accepted reverence at ten dollars the bended knee. Her Majesty doubtless will not be less gracious, although perhaps the fee will be a bit higher. Say, twenty-five a curtsy, remembering that reigning queen is worth more than a claiming grand duchess, and what with the old feudal retainers forming unions, and such -like, and the general belief of modern scholarship that where Mark Twain 's two Jews starved to death was not Edinburgh, after all, but Bucharest.

GEORGE JEAN NATHAN, it develops, is going to write a novel. Perhaps, for all one knows, he has already written one and published it under a nom de plume. Maybe " The Girl of the Limberlost” is his. At all events, he is at work on a new one.

It is Mr. Nathan 's desire to write a novel and to engage in other creative activities which the present demands upon his time are said to make so difficult, that is said to be behind his decision to retire as co editor of the American Mercury, beginning with the July issue. On the other hand, there are those who say thus and thus, but the official version is that his own writing interests have begun to prevail decisively over his editorial obligations.

Nathan will not completely sever his connection with the Mercury and it is said that a title of Associate Editor has been found for him. He will continue to serve as the Mercury's dramatic critic.

Europe, despite the fact that it has been kept secret until now , will know Nathan this Summer, and so he will probably have a new list of Teu tonic names for the Fall and Winter critical trade.

H. L. Mencken,