Sophisticates

Gertrude Atherton writes a novel, Black Oxen, dealing with literary New York of today. What is this literary New York? Who are these log-rollers and back-scratchers of whose activities many of us hear, yet whose actuality we are prone to deny? go into the Algonquin some noon. Anyone can do it. Here you will find the famous "round table" at which sit the supposedly elect. Perhaps you will see Brock Pemberton, theatrical producer, whose Six Characters in Search of an Author has been reckoned one of the artistic successes of the year, and who has just produced a dramatization of Julian Street's Rita Coventry. Mr. Adams, the "The F. P. A." of "The Conning Tower," is usually counted one of this group, but he seldom eats with them. He sits at his Park Row desk, diligently arguing with a telephone operator most of the day, an occupation which seems to aid him in the pursuit of the elusive brilliant line for the close of his column. Heywood Broun, lumbering, absorbed, but always jovial, is usually present. Of all persons to be accused of literary chicanery, he is the least guilty. Honesty of judgment is characteristic of him. He is childishly interested in his own writing, and proud of it, just as he is childishly interested in and proud of his own child. With him may be Ruth Hale, his wife, whom Mrs. Atherton has quite definitely marked in her novel as the lady of the Lucy Stone League who refuses to visit Europe because her passport must bear the dreaded brand "Mrs. Heywood Broun." Ruth Hale is slim, dark, vivid, eager. She writes moving picture criticisms and book reviews. She has a cleverness very nearly as distinct as that of her versatile husband. George Kaufman and Marc Connolly, too, are usually here; and John Peter Toohy, press agent, author of a novel and of plays. Of such is "The Round Table." Otherwise at the Algonquin: The Rascoes, Hazel and Burton-Burton, a nervous, slender figure, vigorously collecting gossip for his column in the Sunday Tribune; Carl Van Vechten, imposing, with white hair and youthful face, bitter with his tongue, clever with the somewhat too facile pen which gave to his Peter Whiffle more charm than power or plan, is here, and with him, perhaps, his wife, Fania Marinoff, the actress.

The gallery of Algonquin notables is completed by such familiar figures as Alexander Woollcott, urbane dramatic observer of the New York Herald; Robert Benchley, humorist and dramatic critic of Life; Robert Sherwood, merry cinema commentator.

J. F.