About Face

Much of the majesty appertaining to the great New York Times has resulted from its stern refusal to print "features,"--i.e. comic strips, "colyums," Nell Brinkley claptrap, Dr. Crane flub-dub. Nothing but straight, reliable news went into the Times, soberly written.

Last fortnight Times readers were shocked. A complete reversal of policy was implicit in a small paragraph, conspicuously "boxed" (ruled off), which began appearing daily, signed--Oh, odor of the Follies, chewing-gum and the strident New York World!--by Funnyman Will Rogers, the prairie pantaloon, purveyor of bathos to Demos.

Gumchewer Rogers was abroad, leering at statesmen, buildings, people, scenery. "Yours aquatically," he signed his cables. "Yours politically. . . Yours imploringly. . . Regards to 'Cuckooland.' " Readers could only picture the editors of the Times screaming with laughter at lines like: "Don't put too much faith, you Democrats, in rumors that peasants of the Middle West will defeat Coolidge. They change with the wheat crops and he has two to go." Or, "A bunch of American tourists were hissed and stoned yesterday in France, but not until they had finished shopping." Or, "Suzanne Lenglen has been landed by Pyle. He is now here in London trying to get Bernard Shaw to turn professional and write for money."