Strutting Magazineman

Celebrating the first five years of publication of The American Mercury, Editor H. L. Mencken pointed out editorially in the December number what a bright, good, competent job has been done; how happy all the intelligent readers of the magazine are (all of them being intelligent); how tirelessly he will strive to make the Mercury brighter and bigger and better.

All the debts of the Mercury are paid, said Editor Mencken; it is showing a profit. Advertisers are faithful and enthusiastic. Imitators of the magazine have turned up, but the Mercurians never fail to "distinguish between the simon pure article and the second best." All enemies have been overcome, even to the "wowsers" of Boston.

The Mercury has brought to birth such writers as James Stephens, who, it is implied, might never otherwise have found a patron. It has printed the best poetry and fiction; if it has used few stories and fewer lyrics, that is because there have been no others good enough.

The editorial concluded: "The American Mercury will be a great deal better magazine hereafter than it has ever been in the past." Beneath this sentence stood the fanfare initials "H. L. M."

Readers who have smiled to see Mencken jeer, these five prosperous years in the green Mercurial jacket, at go-getter, hundred-percenter, live-wire, inspirational, egotistic pep stuff, were shocked to see him strut himself in such an inept business-getting manner. Their conclusion was that he has joined his own "hated Philisterei."