DOS PASSOS' RIVAL

Dos Passos' "Three Soldiers" has called forth storms of comment. It has disgusted hundreds by its gruesome pictures of army life; it has monopolized first pages of Literary supplements and has furnished enough Letters to the Editor to keep the newspapers running for weeks. But now it is no longer alone in the field. Dos Passos has a rival: he is Senator Watson.

The honorable Senator from Georgia shocked the Senate last Tuesday by accusing army officers of shooting and hinging enlisted men without trial or hearing of any sort. As evidence he produced a small picture of a hanging. On Thursday he read telegrams substantiating his statements, but refused to disclose the names of the senders. On Friday he said on eye-witness of the hangings had "told him". And on Saturday he read the telegram containing only very general statements.

These are serious charges. They are the more serious coming, as they do, from a Senator, speaking in the Senate, rather than from a novelist, whose work may permissibly be a little over-colored. But so far, neither Senator Watson nor John Dos Passos has produced any definite proof. A novel, with fictitious names, means nothing; the same is true of a photograph without other facts, of vague and general telegrams and of "somebody-told-me" evidence. Most of us are from Missouri; give us the date, place, persons involved. Then we will sit up and take notice.