further astention to ihe clean-eut de- bodies—attacked only br Mr. John
cision and to#ite signiftcance in che S. Sumner.
Casanovas Heimfahrt
30.
world of letter.
nen n
A vital prineiple was at stake in this
L
A4# 2
Apparentiy, nobody in the com- ase. If we were guilty, then the news¬
munity found any fauit with“ Casa- papers, magazines, the universitien,
the schools, the librarles of Ameries
nova's Homecoming“ except Mr. John
were also guilty of purveying objee¬
S. Sumner. Speaking as the paid
tionable and obscene reading matter.
agelit of an extralegal society, Mr.
Hereafter Mr. John S. Sumner and his
Sumner took it upon himself to extract
staff will be better advised if they con¬
passages of the book from their con¬
New X
fine their energies to the legitimate
text and to brand the work as a
Not
field of curbing dissemination of dirtv
whole as "not only obscene, but con¬
postcards and pornographie films. Let
secutively obscene.“ Thus spoke Mr.
them respect the freedom of genuine
Sumner. But he spoke alone. No
literature in America. and let them glv¬
court, no judge, no legal body saw fit
heed to the edicts of good taste and
to validate his charges. On the con¬
civilized opinion.
trary, the leaders of modern life, the
Pornography is never published in an
teachers, the ec tors, the educators, the
open spirit, in the white light of fame
physiclans, the critics, the psychlatrists.
and community indorsement. It is
the ministers promptly and impres¬
offered in dark places and under sinis¬
sively rallied to the defense of an in¬
ter and suspicious circumstances. Raids
contestable classic of modern ltera¬
by Nr. Sumner’s minions should be
ture. There was no doubt as to the
confined to the back alleys of filth, and
#enlightened iudgement of the com¬
not to the broad highway of dis¬
munity. From the outset it was not
tingulshed creative literature.
a clash of representative opinions, but
That is the lesson of the case of“ Casa¬
a preponderance in faver of thr book.
nova’s Homecoming,“ now happily a
Nevertheless, Mr. Sumner’s tactics
closed ineldent.
nec#snitated the long drawn out pro¬
M. LINCOLN SCHUSTER.
cedur of several court actions, elab¬
New Vork, Nov. 5, 1930.
orate and costly legal defense, ex¬
tended correspondence, symposia, re¬
Gasen
search and questionnaires, and the ex¬
penditure of the city’s money in ad¬
ministrative and juristie routine.
The fülr name of one of the greatest
writers of modern literature was sullled
and assalled by sensational accusations
a bcok of unimpeachable integrity wall
falsely charged with obscenity; a valu¬
able literarr property was impaired
through deferinent and suspension of
sales; costig advertising and promotion
material that could not be recalled
was nullified during the perlod of ad¬
judication, and a decorous and law¬
abiding publisFing house subjected to
the machinatiuns of snies, agents pro¬
vocateurs, strong-zrm raids and relz¬
üres.
When Mr. Sumner's ccmplaint was
Anerican Hebren
filed on Algust 8 we stated:
We not only publish all the works
Jov 21-30
of Arthur Schnitzler in America, having
But what standards are we to judge
isstied nine of his books since 1925.
obscenity in fiction? Magistrate Gott¬
but respect them and admire them.
lieb in dismissing Mr. Sumner’s ac¬
We shall fight this case in that spirit.
ber against Cas#iova’s Homecoming.
We have always published his books
by Arthur Schnitzler, declared that
the book was not to be judged by the
and those of other Inner Sanctum nov¬
'standard of mid-Victorian days.
elists with dignity, and# #et that Mr.
Criteria prevailing at the present time
Sumner’s tacties may lead to a type
are to be used. The task of lohn S.
of public discussion that is susceptible
Sumner and the Society for the Sup¬
Tof misinterpretation in some quarter¬
pression of Vice these days is not an
But since he has seen fit to initlate the
casy one. In spite of their existence
action, we will defend the bock to the
th# newsstands are literally barnacled
with cheap magazines that lie abent
life and that substitute pepper for
plausibilitv. But it is a pity to banish
a work of art by a recognized master
like Schmitzler because he deals with
his theme frankly and without the
public reticences of mid-Victorianism.
Such a work ought not to be confused
with the trash which calls itself
“snappy.
rent lie
G
Me by T
appear o
and vor
stores imn
two glorion
be destin
nei
box 4/1
V
cision and to#ite signiftcance in che S. Sumner.
Casanovas Heimfahrt
30.
world of letter.
nen n
A vital prineiple was at stake in this
L
A4# 2
Apparentiy, nobody in the com- ase. If we were guilty, then the news¬
munity found any fauit with“ Casa- papers, magazines, the universitien,
the schools, the librarles of Ameries
nova's Homecoming“ except Mr. John
were also guilty of purveying objee¬
S. Sumner. Speaking as the paid
tionable and obscene reading matter.
agelit of an extralegal society, Mr.
Hereafter Mr. John S. Sumner and his
Sumner took it upon himself to extract
staff will be better advised if they con¬
passages of the book from their con¬
New X
fine their energies to the legitimate
text and to brand the work as a
Not
field of curbing dissemination of dirtv
whole as "not only obscene, but con¬
postcards and pornographie films. Let
secutively obscene.“ Thus spoke Mr.
them respect the freedom of genuine
Sumner. But he spoke alone. No
literature in America. and let them glv¬
court, no judge, no legal body saw fit
heed to the edicts of good taste and
to validate his charges. On the con¬
civilized opinion.
trary, the leaders of modern life, the
Pornography is never published in an
teachers, the ec tors, the educators, the
open spirit, in the white light of fame
physiclans, the critics, the psychlatrists.
and community indorsement. It is
the ministers promptly and impres¬
offered in dark places and under sinis¬
sively rallied to the defense of an in¬
ter and suspicious circumstances. Raids
contestable classic of modern ltera¬
by Nr. Sumner’s minions should be
ture. There was no doubt as to the
confined to the back alleys of filth, and
#enlightened iudgement of the com¬
not to the broad highway of dis¬
munity. From the outset it was not
tingulshed creative literature.
a clash of representative opinions, but
That is the lesson of the case of“ Casa¬
a preponderance in faver of thr book.
nova’s Homecoming,“ now happily a
Nevertheless, Mr. Sumner’s tactics
closed ineldent.
nec#snitated the long drawn out pro¬
M. LINCOLN SCHUSTER.
cedur of several court actions, elab¬
New Vork, Nov. 5, 1930.
orate and costly legal defense, ex¬
tended correspondence, symposia, re¬
Gasen
search and questionnaires, and the ex¬
penditure of the city’s money in ad¬
ministrative and juristie routine.
The fülr name of one of the greatest
writers of modern literature was sullled
and assalled by sensational accusations
a bcok of unimpeachable integrity wall
falsely charged with obscenity; a valu¬
able literarr property was impaired
through deferinent and suspension of
sales; costig advertising and promotion
material that could not be recalled
was nullified during the perlod of ad¬
judication, and a decorous and law¬
abiding publisFing house subjected to
the machinatiuns of snies, agents pro¬
vocateurs, strong-zrm raids and relz¬
üres.
When Mr. Sumner's ccmplaint was
Anerican Hebren
filed on Algust 8 we stated:
We not only publish all the works
Jov 21-30
of Arthur Schnitzler in America, having
But what standards are we to judge
isstied nine of his books since 1925.
obscenity in fiction? Magistrate Gott¬
but respect them and admire them.
lieb in dismissing Mr. Sumner’s ac¬
We shall fight this case in that spirit.
ber against Cas#iova’s Homecoming.
We have always published his books
by Arthur Schnitzler, declared that
the book was not to be judged by the
and those of other Inner Sanctum nov¬
'standard of mid-Victorian days.
elists with dignity, and# #et that Mr.
Criteria prevailing at the present time
Sumner’s tacties may lead to a type
are to be used. The task of lohn S.
of public discussion that is susceptible
Sumner and the Society for the Sup¬
Tof misinterpretation in some quarter¬
pression of Vice these days is not an
But since he has seen fit to initlate the
casy one. In spite of their existence
action, we will defend the bock to the
th# newsstands are literally barnacled
with cheap magazines that lie abent
life and that substitute pepper for
plausibilitv. But it is a pity to banish
a work of art by a recognized master
like Schmitzler because he deals with
his theme frankly and without the
public reticences of mid-Victorianism.
Such a work ought not to be confused
with the trash which calls itself
“snappy.
rent lie
G
Me by T
appear o
and vor
stores imn
two glorion
be destin
nei
box 4/1
V