Faksimile

Text

30
Casanovas Heimfahrt
box 4/11
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Gazette
Charleston „ Va
24-30
Boundto Be Read
As though to supply another chapter to Ernest Sutherland Bates'
This Land of Liberty,“ New York authorities have begun a fight to
suppress a re-publication of onelof-the truly great books. of.the-cen¬
tury, Casancva's Homecoming,“ by Arthur Schnitzler.
Bates’ volume, published by Harper’s, in an intemperate tirade
against what he terms the tyranny to which most Americans uncom¬
Pplainingly assent. He finds liberty
giving way to restriction in every field
—in the Courts-the press, the right of
free speech.
The following chapter headings well
indicate the content ö1 the volume:
PTwisting the Constitution's Tall“;
From the Third to the Nth Degree:
How We Have Improved on Prussia“;
Intoxicated Temperance“; Comstock
Stalks“ and Elncation in Bondage.“
This Land of Liberty' is so viclous
a denunclation that the cause of llb¬
eralism might well be injured-by the
over-statement of which Bates is quite
possibly gullty. Still, the presecution
against the Schnitzler book is so illus¬
trative of the prudery, the chronie
hysteria, against whlch he rails that
his words galn emphasis.
It was in 1921 that“Casanova's
Horlecoming“ was first printed in
English. At that tiie it was halled
into a maglstrate's court and a com¬
promise was reached—tae then pub¬
lisher agreeing to withdraw the book
as soon as he had disposer of the first
edition.
Simon and Schuster now have
brought it out agaln as one of the
Inner Sanctum Novels“ at a Collar.
If ever there were a fictional bargain
this is it.
°Casanova’s Homecoming' deseribes
ad inlaginary event in the life of the
greatest adventurer of them all when
he Has reached the age of 50 and 18
returning to Venice. There occurs a
hideous seduction but the scene—to
which the moral agents apparently ob¬
ject so strenuously—is by no means
glorifled eroticism; rather it is a polg¬
nant tragedy of advancing old age.
HEMSTREET
96 WARREN STREET
NEW YORK CITT
1939
KE ALDETRTRLIN K

ublicitg on the meddl
bodies
and neurotic witch-burr
vould
Schpitzler Book
bring about its banis!
Later in the day 1
seized in the rald w
Wins Another
the publishers in a er
at the vice society's H
West Twenty-second Streat
ner explained that he was withholdin
Legal Skirmish
twenty-five copies to submit to the
Distriet Attorney.
Casanova’s Homccoming'
Not Harmful to Morals,
Magistrate Gotlieb Finds
Sumner to C
nue Fightr
Declares H
eek
In
16
TCas
Schn
terd
New
of V
yet
tary f
he W
to brit
Jury an
& Sch
ground
Casar
yesterdi
Mauric
book we
morals,
might hav
fraglle m
Judge
But.“ sai
is not to b
mid-Victorian
shall be Judg
ards prev
man)
y whi
ds. w
life as
that wi
ne
e coft
ceas
public against ha
and drama, b
this case. Later Mr. S
1the
There is no d
I will
decision ofsthe m
ntion of
bring the matte
d suggest
District Attorr
1d jury.“
that it be la
attack on
Mr. Sumner starter
eral years
Casanova's
ago by causing the arrest of
thers. The
Seltzer, the publisher,
case went before Magistrate Simpson,
who held that the book was not im¬
moral. Seltzer announced he would
seek civil damages of 810,000 for false
arrest and Mr Sumner then appealed
to District Attorney Banton, who took
the book before the grand jury, which
returned an indictment against Seltzer.
The indictment was allowed to die a
natural death after Mr. Seltzer had
withdrawn tle book and destroyed the
plates. or six years the book remained
in this semi-outlawed condition until a
new edition was issued a few weeks ago,
causing Mr. Sumner to return to the
attack. Maglstrate Gotlieb’s decision
brings the book temporarlly within tha
law, regardless of what action a grand
jury may later take. In his decision
Magistrate Gotlieb said:
Counsel for both sides have fur¬
nished the court with most excellent
briefs for and against the question be¬
ing considered With these briefs there