NOTES ON THE WRITERS
Rollo Ogdenbecame a member of the editorial staff of theNew York Evening Postin 1891, and has been editor of that paper since 1903. He edited theLife and Letters of Edwin Lawrence Godkin, published in 1907. His article on “Some Aspects of Journalism” was published in theAtlantic Monthlyfor July, 1906.
Oswald Garrison Villard, whose article, entitled “Press Tendencies and Dangers,” appeared in theAtlanticfor January, 1918, is a son of the late Henry Villard, who owned theNew York Evening Postand theNation, and a grandson of William Lloyd Garrison, the great emancipator and editor of theLiberator. He succeeded his father as president of theNew York Evening Postand of theNation, to both of which he frequently contributes editorials and special articles.
Francis E. Leuppwas actively engaged in newspaper work for thirty years, from the time that he joined the staff of theNew York Evening Postin 1874 until 1904. During half of that time, from 1889 to 1904, he was in charge of the Washington bureau of thePost. Since retiring from that position, he has been doing literary work. His article on “The Waning Power of the Press” was published in theAtlanticfor February, 1910.
H. L. Menckenwas connected with Baltimore newspapers for nearly twenty years, part of the time as city editor and later as editor of theBaltimore Herald, and for the last twelve years as a member of the staff of theBaltimore Sun, from which he has recently severed his connection. He is now one of the editors ofSmart Set. “Newspaper Morals” was printed in theAtlanticfor March, 1914.
Ralph Pulitzer, who wrote his reply to Mr. Mencken’s article for theAtlanticfor June, 1914, is a son of the late Joseph Pulitzer of theNew York Worldand theSt. Louis Post-Dispatch. He began newspaper work in 1900, and since 1911 has been president of the company that publishes theWorld. He takes anactive part in the direction of the editorial and news policies of that paper.
Professor Edward A. Rosshas been an aggressive pioneer in the field of sociology in this country and has written many books on social problems. His study of the suppression of news, the results of which were published in theAtlanticfor March, 1910, grew out of his interest in the newspaper as a social force.
Henry Watterson, who takes issue with Professor Ross in his article on “The Personal Equation in Journalism,” in theAtlanticfor July, 1910, is the last of the great editorial leaders of Civil War days. For half a century his trenchant editorial comments in theLouisville Courier-Journal, of which he has been the editor since 1868, have been reprinted in newspapers all over the country.
An Observerhas seen much service as the Washington correspondent of an important newspaper. “The Problem of the Associated Press” was printed in theAtlanticfor July, 1914.
Melville E. Stone, who defends the Associated Press, has been its general manager for twenty-five years. Previous to his connection with that organization he was associated with Victor F. Lawson in the establishment and development of theChicago Daily News. He has written a number of articles on the work of the Associated Press.
“Paracelsus” sketches briefly his own career in journalism in his “Confessions of a Provincial Editor,” published in theAtlanticfor March, 1902.
Charles Moreau Harger, as head of the department of journalism at the University of Kansas from 1905 to 1907, was one of the first college instructors of journalism in this country. At the same time he was editor of theAbilene(Kan.)Daily Reflector, which he has published for thirty years. “The Country Editor of To-day” is taken from theAtlanticfor January, 1907, and “Journalism as a Career,” from that for February, 1911.
George W. Alger, author of the article on “Sensational Journalism and the Law,” in theAtlanticfor February, 1903, has been engaged in the practice of law in New York City for manyyears. He has taken an active part in the framing of New York state laws protecting workers. Two books of his,Moral Overstrain, 1906, andThe Old Law and the New Order, 1913, deal with the relation of the law to social, commercial, and industrial problems.
Richard Washburn Child, although a lawyer, is best known to the reading public as the author of novels and short stories, many of which have been published in magazines. His article on “The Critic and the Law” appeared in theAtlanticfor May, 1906.
Charles Miner Thompson, editor-in-chief ofYouth’s Companion, has been a member of the staff of that periodical since 1890. Previous to that time he was literary editor of theBoston Advertiser. “Honest Literary Criticism” was published in theAtlanticfor August, 1908.
James S. Metcalfehas been dramatic editor ofLifefor nearly thirty years. In 1915 he established the Metcalfe dramatic prize at Yale University, his alma mater. His article on “Dramatic Criticism in the American Press” appeared in theAtlanticfor April, 1918.
Ralph Bergengrenhas been cartoonist, art critic, dramatic critic, and editorial writer on various Boston newspapers, and is a frequent contributor to magazines. “The Humor of the Colored Supplement” is taken from theAtlanticfor August, 1906.
James H. Collins, whose article on “The American Grub Street” appeared in theAtlanticfor November, 1906, is a New York publisher, best known as the writer of articles on business methods published in theSaturday Evening Post.