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LOCATING THE MASON AND DIXON LINE IN LANGUAGE

Editor, the Forum:

Since the subject of slang has been broached in the Forum, may I suggest a few meanderings of the theme that seem intriguing, if not actually absorbing?

Does "the attempt of an uneducated person to say things graphically and forcefully dispose of the subject or slang in America?

What about that fascinating bypath called occupational slang or argot? What else than a type of slang for a class which knows the code are each of these: "buck fever" for huntsmen; "graveyard shift" and "powder monkey" and "chip boy" for miners; to "cover" an assignment for the press; "a blue goose" (week with no time off for rain) among bridge builders; “i. g." for teachers; "pork barrel" about politics; "joy ride" among autoists; "tune in" with "radio fans"? Shall we dispose of this highly developed sports' slang of ours with the definition quoted above? How about baseball slang in particular? Grant that it has been originated and fostered by the sports' writers of our big dailies, shall we dub this the work of uneducated persons, and let it go at that? Does it stand to reason fairly educated men would give it so much reading were that the upshot of the whole matter? (I wonder whether the downright jargon of the sports' pages isn't as objectionable artistically as its slang. I refer to this attempt to call a team by any name rather than the simple one belonging to it, as for example, The Baseball Team of Nebraska University.)

Also grant that in the history of slang relatively little has come into the language to enrich it permanently, is a figurative expression slang if it doesn't survive but not slang if it does? No one doubts the bad taste, the attempt to be "smart" on a serious subject, in the expression "crepe hanger." On the other hand, how far away from slang is "joy-killer" and does it follow that "kill-joy" was always accepted English because it is in the best of repute now? We know where to class "bug house," "chicken," "skirt," or "cash in his

checks." With "crepe hanger!" But where shall we class "window shopping?"

In The Christian Science Monitor there was a discriminating review of "Yarns from a Windjammer" by Mannin Crane, headed "An Old Salt's Yarns." Are "old Salt" and "windjammer" less valuable to the literary man here because they are slang or argot? Take "hard pan" and "pay dirt" and "sour dough" of "gold rush" and Klondike days, and "dirt farmer" of today. Is or isn't "dirt farmer" slang?

There was a poet, a University man in the centuries when education was an exceptional thing, and he was a criminal, and he was hanged. Francois Villon has left in French literature a monument of verses in criminal slang, the cant of thieves, as it is termed in the dictionaries. Sir Walter Scott evidently found the slang of thieves a fascinating study for a literary man, even though he undoubtedly did not find it sustaining "for human nature's daily food." Witness his mastery of a phase of two of the subject and his careful notes in "The Heart of Midlothian." For one who found thieves' slang thoroughly revolting, Dickens explains rather lingeringly the Artful Dodger's cant phrases.

And where does vernacular leave off and slang begin? Are "stamping ground" and "up a stump," which our forefathers created and we still retain, good English, while "high brow" and "hitting on all six" are beyond the pale? Where shall we place "tender-foot" and how classify "dough-boy"? And is "rotten politics" bad American language while "There is something rotten in the state of Denmark" remains classic Anglo-Saxon vigor of expression?

There is slang and slang. And when one is all through, there is still the problem of locating the Mason and Dixon line between the black belt of slang and hoodoo and voodoo and the white belt of language and taboo.

Omaha, Nebraska.

A. Bess Clark.

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WEST-Garden City, N. Y., became a weekly with the issue for August 6, so that it is naturally in the market for more than twice the amount of Western fiction than formerly. Novelettes, of about 45,000 words, adapted to serialization, in from two to six parts, intermediate length novelettes, and stories of any length not exceeding 125,000 words are wanted. West's field covers Western America, Western Canada, Alaska, and Mexico, and fiction should be of the vigorous, outdoor, adventure, action story, of a sort appealing chiefly to men.

THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW-9 East Thirtyseventh street, New York, will again become a monthly magazine, beginning with the October number. The Review has no special manuscript needs at the present time, but the editors are always glad to receive articles, especially on topics of current popular interest.

THE NEW YORK THEATRE PROGRAMS-108 Wooster street, New York, with Irmengarde Eberle as editor, are embarking on a new regime and are adding several pages of editorial matter. Short articles of various kinds, especially those concerning the theatre, will be used, as well as short, short-stories, of from 700 to 900 words. These may be humorous, contain a mystery, be adventure incidents, or be trick stories-with a surprise ending. The Programs will also use light or humorous verse, epigrams, short humorous skits, anecdotes, and humorous drawings with clever captions. Five cents a word will be paid for all mat

ter used. Drawings will be paid for by agreement with the artist, at rates ranging from ten to twenty dollars.

MEDICAL ECONOMICS-Rutherford, N. J., is very anxious for stories of physicians' activities-the broader, more general projects, such as an advertising campaign put on by physicians, a medical co-operative building, or an organized undertaking of this sort; authoritative discussions of economic conditions which beset the practitioner of today; suggestions for overcoming quackery and charlatanry; ideas for physicians' rooms and offices; or any subject of an economic nature adapted to the medical professions-authoritative discussions of pending legislations which might affect physicians, and so on. Manuscripts should be addressed to the attention of Harold S. Stevens, managing editor.

RUST CRAFT-1000 Washington street, Boston, MASS., is in need of Christmas material for greeting cards in the form of short verses in Swedish and Norwegian, and of verses in the same languages for Birthday cards. These must be in typewritten form, and be accompanied by English translations. The Company also wants short Scotch verses for Christmas. This material should be addressed to the attention of Mr. Fred W. Rust.

COWBOY STORIES-799 Broadway, New York, is now edited by H. A. McComas, who says that the magazine is especially in need of gripping, fast-moving,

dramatic tales of cowboy life and action. These stories may contain from 3,500 to 5,000 words, but must deal with no other phase of the Western theme. Cowboy Stories also wants material of the same nature, containing from 22,000 to 25,000 words. Cowboy Stories is now paying a minimum rate of two cents a word.

WATER MOTORING-Tribune Tower, Chicago, Ill., a magazine devoted to small boat motoring, principally the use of the Outboard motor, the first issue of which will be published in September, is anxious to get material of all kinds pertaining to small boats.

WESTERN FLYING-500 Bryson Building, Los Angeles, Calif., is much interested in short humor and jokes dealing with airplane and æronautic subjects. Material must be original and should not exceed 100 words, the shorter the better. Prizes of $5 and $2.50 are given each month for the best jokes.

THE TARIFF REVIEW-33 East Tenth street, New York, the successor to the American Economist, and the official organ of the American Tariff League, is in the market for articles dealing with the tariff-particularly articles dealing with the effect that the tariff has had upon some particular industry or group, such as farmers, importers, exporters, etc. The Review is not interested in tariff news or statistical articles, as these topics are covered by the staff, and while it is devoted to the cause of protection, the editor will gladly use an occasional article on free trade, provided the article is written by an authority on the subject. Pictures of industrial plants are also desired. Articles should contain from 2,000 to 4,000 words. Rates of payment are based on articles themselves, their peculiar slant on the tariff, and the manner of treatment.

AMERICAN HUMOR-608 South Dearborn street, Chicago, Ill., is the new name of America's Humor, beginning with the issue for September. The magazine has changed from a quarterly to a monthly, and the editorial staff has been reorganized. E. L. Fogelsonger, who is now the editor, announces that manuscripts will be paid for on acceptance. The magazine is in the market for short stories of a sentimental or humorous nature, containing from 1,000 to 3,500 words, for which the rate of payment is one cent a word; humorous articles, of from 150 to 500 words, recording some clever incident or observation, for which the rate of payment is one cent a word; clean and original jokes, each submitted on a separate slip of paper measuring 4x9 inches, for which the rate of payment is one dollar each; short and especially funny poems, for which the rate of payment is twenty-five cents a line; cartoons and art work, for which the rate of payment is five dollars a column; and titles or suggestions for drawings and illustrations. Manu

scripts must be accompanied by a stamped and selfaddressed envelope, for return if unavailable. The editor says that "rejected matter not so prepared will be destroyed."

LUGGAGE & HAND BAGS MAGAZINE-1181 Broadway, New York, wants paragraphs and short articles, preferably not exceeding 2,000 words, dealing with the retail luggage merchant's problems and with some of his methods of doing business. All articles must be authoritative and drawn from actual instances. The magazine also wants photographs of any unusual advertising displays, with printed matter, of a nature to assist the retail luggage merchant. From three to five dollars will be paid for each photograph, with caption describing the use of the display. The rate of payment for manuscripts varies, but the usual price is one cent a word. Lawson H. Ford is the editor of Luggage and Hand Bags Magazine.

TRUE EXPERIENCES-1926 Broadway, New York, no longer wants stories of women who have become successful.

WILLETT, CLARK, & COLBY-440 South Dearborn street, Chicago, Ill., a new publishing firm, with William J. Colby as president, in its first official statement says: "We shall produce only books which have ample justification." The firm has not restricted itself to any definite field. It will not, however, publish subsidized books unless, without the subsidy, the book measures up to what seems to be justification for public appearance. firm's first publication is "What and Why_in China," by Paul Hutchinson; its second, "The. Outlawry of War," by Charles Clayton Morrison.

The

THE MODERN STORY MAGAZINE-423 West Fiftyfifth street, New York, wants dramatic first-person stories reflecting modern youth, with a strong love interest. The magazine does not use playlets or short dramas.

THE INDEPENDENT AGENT AND SALES MAN-22 East Twelfth street, Cincinnati, Ohio, wants interesting, clear photographs that salesfolk would like to see-particularly salesmen who sell direct to the user, on commission-curious and unusual views of salesmaking or barter, modern or otherwise, from any part of the world, accompanied by a brief description or legend. Payment will be made at from $1.50 to $3.00, dependent upon the adaptability to the use of the magazine.

THE SMART SET-119 West Fortieth street, New York, is now purely an autobiographical magazine, and is intended to be an "honest" magazine, with true stories from life, which are entertaining, helpful, educational, and instructive. The Smart Set is meant to be controversial in presenting problems of life in such a way that the reader will want to take sides and debate the question. Good first-person stories of romance, adventure, and

young love are in demand, and problem stories of marriage, divorce, and the difficulties confronting young people are also wanted. All articles must deal either with a real problem in the life of the writer or tell the story of big or little success. The Smart Set does not want any cheap vulgarity, salacious sex note, or maudlin preachings.

EVERYGIRL'S-31 East Seventeenth street, New York, the magazine of the Camp Fire Girls, wants just now short stories of about 1,500 words, of interest to girls of high school age. These may be stories of mystery, adventure, travel, costume or period stories, dog stories, or stories with girl and boy interest. Craft articles, showing new and interesting developments along the line of things girls can make, either to wear, for their rooms, as gifts, or to make their camps livable and convenient, are also wanted.

COLLEGE HUMOR-1050 North La Salle street, Chicago, Ill., is particularly in need of dialogue jokes and "two-liners," as well as smart epigrams. Mr. Swanson says that in the future special attention will be given to writers who are producing crackling fun in a very few lines.

THE MYSTERY MAGAZINE-52 Vanderbilt avenue, New York, wants to get in touch with writers on such subjects as numeralogy, astrology, dreams, chirography, palmistry, etc. Clinton Faudré is now editor of the magazine, and he wants stories with plenty of action and suspense. Fiction should be of the mystery, detective, and occult type, and short stories and novelettes are especially wanted just now. Manuscripts are reported upon at once, and payment is made on acceptance.

POPULAR AVIATION-608 South Dearborn street, Chicago, Ill., is in the market for short articles, containing from 500 to 3,000 words, on aviation, preferably with illustrations. The subject matter should deal with inventions, news, late developments, etc., and should be non-technical in character. The magazine can also use a limited amount of material dealing with individuals known in the flying field. Fiction, too, will be considered, and high-class, semi-humorous experiences, if authentic, will be used to a limited extent. Rates vary from one-half to one cent a word, depending on the character of the material. Illustrations will be paid for separately.

COLLEGE STORIES-Forest Hills, Long Island, N. Y., is in the market for strictly college stories, containing from 3,000 to 5.000 words, and for novels of the same character, containing from 75,000 to 100,000 words. Stories must have college men and women for their characters, but they do not have to be centered around the campus, and they may be stories of sport or adventure, or glamourous and romantic. Good poetry is wanted, and articles, of about 2,500 words, on subjects related to college, will be welcome. All

contributions must be distinctly clean. Payment will be made on publication, at about one and onehalf cents a word.

THE MOTION PICTURE MAGAZINE-175 Duffield street, Brooklyn, N. Y., is in the market for short stories and two-part stories having a motionpicture angle. G. K. Rudulph is now editor of the magazine.

SENTIMENTAL STORIES-931 Drexel Building, Philadelphia, Penn., is in the market for clean, interesting love stories, not exceeding 6,000 words. Fiction should be short and written in the third person. Romantic verse, not exceeding twentyfour lines, is also wanted, and an occasional twoor three-part novelette is purchased.

THE NEW ORLEANS LIFE MAGAZINE-520 Royal street, New Orleans, La., wants stories, general articles, and poems with a Southern background. Travel articles dealing with Central and South America are also wanted, especially if accompanied with photographs or drawings. Payment, at a rate agreed upon with the author, will be made after publication. Stanley Kimmel is the editor of the magazine.

THE TRUE STORY MAGAZINE-1926 Broadway, New York, wants aviation stories, stories of experiences in the air, full of action and thrills, and packed full of pulsing interest.

BARD AND COMPANY-304 Fifth avenue, New York, a new publishing firm, will publish high class fiction exclusively. No unsolicited manuscripts are wanted.

THE YOUTH'S COMPANION-8 Arlington street, Boston, Mass., will pay one dollar for each original joke accepted for the column, "Now You Tell One." No manuscripts will be returned.

MODERN HOME MAKING-Augusta, Maine, is the new name of the American Needlewoman, beginning with the August issue.

THE MAGAZINE OF BUSINESS-660 Cass street, Chicago, Ill., is the new name of System, beginning with the June issue.

THE CENTRAL PRESS ASSOCIATION-Times Building, New York, has absorbed the Editors' Feature Service. The syndicate is chiefly interested in news and news photographs, and is always ready to make arrangements with local correspondents to supply news pictures and feature stories. It is not in the market for miscellaneous stories or manuscripts of any sort.

RIMINGTON & HOOPER-20 East Seventy-fifth street, New York, is the name of a new publishing house. At present they do not want unsolicited manuscripts.

Prize Offers and Awards

THE BOSTON REPERTORY THEATRE-264 Huntington avenue, Boston, Mass., offers a prize of $1,000 and a scholarship in the workshop of the Repertory Theatre for "the American play which shall best hold up faith in life to the youth of America," and so cause college students to give up thoughts of suicide. Plays must be in three acts, or of equivalent length, providing a full evening's entertainment. Manuscripts must be submitted anonymously, and be accompanied by a sealed envelope, containing the author's name and address. competition, which is open to students of all American colleges, universities, or dramatic schools, will close January 1, 1928, and manuscripts should be addressed to the Prize Play Committee.

The

SIMON AND SCHUSTER-37 West Fifty-seventh street, New York, and the Forum announce the Francis Bacon award of $7,500 for the best book of "humanized knowledge." The award is not confined to science, but may be given for a book in any and every department of knowledge, including music, literature, history, art, biography, and all sciences. In addition to the cash prize, a symbolic medal will be presented to the winner. The award is intended to disclose hitherto undiscovered talent in a kind of writing for which there is an obvious and growing demand, and the contest is open, without restriction of any kind, to anyone. The prize-winning book will appear serially in the Forum and will be published in book form by Simon and Schuster.

METHUEN & COMPANY, LTD.-36 Essex street, London, W. C. 2, England, offer first and second prizes of £250 and £150 for the best original detective stories sent to them before May 19, 1928– "by detective story meaning that branch of fiction in which murder or theft is committed and steps are taken to unravel the mystery or to bring the culprit to justice, with or without success." Stories must be first efforts in this type, although not necessarily first efforts at fiction, and while continuous narratives are preferred, a series of episodes will not disqualify a manuscript. Manuscripts should contain between 70,000 and 100.000 words, and must be typewritten. In addition to the prizes, sales royalties will be paid, Methuen & Company reserving all rights, with the exception of dramatic and film rights, which will remain with the author. Acceptable novels not winning a prize will be published on a royalty basis. Manuscripts must be marked to indicate that they are entered in competition for a prize.

THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY-925 Filbert street. Philadelphia, Penn., announces a second prize play contest, offering prizes of $1,000, $500,

$250, $150, and $100 for original play manuscripts suitable for amateurs. Plays must be in three acts, and the time of playing not less than two, nor more than three hours. Plots must be free from any objectionable features and strong enough to hold the attention of an audience with only indifferent acting. Comedies are preferable, but melodramas or serious plays will be considered. Complete descriptions of scene plots, costumes, and properties, as well as a brief synopsis of the play, should be included as preliminary matter in the manuscript. Manuscripts must be typewritten, unbound, and shipped in a box or strongly wrapped package. A stamped, self-addressed envelope should be sent for the return of the manuscript, if unavailable. The author will retain all rights, excepting that of publication for amateur performance. Satisfactory manuscripts not receiving a prize will be purchased at prices to be agreed upon with the authors. Prize-winning plays and those purchased will carry a royalty for each performance, which will be divided equally between publisher and author. The contest will close December 31, and all manuscripts should be addressed to the Prize Contest Editor, care of Play Department, and bear no distinguishing mark, the author's name and address being enclosed in a sealed envelope, bearing the title of the play.

THE TRUE STORY MAGAZINE-1926 Broadway, New York, offers prizes amounting to $24,000 for true stories, and will award prizes of $1,000, $500, $300, and $200 each month for twelve months. The first contest will close September 30, and succeeding contests will close the last day of each consecutive month, the final one ending August 31, 1928. All stories must be based on facts that happened either in the life of the writer or in the lives of people of his acquaintance and must be written in the first person. Manuscripts should be typewritten, with double space, on one side of the paper, the number of words noted at the top of the first page, and name and address put in the upper right-hand corner of the first page, and return postage should be sent. Pen-written manuscripts will be considered, but printed material, poetry, penciled manuscripts, stories of less than 2,500 words, stories written in foreign languages, or stories submitted in parts will not be considered. Manuscripts must be addressed to Martin Lee, True Story Contest Editor.

THE NOMAD-150 Lafayette street, New York, offers $750 in prizes to American newspaper men and women, for the "Story of a Story," or the story of the adventure in journalism, and will purchase at $40 each the ten manuscripts which, in the opinion of the editorial staff, best tell the experiences of reporters in getting news items;

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