Mr. Villard asked me to lunch down town with the staff of THE
NATION. We were nine people and conversation was general. I heard
a good deal of American politics which it interests me to absorb and
not have to take part in. They also discussed the English Labor Party,
and the strike that is going on at this moment. England is threatened
with a “Triple Alliance” strike, (miners, railwaymen and transport
workers). It has never happened yet though it has been attempted. We
all agreed in believing it will not be accomplished this time either.
Some day, perhaps--yes, and then look out! But the time has not come.
Meanwhile, as Mr. Villard prophesied, if the worst comes to the worst,
Lloyd George will call a general election and will be re-elected with
flying colors.
I heard a certain amount about the treatment by the United States
of the native Indians on the settlements. Apparently there is not a
country anywhere that has not its skeletons in its cupboards.
In the afternoon I went for the last time to Knoedlers. The exhibition
closes tomorrow. Mr. Purcell Jones, who has an exhibition of decorative
water-colors upstairs, was very amusing, relating to me some of the
remarks of people who came in yesterday when I was away.
Apparently two or three women came on after a lecture about Russia.
One of them, looking at Lenin, announced in a loud voice, “It’s not
the murdering that I resent, but it’s the destruction of the finest
collection of butterflies in the world.” Another, looking at the bust
of Krassin (whose pure Siberian features, so full, as I think, of
dignity and character) said that he reminded her of a Chinese Jew--it
was the first time I had heard of there being any in existence--as one
lives one learns.
Concerning the marble baby on a very low pedestal in the middle of the
room, he said, “All the women who come here just stand over it and
shower it with hairpins.” I laughed, and to prove his assertion he went
and looked on the carpet at the base of the pedestal. Sure, he picked
up several straight away!