Show MAKES A PLEA FOR FICTION I Writer Puts Up Argument for Retention Retention Retention Reten Reten- tion of Popular Literature In the Country's Libraries lIl t rv w The dropping of fiction from rom the public libraries as proposed by the he head d of the bureau of statistics and investigation as a means of economy would accomplish at a stroke a consummation consummation consummation con con- summation long devoutly wished by many That is is it would materially reduce the percentage of novels read as compared with that of other books Perhaps Mr McIntyre has heard that fiction was decreasing in popularity arity and thinks that he is merely aligning himself with a growing tendency We fear however that when he hears from the people he will have to revise revise re reo re- re i vise his ideas His proposal will be met with wit a counter Banish Danish fiction Why not banish all other literature instead Would the saving saving saving sav sav- ing not riot be as as great Nay would it Ii it not be greater As for novels being a form of entertainment a luxury as our statistician holds they Athey are in reality almost as much of a necessity necessity necessity sity as the newspapers Millions 1 go through life comfortably without ut rubbing rub rub- bing bang elbows with even so human a as John Stuart Mill but whoever lived until he had breathed the wind that blows through the pages of Ivanhoe and Vanity Fair New New York Evening Post o |