THE BRASS CHECK _A Study of American Journalism_ BY UPTON SINCLAIR ❦ PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR PASADENA, CALIFORNIA. ═════════════════════════════════════════════════ First Edition Paper February, 1920 23,000 Copies Second Edition Paper February, 1920 20,500 Copies Third Edition Cloth April, 1920 16,500 Copies Fourth Edition Paper June, 1920 15,000 Copies Fifth Edition Paper July, 1920 12,000 Copies Sixth Edition Cloth August, 1920 12,500 Copies ═════════════════════════════════════════════════ A LETTER FOR THE TIME VILLENEUVE, SWITZERLAND, Monday, Oct 6, 1919. My Dear Confrère: I am happy to see you always so burning with energy, but your next book prepares for you some rude combats. It requires a bold courage to dare, when one is alone, to attack the monster, the new Minotaur, to which the entire world renders tribute: the Press. I return to Paris in a few weeks. Reaction there holds the center of the walk. It speaks already as master, and perhaps it will be master before the end of the winter. The wave of counter-revolution, of counter-liberty, passes over the world. It will drown more than one among us, but it will retire, and our ideas will conquer. Very cordially I press your hand. ROMAIN ROLLAND. CONTENTS PART I THE EVIDENCE CHAPTER PAGE I. The Story of the Brass Check 13 II. The Story of a Poet 17 III. Open Sesame! 22 IV. The Real Fight 27 V. The Condemned Meat Industry 32 VI. An Adventure with Roosevelt 39 VII. Jackals and a Carcase 45 VIII. The Last Act 50 IX. Aiming at the Public’s Heart 55 X. A Voice from Russia 58 XI. A Venture in Co-operation 62 XII. The Village Horse-Doctor 68 XIII. In High Society 74 XIV. The Great Panic 80 XV. Shredded Wheat Biscuit 86