That is exactly what Kinney proposes. He wants a National Academy for America, with resources equal to the backing of the Metropolitan Opera House. Big managers and opera authorities have already admitted that such an undertaking would, if properly managed, be successful. Compared with the present interest in good ballet the interest in good music with which Theodore Thomas started, was nothing. But it is a miracle if America does a thing like that in the right way. Our princes have, as a rule, neither good taste nor much public spirit. Our race of artists--thinkers--mental heroes--is small and largely uncourageous. Our government accurately represents the most of our people, who still regard art either as immoral or entertaining and hence not worth the attention of sensible people. How bitterly we need missionaries like THE LITTLE REVIEW and the people who feel the same spirit! But our case is far from hopeless. The good fighters among us are glad there is a lot still to do. Such visions give strength to our hewing arms as we cry room for our new images. The men who are cursed with the gift of the literal mind are the unfortunate ones who are always busy with their nets and neglect the fishing.--Rabindranath Tagore in Sadhana. Union vs. Union Privileges HENRY BLACKMAN SELL "We have granted the miners every union demand," benevolently asserts the remarkable J. D. R., Jr., "but we will not recognize their organization"--and here is the hitch. The average lay observer of the fearful struggle raging in Colorado tosses aside his paper after reading this, and possibly comments that he can't see what the miners want, if all the union privileges have been granted. That was my first thought, but I felt that there must be something behind the trouble; so I hunted out my old friend Tony Exposito, a walking delegate for Chicago's pick-and-shovel men, and asked him to explain. Now Tony never took a degree, and his English is reminiscent of sunny Italy, but he knows just what the trouble is in Colorado. "Eh? You wanta know what ees matta downa there? Eh? Meester Rokefella say he geeve union preeveleg to all da men? Eh? Meester Rokefella say begess shara men no wanta strike? Eh? He geeve many thengs to da men? Sure! Sure! He geeve many thengs! He geeve many preeveleg! Sure! He geeve! Das justa trubble! Das why da men go strike! No wanta thengs be geeva to them. Santa Maria! when a man breaka hees back en wear da skeen off hees hans wet da pick en da shovel, hasn' he gotta right to da money he gets? Eh? Now, w'at you theenka dat? Eh?" "Well, Tony," I answered, "I never thought of it that way. It does seem as though a man might have what he earns without its being handed to him as if it were a charity."