English: “When the Critics Had a Surprise Party in Kansas City” (
The Kansas Citizen, March 17th, 1927).
“This is not the summit of
Mt. Olympus, but the roof garden of the Ambassador hotel. This interesting study in smiling critics was taken on a bright Sunday afternoon, May 16, 1926, by Mrs. Roy B. Rutherford, wife of the pastor of the First Christian church.
Sinclair Lewis just had finished his outline of 'Elmer Gantry.' Left to right—
Gilbert Frankau, English novelist, who might be called a 'militant
tory;' Sinclair Lewis, the author of 'Elmer Gantry,' the season’s literary uproar; the Rev.
L. M. Birkhead, pastor of All Souls
Unitarian church, who worked with Mr. Lewis on the preacher novel;
Clarence Darrow, the famous lawyer, writer and critic;
E. Haldeman-Julius, publisher and '
debunker;' Mrs. Birkhead and Mrs. Darrow. Mr. Lewis was living at the Ambassador. Mr. Darrow, in
Kansas City to lecture on the
Scopes trial, dropped in to see him. Mr. Frankau, just passing through, came up to renew his acquaintance with the American novelist. Mr. and Mrs. Birkhead had been assisting Mr. Lewis in the completion of the outline and were there when the informal tea party of
iconoclasts happened. Mr. Haldeman-Julius was in town to hear Mr. Birkhead lecture on '
An American Tragedy.'”