he Yerma=, for October, is edited by John H. D. Smith of Orondo,
Washington, and, aside from the fact that it is an attractive and
well-printed publication, may be considered as being rather in the
nature of a promise of future achievement. The dedicatory verses "To the
Yerma," by Alice M. Hamlet are fairly good so far as rhyme and metre are
concerned. They run smoothly and are really graceful in sentiment. They
contain one or two grammatical inversions, however, such as

"I would a little jingle write,"

and

"I'd love to be a poet great,"

which have no more right to appear in verse than in prose. Then, too,
they betray an occasional inelegance of expression like the following:

"I find that I am stuck."

But Miss Hamlet should by all means persist in her versifying, since
there can be no doubt that she owns an instinctive grasp of the basic
laws of rhyme and rhythm. If she will read and study the lighter efforts
to be found in any standard anthology of poetry and then, with such
models ever before her, strive sincerely to overcome her present defects
by unremitting practise, Miss Hamlet may yet become a truly clever and
accomplished versifier. "The Reform Spirit--Its Mission," by P. A.
Spain, M. D., is an exceedingly able and thought provoking essay. It is
to be hoped that in future issues Mr. Smith will give us an inkling of
his own ideas on various subjects. The chief defect in =The Yerma= is
the entire absence of editorial comment.

REPORTS OF OFFICERS

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Fellow-Amateurs:--

The fourth month of the United's official year opens with the
organization still nearer completion; Mrs. Helene Hoffman Cole, former
President and thoroughly active and capable amateur, having accepted
appointment as Supervisor of Amendments. The Fourth Vice-Presidency has
been accepted by Alfred Galpin, Jr., 779 Kimball St., Appleton,
Wisconsin.

The Official Editor is to be commended for the excellence of the
September =United Amateur=, as is also the printer, Mr. W. Paul Cook.
The Association will be gratified to hear that Mr. Cook has accepted the
position of Official Publisher for the year; but the members must
remember that only by their liberality in replenishing the Official
Organ Fund, can regular issuance be ensured.

The 1916-1917 Year-Book of the Association, having been completed by the
Committee, is now undergoing critical inspection and condensation by the
expert judgment of Messr