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Walter, mildly, "But the very purpose of this project is to accept anything a person chooses."

There was an ominous silence, then Kent roared, "Do you mean if a man chose to exhibit horse manure we would have to accept it!"

"I fear we would." said Walter with mock sorrow, "It is in our by laws that an artist has freedom to exhibit any thing he choses [[chooses providing he sends [[strikethrough]] he sends [[/strikethrough]] in his fee."

At this point I fled, fearing an attack was about to take place. THe piece of sculpture in question, was a piece of plumbing, displayed on a pedestal upside down, its porcelain surface gleaming white in virginal splendor. It was a man's urinal [[strikethrough]] setting on its head [[/strikethrough]] upside down. The offering of one, R. MUtt.

Of course, sent in by Marcel Duchamp, but his tongue in his cheek to the test the liberality of the by-laws. But the fat was in the fire, "The Fountain raised a furor in art circles. Steoghletz photographed it, calling "Madonna of the Bathroom," for it did suggest a veiled woman, the way he photographed the form.

The idea of works without juries went into the literary field. It was thought a magazine should be published with the same concept of freedom. Marcel and Roche conceived the first two issues, but being [[strikethrough]] in America [[/strikethrough]] connected with the French government, they thought it wise their name not be used. [[?]] They asked me if I would be willint to [[?]] my [[?]] [[?]] publisher, without hesiatation [[hesitation]] I agreed, I would have done anytihng for them. Though I went to the printers with them to be near them rather that attend to the format, I paid little attention to the material.

Mrs. Harry Payne Whitley gave $500 for its publication. Frank Crowninshield, the editor of Vanity Fair went over the proofs with me and Walter Arensbergs and others sent in contribution, while afew of the biggest galleries took out adds. Steighlets photograph of the Fountain was the frontespieces o the little magazine. I wrote a short editorial:

..."Now Mr. Mutt's fountain is not immoral, that is absurd, no more than a bath tub is immoral....Whether Mr. Mutt with his ow n hands made the fountian [[fountain]] or not has no importance, he CHOSE IT. He took an ordinary article of life, placed it so its useful significance disappeared under the new title and point of view - created a new thought for that object."

Then I sent in a stuffy letter signed "A mother," saying cubist and futurist were not artists. It was all lots of fun, and we thought we were carrying a torch of freedom down the ages.

The magazine was to appear on subway and hotel stands. The day before the event, I arivvied [[arrived]] home at three in the afternoon. My father met me at the door of our apartment. Its small lobby was jammed with magazines to the ceilings, for I, as publisher, had them delivered to my dwelling place. My father had never intergered [[interfered]] with my life. He had a strange expression on his face, something like white of egg, in pea soup.  He said:

"I had no idea that all these packages were doing in the hallway, opened one, saw your name as publisher, read. I do not know what