Johnson's Obituary

"J.B.": For a city of its size Sydney is strangely lacking what might be termed personalities. In Frank Johnson, publisher, it has lost one of the few. The literary will remember him as the founder, with Jack Lindsay and Kenneth Slessor, of "Vision" (Which briefly in the year short after the First War gave scope for some bright new writing and criticism) and as publishing Slessor, Douglas Steward and Kenneth Mackenzie in the field of poetry, and a whole host of others known and unknown in the fields of fiction and humor. Musicians and the music-trade, and the entertainment world generally, will remember "Tempo," which he brought into life and nourished through the vicissitudes of some 25 years. Old Diggers of the 36th Battalion will remember the youthful stretcher-bearer who saw it through with them all the way, and the man who for the past 10 years or so gave their problems so much time as secretary of the battalion's association. Most who knew him will remember the Frank of the ready smile even when things were not so good.  He was 61 at the finish; he had been a mere 16 when he sailed for that First War.