The sun., 1916-08-19

into a nursery for their care and eiuca-
ton and that nc books should be writ
ten. no statues modelled or pictures
painted which might arouse a dangerous
curiosity or disturb the sexual ignorance
OF the adolescent. Is disgusting N Its
b~ackwardness AMI animality.
NO one can question the sincerity Of
those whose chief concern il for the
young. But II IL a question as To
whether after all in America We have
not allowed the half baked. ignorant.
sloppy thinking relating TO the standards
for children 10 carry on into the greater
affairs OF the nation. The German pco-
Pile and the French people think logically
and clearly. The betogged and muddy
mentality OF Puritanlsm has largely van
shed in England. But 1t prevails in
America. IT prevails especially in our
public school system. II prevails IN the
attitude that children are to he SUI
premely considered in the production OF
at. The Sunday supplements OF certain
newspapers are edited after the recipe
that all stories sinai! he written so as 10
be Ineligible to the Young person of II.
Much magazine fiction is written after
the same standard SO ar" the majority
of cur books. Now there IS no more
simple or delightful creature in the
world than the eiXteen-year-old French
girl. But what great artist IN France
ever took her into account The mind
of France IL mature. and literature IL
written for the mature. Nor are French
political AFFAIRS handled from the mental
angle OF a high school principal or col
lege professor.
After all the prurience that IL n COM
mingling OF ignorance. vulgar curiosity
and secret gloating Is not confined to the
adolescent the curiosity OF adolescence
as "A matter OF fact is generally healthfui.
II becomes tainted because OF the hypo-
crit ical attitude OF elders. The people
who smirkingly declare the young must
be kept in ignorance are themselves re-
sponsible for most decentralization The
old fogles who ~oficiate on country school
boards. the sharp nosed. specialized old
maids who teach public schools and
emasculate Shakespeare. the wheezy
voiced, side whiskered professional
cleaners up OF vice who run purity So
cieties that clean up CD by vulgar raids
on vice districts, the microscop!sts who
diligently ferret through a book 10 find
something young Is should not read
what qualification has any OF these to
speak on II sincere work OF art or litera-
turc? What qualifications have they for
saying h intelligent l6 should or
should not read? II truth be u virtue
why should the artist be prohibited in
telling the truth? This is what these
people would do--set up a standard
which implies a lie. And untruth in life
and art Is the most pernicious ~ vices.
what. indeed. is the implication thai
16 must be guarded? That the natura,
ben, OF tho young is to the devil. The
Calvinistic idea that man IL a rotteI
egg. born for damnation and needs to b,
saved IL the most vicious. wicked AM
destructive doctrine ever inculca,ed il
the world. Shall! our art and literature
follow n standard based on that doe
trine? Or shall we not adopt as on
principle for the conduct of our indi
vidual lives and for the creation of ar
and literature that conception. glorious
enn0bling. trustful-'Beauty Is truth
truth beauty-that IL all ye know OF
earth. and all We need to know"