Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-01-23
CONTINUED from page one)

have attended my lectures the wa!
they did" ..
Tagore IL going direct to India. -,
am gathering funds for my school II
India" he said. ut has q heavy de
ficit to meet every year, as 1t is q
very costly affair, having 10 boy stu
dents and % teachers. Our ideal II
to give the students moral and spirit
ual counsel. The school is for all the
people Of India and we do. not want
aid from the British government fol
Il. as we want to carry 1t on in our
own way. The boys have the greatest
amount of freedom, and self-govern
ment, with their own judge and elec
tons. Is the rule"
The great poet says that he hopes
President Wilson's plan to establish a
league Of nations TO maintain peace
after the war will succeed. 1T de,
ponds, however" he said, "on the
psychology Of the other nations. II
they have a feeling Of hatred they
may be inclined to wait for another
big war. II Is great move. though,
and shows the president to be an
idealist of the truest type"
Tagore denied reports in mainland
papers that he had left San Francisco
hurriedly and fled to New York be-
cause he feared assassination by East
Indian enemies In that city. Both he
and his business manager, w. W.
Pearson, called the reports "a hoax
and absolute rubbish
Concerning the preparedness idea.
Tsgore said that so far as he could
see half the people Of the United
States are In favor Of 1t and the other
half as strenuously opposed. He said
he could not tell accurately whether
the United States is more friendly to-
day TO Japan than a few years ago
because he does not know what the
sentiment on the mainland was at
that time and hence cannot make an
adequate contrast.
Although lauded for his fame as a
poet and philosopher, and generally
looked upon as a lion in the literary
world, Tagore Is as approachable and
as simple In manner as a child. This
fact was evidenced in his manner of
greeting and his general reception to
the newspaper representative when
asked for an interview.
A Typical 5engalese
Tagores appearance is that of the
typical Bengalese He is only 55 wears
old, although his gray locks and beard
give an impression of greater years.
One, however is not so much i'm
pressed with the appearance of the
poet as with his personality and mark.
ed serenity. While talking his voice
Is low and even, leading one at first
TO believe that It lacks strength.
Sir Rabindranath Tagore Is willing
70 discuss almost any subject dealing
with economics, poetry or philosophy,
but during his talk he frequently as
sumes the role of interviewer and
asks his Questioners whether his views
and theirs coincide.
Americans. according to the Indian
poet. are provincial. People here, !"
he said In Philadelphia interview,
are inclined to look with contempt
upon that which they do not under.
stand.
Anything that is strange to them.
whether In dress or ideas. is ridieuled.
This Is an attitude which is not so no
ticeabie In European countries. The
people there appear less provincial,
although n may be merely an attitude
OF indifference.
An Ahsence Of Understanding
4 can best explain what mean by
citing an experience which occurred
10 me In one OF the western cities.
While walking along the street man
approached me, and after surveying
my attire with considerable curiosity
remarked:
.Say.is that some new kind Of bath
robe9
Naturally, this amused me, but I
think II shows q marked characterize.
10 Of your people. That which they
don't understand they endeavor to be-.
little with a laugh or a jest"
life here Is more than strenuol s :.
the poet declared AS a result OF lis
he has been compelled to give up vege-
tarianisul.
Hitherto have lived on a yegetari..
an diet, said he. "but have recently
discoyered that such il not practical
IN country like this. The other day.
for instance. began to get weak and
dizzy while delivering a lecture. As
concluded this trouble was caused by
my diet, decided that II would be
impossible for me to subsist on moth.
ing more than bread and butter and
boiled potatoes and carry on my work
e the same time"
According 10 Tagore, generally
speaking India Is loyal to the cause
ot the Allies. While at times one
notices dissatisfaction here and there
among the uneducated," he said,
-thtrs IL no spirit OF rebellion. The
educated classes are in sympathy with
the Allies and support their cause.
Most Of the British troops have been
removed from India. and there has
been no trouble. This, | think, is
strong evidence that none Is contem-
plated.
The End Of NstionaIism
What the outcome of the European
war viii be il is difficult to say. Per-
sonaIly l think it is likely to be
10 Machining of the end so Far g