New-York tribune., 1919-07-13

in the kettle Is the broad socializa-
tion of society and Of life"
asked NJ. Brandes what the out
look for literature and art was.
"For the immediate present." he
said, "the outlook is, Of course, not
bright. The ablest, most talented
men in Europe have been killed. In
addition to the shortage Of talent
the change in conditions Of life is
bound to have some effect on writer's
end artists. Up to 1914 literature
and art were created under the in
spiration of the old order. Some of
the best galleries in Europe are to
be found in small towns and are the
collections made by kings or princes
of different age. Our great mu-
seums have been built by royalty.
"The writer's and artists Of TO-
morrow will write not only under
different conditions, but they will
write for different audience. Lit
erature will have to be vulgarized
to some extent In order to reach the
great masses.
"If were asked by young writers
for a model upon which to pattern
their compositions / would advise
them to go back to the Biblical story
of Joseph and his brethren. That is
a piece Of proletarian writing. 1t
appeals to the least cultivated and
yet it is beautiful writing and
strong"
"Will art and literature lose by
the changes which society is under
going?"
II am inclined to think not"
Brandes replied. after all. what
spurs writers and artists to activity
is appreciation, and have yet to
be shown that the simple and un-
cultivated folk are less appreciative
Of good literature than the middle
or upper classes Of to-day are. I
have had the experience Of deliv-
ering one and the same lecture to
two different audiences a few days
apart, to university audience
which paid to hear me and to an
audience of laborers who came free.
My experience has invariably been
that the latter audience, the audi
ence of the laborers, was more ap-
preciative. 1t was more keen and
eager to learn than the university
audience was. The enthusiasm Of
the masses for knowledge is pro-
verbal everywhere. On the other
hand, it is notorious that the first
nighters at the opera or theatre are
usually men and women who come
to the theatre to find aid and COM
fort for their digestion.
II am inclined to think that the
proletariat in the main will be an
encourager Of good literature and
of art-mass culture will, at any
rate, go forward even if some Of
the finer arts go back somewhat,
Brandes lives in a modest apart
ment. The neighborhood is middle
class. His home is conspicuous by
books, not furnishings. He received
me at 5 80 in the afternoon because
he keeps regular working hours and
does not want visitors to interfere.
All through the interview Brandes
avoided personal matters. But in
front Of his writing table on the
wall hung a picture Of an old
woman, his mother, and another
picture of little child, his six-year-
old grandson. asked about them.
Brandes remembered his mother
best for her humor AS for his
grandson-well, he spoke Of his
grandson with the enthusiasm of a
devoted grandfather. 1t was like
an anti-climax to descend from a
discussion Of grave world problems
to talk about his six-year-old grand
son. But it was a human trait in
Brandes which the world has seldom
seen or known.