Evening star., 1920-02-24
TNOR |bANEz
| INSPIRED TO WRITE
! lNOvELSABOUT US.
Responds to Laudatory Re-
marks of President Co..
Iier of G. w. u.

Senior Vicente Blasco Ibanez, au-
thor of the most famous novel Of
the world war-'The Four Horsemen
of the Apocalypse~-had a fresh
taste of American enthusiasm and
hospitality when he, with Herbert
Hoover. Senator William NJ. Calder
and franklin MacVeagh. received an
honorary degree at the midwfnter
convocation Of George Washington
University at Central High School
auditorium yesterday afternoon.
The author showed lively inter
est in the manner and spirit of the
him and Mr.. Hoover by the huge
audience, and 1t was apparent ne mad
caught much of its fire when, after
the coIors of the doctorate Of letters
had been draped over his shoulders,
he made an address on The Best
After the preliminary exercises
Senator Calder spoke on '"rhe Duties
and Opportunities of the Hour. Aca-
tlemic and graduate degrees were con-
ferred upon a number of students
including several women. Senator
Calder, Mr. Hoover and Mr.. Mac
veagh then received the honorary
capes of doctor of laws, and Senior
Ibanez came last.
Lauds Senof IbaneI.
In conferring the degree on Senior
1bancs DR.. William Miller Collier,
president of the university. who pre-
sided, made a highly laudatory ad-
ish-
Il an sure In what say. am the
faithful interpreter of the sentiments
MT only Of the trustees. councillors
and professors of the university and
Of its students-more than four thou
-hyYt q nj =
pie Of this great city. the nations
capital" he said. Moreover their
greetings and words of praise are
but the faint echo of the swelling
chorus that has voiced the admiration
entertained for you by the oaon wnoie
e you have travelled across the CONT
neat Our hearts were heavy when
ne heard of your recent severe Illness
We rejoice that you have been re-
established in health. We are de-
lighted that you are ,,a. With US > tonay nryd-
vide breadth of sympathies. You
have understood the pervading spirit
Of the times. You have stirred the
hearts and moved the souls OF men OF
an races and all climes- In your re-
lafions with the peoples Of other ma
tiono YOU have always been. to use
Q very familiar but very signinanI
Suanish expression, Inuy sympatico.- y
A lover Of universal freedom and OF
0aual opportunities for all. you feel.
- did the Roman poet. that nothing
which pertains to mankind Is foreign
- you. We greet you. then, a.
great world-citisen."
VIII Write Of UniteA states.
Declaring that for the last three
nnOnths he had been the object OF
great demonstrations Of sympathy
and admiration everywhere in the
Emitted States, Senior Ibanez said:
s This honor which you have con-
forred upon me 1 shall repay in the
manner that a novelist can best re-
pay. I shall write several novels to
describe the monstrous greatness OF
New York city, the noble distinction
Of Washington. the industrial activity
the poetic and romantic beauty OF
those which border on the Pacidc- I
shall try to reproduce faithfully the
greatness Of my model. but feel sure
that will not succeed. Consider
how ambitious is my plan! The
United States il today. after having
saved the world in the recent war, the
thy Of the greatness Of this nation,
my novels would have to be the great
est novels ever written. and this task
unfortunately: is far above my lit
efary ability"
Turning then to the subject Of his
a11fesa. the speaker outlined the his
eogy Of literary growth and influences
cFystallised in the Iberian peninsula
in the production of the Cervantes
classic, "Don Quixote." OF this frst
yoAl novel, Senior Ibane1 said:
Don Quixote IL in q class by Itself
Don Quixote lives and win continue to