Pueblo chieftain., 1921-05-21
By FREDERIC ]. HAsK1N

Washington. ID. C., May 19.-That
the American Government and Ameri-
can business are neElectinG a great
business opportunity in not providing
for the development of native art and
artists, as the governments of other
civilized countries do. is the state
mont of Joseph Pennell. perhaps the
most widely known Of American
graphic artists. and generally con-
sidercd TO be the foremost American
etcher and photographer.
Mr. Pennell is now in Washington
TO install in a special room in the
Library of Congress the great collec-
ton of ctchincs. drawings, manu-
scripts and letters of James Mcneil
Whistler. which Mr.. and Mrs. Pen
nell have presented outright to the
Govcrrment of the United States. Mr..
Penncll was asked for an interview
about this collection. but tho ideas he
expressed on the development of art
in America seemed so Interesting as
TO require a separate article.
Mr.. Pcn Iell was discussing the fact
that Whistler. perhaps tho greatest
Of American artists. spent his whole
working life in London and came 10
bc regarded n British artist rather
than an American one. In like man
ner. he pointed out. nearly all Ameri-
can artists of distinction have spent a
large part OF their time in Europe,
and many OF them have lived there.
To n lesser extent, tho same course
has been followed by American musi-
clans and writer's. Henry James be-
clmc an EnElishman and Marion
Crawford spent most of his life in
Rome. The list OF American writer's.
artists and scholars who have de-
liberately cNpatriated themselves II a
long one, and the loss to America
from this cxpatriation Is hard tn
compute.
a nation is developed mentally by
It's artists and thinkers. Just as II is
developed physically by it's capitalists
and engineers History seems to
show that tho artists and thinkers cs-
ort the really decisive influence upon
u nations destiny. Certain 1t is that
tho art and thought arc all that re
main to uS OF the ancient civilizations,
1t Is harder tn scc how art and
thought have affected our own his
tory. for we have had very little Of
either, yet any one can recognize how
tho work OF Emerson has nodded
American idcnlism, how Uncle Toms
Cabin helped to bring about tho
great national crisis. how Mark
Twain'E "tnnoconts Abroad" taught
us now and more Independent atti-
tude toward Europe
II Is also easy to sec that tho great
painters of a country arc among its
chief claims 10 tho respect and ad
miratiou Of the rest of tho world. All
tho couauerors the Spain sent forth
only gained her people reputation
for bloodust. but tho great painter.
Nclasducz. has won tho reverence OF
tho world for Spanish genius.
Americas Loss
Tho argument could he expanded
to any length. Tho point Is that no
nation claiming to he civilized can af-
ford to neglect it's artists and men OF
intellect. forcing thcm to seek train
ing and appreciation in other couu
tries. and 50 to interpret and enrich
tho life of other countries instead Of
that Of their own, This Is Just what
America has boon doing. especially
viii rccard TO her painters.
Tho reasons why so many American
writer's and artists have chosen to
leave their native country arg many
and complicated. MIR pcnneil sum
marizos ono Of them by saying You
can't have any art in n dry country"
He does not mean by this that alco-
hulic Inspiration is necessary TO an
artist He means that tho spirit OF
which prompts govern
ment To regulate tho simptunry
habits Of its citizens. is opposed TO the
of individuality. and i'm
is tho essence of any art
rho spirit expressed in the prohihi-
tion law. Mr.. Pcnneil thinks. is cal
culated to produce n nation OF unit
form mediocrtty. and is opposed to
tho development OF great and strik-
inE personality in art or amy other
line. Personal liberty. he thinks. Us
Indispensable to tho development Of
personality.
Leaving this dark and bloody
ground of debate. Mr.. ponncll makes
IT clear why tho American painter
must become an eNpatriato. Whether
he likes the social and political at
of his own country or not
he must 60 abroad in order to sec the
work of his great contemporaries and
to get Instruction from them. rho
young writer can at least find I'm