The New York herald., 1921-05-01
SHIPMAN, DRAMATIST, LAMENTS
AMERICANS LACK OF CULTURE
After They Begin Their Quest for Gold Their Sole
Recreation Is Jazz Not Poetry He Says.

Simply because the love of good books.
the beauty OF art. have not been cul-
tivated. In Europe a workman knows
more about Shakespeare than most OF
the merchant kings over here
What is the basis Of this condition?
The wild race for money the mad de-
sire for wealth Education is good only
IN so far AZ 1t leads TO the knowledge
OF money making Is the opinion OF most
Americans. The almost universal idea
here Is that gold Is god. the one and
only desideratum- Education for arts
sake is scoffed at as visionary. Get
the money first and then cultivate hob
bies Is the aim OF the American AS a
result, to the ordinary man there is no
difference between a Rembrandt and
a chrome.
'I do not blame American schools
and colleges, nor the newspapers, nor
the pulpit for this condition. 1t is the
lack OF desire. 1t is the fault OF the
outlook on life."
Mr.. shipnan was asked II art was the
criterion OF ethics
Not always" he shot back quickly.
"Art may lead to heaven or to hell
There have been great artists who have
not been moral. If art degrades, then
It Is an error; but 1t is never the fault
of the art. but the artist
IT would not go so far as to say that
I would starve for art I fee, mere I'M
portant than art. Art goes on. but
have only a few years. Anyway II do
my best, I may be creating what may
be considered masterpieces in tho years
to come. Shakespeare did no; know
he was writing classics-he wrote to
please his audience-the court mostly,
but frequently he played 70 the gallery.
Education harms the dramatist in
these days 1t makes it difficult for him
to write simple plays, and simple plays
are the only ones that can be asslrnl-
lated by American audiences Mary
Stuart failed after two weeJr' snowtng.
Why? Because few knew who Mary
Stuart was or cared to know. There is
a play. historically valuaols, about
foremost historical woman, written In
mastery manner. Abraham lincoln.
written by the same man, John Drink
water, was success because 1t was
elementary In treatment and historically
mostly untrue.
"In America genius is not encour-
aged. 1t is not appreciated. 1t is not
even recognized. AS soon as the mad
race for gold is run, then the country
will be ready to appreciate art, Tor In
order to appreciate 1t 1t has to be
SIuQleQ. ANY references 10 IlSlOIy iiccl5
with no success at all. / have tried It.
have stopped it. One may as we'll
write a story in dead language. When
the people begin to read and read
wisely, then we will be able to write
plays for them that will make them
think-not mere elementary plays-but
something befitting master minds"
rs the film drama hurting the spoken
drama?" Mr.. Shipman was asked.
NO" he said decidedly. Motion
pictures are training schools for the
drama. They help the legitimate. They
arouse curiosity. The audience sees
only action in pictures, while in the
play it has the opportunity to hear con-
versation. The audience would not be
interested. Everything has to be served
simply.
Americans have not learned to ac-
quire culture. College men forget their
training when they graduate. Reading
Faust, Shakespeare, Shelley or Whit
man gives them no enjoyment. After
they leave their alma mater and begin
their quest for gold their sole recrea-
tion is jazz-not poetry"