The New York herald., 1922-05-08


year in Europe.
II do not at all agree with you,"'
said Mr.. Kahn. "All the facts and in
dications point to very splendid ar
tistic future for America, and the
coarseness and dullness you speak
about are frequently refined and
softened by innate good taste and
correct appreciation"
Kahn Defends U. 8.
Thereafter for an hour. in comment
and in reply to questions provoked by
the lament of the pessimist, Mr.. Kahn
developed his views of art in the
United States, and a reporter for THE
NEW YORK HERALD who was present
gathered them together in this wise:
II am far from sharing your appre-
tensions Mr.. Kahn said. MY OBJ
servation, which has been widely en-
ployed over a considerable period, in
spires me. to a different and happier
expectation. I am perfectly sure that
forming stock there are splendid pos
sibilities Of art expression. There are
sound reasons for thinking so,
"A. distinct race Is being produced in
the United States. We no longer need
the word of the anthropologists for that
1t is palpable to every observant person.
Whatever the natural influences are,
they exert upon both the body and the
senses refining influence. so that the
children of immigrants are pretty GER
tain to be more fastidious. more sensi-
tive than their parents were, even when,
as too often happens. they lose the stur-
diness OF the parent.
"Coincidentally there Is perceptiblc a
more or less inarticulate. underlined and
partly unconscious longing OF great
portion OF our peopfe for something
which shall respond to their spiritual as
pirations. something quite beyond ma
terial satisfaction. Human development
in America, as elsewhere in all times,
has occurred by stages
Stages of Development.
'"rhe first effort has ever been to Sc
cure safety of living. Then comes the
economic and the wider national efforts.
whose victories result in the creation OF
wellbeing, power and wealth. national
and Individual; and following them
comes the pursuit of art and culture. ,
"The people of all sections are kcenly
eager for nourishment of mind and soul.
but the opportunities offered to them
to meet these spiritual desires are as yet
far from adequate. They take what
they can find, and not all of it is worthy.
"Some OF the substitutes, indeed. are
distinctly deleterious. The hankering
after sensations. for instance, so no.
| ticeable in this country and the vogue Of
certain trashy or vulgarizing entertain
ments are. ! am inclined to surmlse
largely manifestations of the national
spirit gone astray cropping for satisfac-
ton.
Whenever genuine merit exists In the
| artistic offerings placed before Ameri-
cans they recognize It, They are open
minded, always on the alert for improve
ment, and possess the great advantage
of having no ingrained artistic preju-
diccs or superannuated traditions to
overcome. Show them the better thing
and they will recognize it readily and
will rise to 1t with real appreciation.
"f know of no case in which anything
really meritorious has been offered to
our public of late years which 1t did
not recognize and welcome as such. n
the nations taste in art matters has not
yet had sufficient time. opportunity and
leadership for the reliable training OF
negative judgment--if the bad and
meretricious is sometimes mistaken for
the good-nevertheless the people do not
err on the other side.
Lofty Appeal Is Answered.
ssrTrt-
paste and they never fail toGise to lofty
appeal. They have a rareH failing in
sinct for what is really worth while.
They may sometimes mistake sentiment
talism for feeling, ranting for passion,
exaggeration for truth, coarse jokes for
wit and tawdry tinsel for beauty, and
many things that have seemed to me to
be little better than rubbish have sue
cceded. but have never known the truly
good to fall
zone OF the most encouraging OF all
facts IL that America is surcharged with
latent artistic talent. Let demand for
any manifestation be created and that
demand will be supplied. Until about
twenty-five years ago We depended al.
most entirely upon European operate
artists and especially upon European
regulations. But as the love of opera
became diffused among the people de-
mand arose for American singers, and
when the demand came, they camel
and with a rush. amazing in quantity
and quality.
"Since that time we have produced al
least as many women opera singers OF
excellence as any OF the European ma
tions. and the opera houses of Europe
are full of American women. in leading
positions. We used TO be content In this
city with 'brownstone houses ugly o
design and built In monotonous rows
Doubtless many people realized the un
sghtliness OF that style of architecture
but for n long time we did not rebe
against II.