Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1922-02-25
RENE MARIAN RECEIVES
LITERARY CROWN
LITERARY DIGEST SAYS NEGRO
WAS REWARDED FOR INDlCT-
ING CONTRIBUTIONS

lN% 'ClNlAuLAlIoN.
Tho Negro Writer, Iaene Marian, has
been awarded the Prix Goncourt. no
French author would dsdain this hon
on should it befall him, and no men,
Der of the colorcd race has ever won
this distinction before. Maran's book,
"Batouala," Is described as "a sombGr
picture Of present day life among the
natives Of the French possessions in
Central Africa" where the author
holds government post. So far remote
Ia his place Of livelihood that tho news
of his good fortune Is said not yet TO
have reached him. The book is more q
series Of sketches than a novel, and
when 1t fell into the hands OF Henri dc
Rignier, he found n publisher at once
for It,
Mnran was then in Paris. and depart
ed for home, doubtless thinking that
good fortune for him cduld 60 no furth
or. The Academic Goncourt awards an
annual prize founded, by the French
writer whose name It bears. and the
awarding committee are among the
most celebrated men Of letters in
France.
When the matter OF awarding the
1921 prize came to vote, says a writ
err in the New York Times Book Re-
view and Magazine, tho result was five
votes for "Batouala" and five for
"Epithalaine," by Pierre Chardonne.
According to the rules, tho president
of the Academic Goncourt has the ,lc-
Gliding vote in case Of a tic. 1t was thus
that tho Negroes novel won over
work that is receiving much nraise in
France and also outdistanced the sur.
frage given nine other books, which re
ceived one vote each. Some interesting
facts about the author and his book arc
here included:
"The winner Of the prize is the first
member OF the colorcd race to whom
tho honor has come since the instltM-
ton OF the priX Goncourt in 1903. He
"a also the first writer to whom II has
been awarded, without his knowing
that he was a candidate for it.
Irene Maran was horn thirty-fDur
years ago at Bordeaux in France. Both
of his parents were of the colorcd race,
natives of the French West Indies; his
father came from the Island Of Martini
que, his mother from the Island Of
Guadeloupe. While still young stu
dent. he began writing. and exceeded
In getting number Of poems and 9TH
or pieces accepted by lie Beffroi Of
Lille. northern France, newspaper
noted as being kindly disposed toward
struggling young scribblers.
Later, the editors Of this newspaper
brought out two books Of verse by
young Maran, entitled, la Maison de
Bonheur,' and La Vie Intcrieurc.' It
was while he was contributing to lie
Beffroi that Maran became acquainted
with M. Marcel Gahisto, also contr;-
butor.
Having finished his studies, the
young writer took up his residence In
the African wilds rs a French Colonial
official. The post where IF all goes we'll
with the mails) the news Of the honor
conferred upon him will roach the
lucky novelist some time in February.
Is Fort ArchAmhault, two days Jour
ney from Lake Chad. in the French pos
sessions of Northern Central Africa.
There are eleven French officials
stationed at this outpost Of civilization.
All Of them, except Rene Maran are
white men. Until he wrote 'Batouala.'
the work Of the young writer had at
tracted little attention in literary or
other circles. and the news Of he
award Of the prize, were merger. He
was q lover Of SpOrt,a rcdoubtahlc foot
ball player, one newspaper informed
It's readers. 1t was also VoucnSafcd
that Maran was fond OF taking long
walks, that he had q passionate fond
ness for Africa and all things African.
Surely, the PriX Goncourt in all the
eighteen years Of It's existence was ncy
er conferred upon a writer about whom
so little was known by those conf6rr
ing 1t and their fellow countrymcn.
BatOuala,' it's author states in his
preface, is merely a series OF etchings.
1t takes its name from one Of the prin
cipaI characters, a petty chieftain OF
the region Of Ubang Chair, one Of the
four subdivisions comprised in French
Equatorial Africa. Batouala. surround ;
ed by his nine wives, his medicine men !
his hunters and warriors, lives in prim'
tive fashion in one Of several villag.
os over which he holds nominal sway.
But, tho he seems monarch OF all he
surveys, the req power is lodged I'm
the hands Of the local French comman
dant and his native gendarmerie.
The commandant concerns himself
scarcely at all with the welfare Of tho
natives and is presented as typical OF 1
system Of callous oppression and injus
tice on the part Of French Colonial off, J
cials In Africa, which is dwelt upon
with unsparing frankness by Maran.
"The white man. says one Of his
characters, Batouala's father, has Civ.
en- us only three things worth while
the bed, the easy chair, and absintho:'
The tale, so far as it is tale, Is one
(ft0ntinNed on Fourth pnpa)