The Washington times., 1922-08-02
CLARE SHERIDAN
IS POSITIVE OUR
FLAPPER IS D. K.
Also Is Very Vehement in De-
fense Of American Arts
and Letters.
BY THOMAS c. WATSON.
Interh ationaI News Service.

get drunk in America, Out HcNei
saw any. True, they dance a ue'
mendous lot, but why shouldn
they? Their energy and vitality Is
to be admired. Besides, they dance
so exquisitely, SO gracefully! the way
they execute the fox trot, and the
toddle is more graceful than the
minuet or the Roger de Coverley.
This was Mrs. Clare Sheridan s
very emphatic retort TO a query put
by your correspondent.
That's what makes me so wild
with the English people, They seem
to think the American youth is COM
posed entirely of immoral, drunken
fIappers and lounge lizards and road
house roues. Let me tell you they
are not.
The young American is as cour-
teous and gallant a gentleman as
any nation has produced at what.
ever era. In his college days he may
be a little wild, perhaps drink little
too much, but he soon grows out of
that.
But to read the English news.
papers one would think that all that
happened in America were bank hold
ups, murders and unpleasant di.
vorces. They do happen in America,
but they are all committed by for
eigners. A rich country like America
always does attract the rogues Of
every country.
Praises American Energy.
other things happen in Amor ica
in fact, everything happens in
America. 1t is a country of bound
less opportunities. Anyone who has
lived in America will hate TO live
anywhere else.
Il have been in America for the
last eighteen months, and now that
l am back in my own country 1t
makes me impatient-both the pSo.
pie and their country. People whom
| have hitherto thought intelligent
ask me how ! could get any in.
spiration for my work IN a country
like America, which they say In so
inartistic. / could scream at them.
Among the sculptors in America
there are Barnard. Paul Bartlett,
Manship, and MscMonnies. They
are the equal OF anyone in France
or England. l don't want to be
drawn into any comment OH Mac.
Monnies' statue OF Civic Virtue but
his other work stands comparison
with the sculptures of all ages.
THE English appreciation OF Amer.
lean art does not go beyond Whist.
Ter, Pennell and Sargent. AS for the
hundreds OF equally brilliant young
artists now flourishing In America
they know nothing of them and an.
parently care less.
Amazed at Ignorance.
Il am staggered at the dining
tc bles at Mayfair every night by the
amazing ignorance OF my fellow
diners on American art and their
famaZing impertinenCe in daring to
criticize 1t. In literature it is The
same. In matters artistic and liter,
ary. with the exception Of their
country. France, Russia and Ger.
many, the English people are Iudi.
Crously insular.
Fears are expressed in America
that there is a possibility OF America
developing its landed aristocracy,
like we have in England. There are
now third. fourth and fifth genera
tions OF rich people. There is Just a
danger that the wealth OF their fore
bears might induce the young men Ia
lead lives of useless leisure-in fact
to be young men about town, with no
object in life except to spend .he
money their grandfathers made for
them.
IT could not see any, such
tendency. As far as | could ascer
tain the women of the country are
not anxious to have the shared re
sponsibility OF large country es
tates, with its tenants and It's
servant worries.
Development Unhampered.
Everything i'm America tends
toward the unhampered development
Of womankind in whatever sphere
they wish 10 distinguish themselves
In my early married life many OF
my ambitions were stunted by do
mestic worries. and II was pointed
out TO me by everyone that m,
duty was to my household and my
children. All my ambitions were
to be subservent 10 my domestic
responsibilities. That state OF at
fairs still exists in England.
women here are not taken
seriously. The tragic pity of It
However seriously they may TAX,
themselves. Lady Astor. Mrs
Asdliith and Lady Rhondda are not
regarded in any measure as potent
political entities.
= "In America a woman II mlstres,
OF her own fate and captain of hel
soul. TO misquote Henley slightly
America still has kindly feel
ing toward England, the mother
country. But II Ia the feelinI
of a vigorous, trustful son fo
rather old IA shioned, tradition. .riddeI