The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-14
Defends American
 Art and Letters
By THOMAS c. WATSON, International News Service Staff Cor
 respondent

London, July 14-'F1appers may get drunk in America, but I never mendous lot, but why shouldn't they :? Their energy and vitality is to be ad- m1red- Besides. they dance so ex- quisitely, so gracefully! The way they execute the fox trot, and the tol- dle is more graceful than the nninuet 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 Happers and lounge lizards and road house roues. Let me tell you they are not.
 teaus and gallant a gentleman as any nation has produced at whatever era In his college days he may be little wild, perhaps drink a little too that.
 But to read the Englsh newspa- pers 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 Amer ica always does attract the rogues of every country.
 Praises American Energy other things happen in America in fact, everything happens in America. It is a country or bound less opportunities. Anyone who has lived in America will hate to live any where else.
 - have been in America for the last eighteen months, and now that am back in my own country it makes me inn atie nt-both the people and their country. People whom I have how I could get any inspiration for my work in a country like America, which, they say, is so inartistic. I could scream at them.
 | there are Barnard. Paul. Bartlett Manship and acMonnies. They are equal of anyone in France or England. I don't want to oe drawn statue of Civic Virrue,' but his other work stands comparison with the sculptures of all ages.
 The English appreciation of Amer jean art does not go beyond Whist Ter, Pennell and Sargent. As for che hundreds of equally brilliant young artists now f1ourishing in America, they know nothing of them and ap- | parently care less.
 | Amazed at Ignorance.
 am staggered at the dining ta- amazing ignorance of my fellow | diners on American art and their amazing impertinence in daring to | criticize it. In literature 1t is the SciIS. III matters dIIlSIlC anu liter
 ary. with the exception of their country. France, Russia and Germany, the English people are 1udicrously insular.
 Fears are expressed in America | that there is a possibility of Ameri- lea developing it's landed aristocracy, | like we have in England. There are now third. fourth and fifth genera | danger that the wealth of their fore bears might induce the young men | to lead lives of useless leisurf-in | fact. to be young men about town.
 with no object in life except to spend the money their grandfathers made | for them.
 As far as I could ascertain the wom- | en of the country are not anxious to
 have the shared responsibility of large | country estates, with its tenants and l its servant worries. /
 women,s Development Unhampered | Everything in America tends to-
 ward the unhampered development or
 womankind in whatever sphere they l wish to distinguish themselves. In | my early married life many Of my
 ambitions were stunted by domestic worries, and it was pointed out to me | by everyone that my duty was to my
 my ambitions were to be subservient | to my domestic responsibilities. That state of affairs still exist in Eng
 land.
 | riously. The tragic pity of it! How
 ever seriously they may take them-
 selves, Lady Astor. Mrs. Asquith and
 Lady Rhondda are not regarded in
 any measure as potent political enti- | ties.
 'In America, a woman is mistress
 of her own fate and captain of her
 soul. to nisquote Henley slightly:
 America still has a kindly feeling
 toward England, the mother eoun-
 try. But it is the feeling Of viz
 orouH- Tustful son for a rather oro-