The Washington times., 1922-08-25
Continued from First PageJ

says he resembles, as he entered into
a long conversation about Americana
with all the enthusiasm of an on
locker who is really rather proud
that the human race has produced
such a nation as the United States.
Perhaps they do suffer a little
from a sense Of inferiority," he re.
piled. What discovered about
when ] was in America
is that they are essentially courteous,
kind and shy. Contrary to the gen.
eral opinion, both they and other
people have concerning them, they
are not aggressive, but modest. And
they are kind" he repeated.
II have never met an American
yet" Anna Wickham said, who
didn't know all about Freud. That's
why like them. They all talk about
complexes. but not one of them has
resolved his own"
Pet Complexes.
"Oh, but they like their com
plexes." interrupted Mr.. Wells.
Their complexes are their pets.
But the extraordinary. thing about
Americans is that they haven't
enough conceit. They lack national
self-being. Look at their attitude
toward the English writer's. in the
past. They are getting over their
old acceptance Of English criticism.
But they stul have too much respect
for European art and overlook their
own most vigorous and courageous
art production. At one time they
had so much respect for European
work that they didn't recognize their
own good writer's
Does England have poets to com.
pare with the young American poets
right now? We have a few out
standing ones. of course-two Or
three. But America has groups Of
poets to our few individuals. They
have a school of poetry in Chicag go.
another out West. another in New
York, and so on. They write more
vital poetry besides. II they had
more confidence in themselves they
would write even better. They have
fully as many minor poets as we
have, and they write seriously and
with splendid spirit among them
selves.
But look at their pros. writer's
In the past. When there has been
a real writer Of prose, America has
not appreciated him. The greatest
American prose writer's have. in the
past, been received at home only aft.
er England had accepted them.
There was Stephen Crane. for in.
stance. He came to England af'er
complete failure in America. He
wrote the Red Badge of Courage y
which England received with enthu
siaism. He was a good friend Of Con
rad and myself, and we esteemed him
greatly. Then he wrote other stories
that England liked and praised, and
finally America recognized him, too
When l was in America his fiftiett
birthday anniversary was celebrated
thereafter his death"
"F1attery, F1attery.""
But" l interrupted, perhaps we
would not have such good writer's o
prose II we had not looked to England
so respectfully. II has been said OF
most OF our young modern novelist,
that they learned to write by ,readins
Mr.. Wells novels"
"Flattery, flattery," returned Mr.
Wells. Just as ! said, all Ameri
cans are kind"
tried to repeat a few things
had heard Sherwood Anderson, tn,
American novelist, say about Mr.
Wells.
"I am very glad" said Mr.. Wells
ito have appreciation from thu
writer of such vigorous an'
original book as The Triumph Of III,
Egg. On the whole, the young pros,
writer's In America are. taking {
much more real interest today IL
what their compatriots are doing ant
they are ready to recognize gooc
writer's. As they gain in self-belief
they are beginning to lose their over
respect for foreign writer's, Pros,
writer's are becoming more sincere
more keen and more courageous. "
fact, I should say they are gettinl
a bit impertinent." he added with 6
chuckle. There's a brilliant critic
named Mencken, who recently
called me The late Mr.. Wells No
exactly polite of him, but II show,
that the boys are getting spirit ovel
there-and the right kind of spirit.
II should say that when Englant
accepted Stephen Crane for tn,
Americans. she enjoyed her las
triumph over America in criticism oi
American literature"
No Real Poverty.
Mr.. Wells suddenly broke off en-
Enthusiastically with, What a fine
energetic people they are, the Amer
leans. should like to live In New
York only I'm afraid couldn't af
ford even a flat in Greenwich Vii
lage. America suits me better than
England.
THE one thing that troubled me
most in America is that they dom,
appreciate their own republicanlsm