Evening star., 1925-04-18
WARNS Of DANGER
FROM UNIFORMITY
Editor Tells Arts Delegates
Genius Must Be Unfettered
for Best Expression.

Declaring that never before in his
tory had there been such a universal
purpose to bring together the peoples
of all ClimeS" and detailing the numer-
Gus political, educational and artistic
movements to this end, George Wash
ington Ochs Oakes of New York City,
editor of Current History Magazine.
today warned the International Asso-
citation of Arts and Letters against
the danger of too much uniformity.
Genius said the speaker, must
be unhampered by letters of uniform
ity, must be free and individual to
reach the ripest, richest fruitage of
spontaneous expression The in
dividuality, character customs and
culture of each nation and every race.
Mr.. Oakes said, should be preserved
to supply important elements to our
variegated civilization, and give the
JOY and interest TO life
List of Speakers.
Mr.. Oakes spoke before the annual
meeting of the association at the Nav.
flower Hotel this afternoon. Other
speakers on the program included DIR.
Clarence j. Owens, president of the
association; John f. Braun, president
of the Philadelphia Art Alliance; the
Minister of Bulgaria, DIR. Stephen
Panaretoff; the Minister of Esthonia,
DIR. Pip; the counselor of the Japanese
embassy, Satsuzo Sawada and Mrs.
Charles Burnett, wife of Capt. Bur
nett. long a resident of Japan.
The sessions will close this evening
with a recital by Miss Margaret Wild
demer. poet-novelist winner of the
Pulitzer prize for verse. Members of
the association will attend this recital
attired in costume to represent char.
acters In poetry and following Miss
WiddemerS S readings will participate
IN a dance and program entitled THE
Poetry of Notion
Value of Variety.
Amplifying his theme of world
peace and international understand
ing without forced uniformity, MIR.
Oakes warned that if genius must
be wrought in a common mold. the
romance, charm and beauty of life will
be eytinguished.
Variety is the spice of life," he
continued. Attempt to garb all man
kind in the same raiment. undertake
TO have each canvas speak the same
language, each lutte to sound the same
harmony, each chisel 10 carve the
same figure, each constructor to de
sign the same mass, mold and form;
each playwright reflect in natures
mirror the same characteristics, frail
ties, heroism and tragedies, then we
Will transform this work, now an
everchanging Kaleidoscope of fascin-
ating pictures, into a dull, drab, COM
monplace, dready waste of colorless
monotoneS."
Applies to Nations.
What is true in art applies equal
ly TO national characteristics. The
,I,sz NlNaz into no IN
university is the fear that some one
nation may be the dominating factor
and seek to propagate its peculiar
national chara cteriSticS and culture
The world should not and will not
have the culture of any one people
forced upon it. We are all vividly
conscious of the bitter irritation
which one nation aroused a few years
ago when it attempted this; disastrous
results followed"
Mr.. Oakes outlined at length and
enumerated in detail the progress of
the movement toward international
amity and understanding. THE cul-
tural heart of humanity the world
over is throbbing in unison with
lofty Inspiration" said Mr.. Oakes,
praising the practical steps as never
before so purposeful, SO logical and
the measures so efficient as today.
AT the risk of sounding a dis
cordant note" the speaker warned,
however, II dare affirm that any ef-
fort to standardize painting, music.
sculpture, the drama, architecture or
national customs would be deplorable."
At the business meeting this morn
ing reports were presented by the
president, DR.. Owen, and chairmen
of these committees: History, Mrs.
j. D. Sullivan; entertainment, Mrs.
Clara OBJ. McCrone; foreign rela-
tions, Mrs. Florence Jackson Stod-
dard.