Evening star., 1926-11-26
Bernard Shaw Amuses World
AS He Accepts Nobel Award

Even in accepting the Nobel award
for literature, George Bernard Shaw's
wit was irrepressible. He reminded
the public that he wrote nothing OF
importance in the year for which the
award was made, and concluded that
the honor was bestowed for that rea
son. Thus the world at large laughs
at the joke while the more serious
minded debate the merit Of the award
and Shaw's rejection OF the money
part of the prize.
"If Mr.. Shaw had been a sculptor"
suggests the New York Times. che
would have given q mischievous tilt
to the sitter's nose, or quizzical
twist to his muStache, so as TO make
sure that the result would be not
only different but surprising. This
instinct Is now so indurated In him
by long practice that 1t vas impossible
for him to deal with the offer OF the
Nobel prize without cutting some kind
of fantastic caper. All that his friends
can say Is that he is built that way"
The Chicago Daily News agrees that
his attitude toward the honor that
has come to him Is no exception to
his general rule Of conduct" That
paper, however, appraiseS shaw as
"an intellectual and artistic leader for
quarter of a century, sort Of play
boy Of the whole western world" as
we'll as "a thorn in the flesh of con-
scious and unconscious hypocrites."
Recalling that the Nobel will directs
an award for "idealistic" writing, the
Detroit News contends that "Shaw's
Ideals have always been high: ne has
worked for peace and brotherhood,
and, above all, for truth" The Bir.
tningham News declares that the
Nobel prize committee deserves credit
for selecting It's first laughing phil.
osopher," and the San Francisco
Bulletin offers the judgment that
Shaw 'ainuses where his imltators
merely annoy, and for that reason
there is no synthetic substitute for
his Unborn Irish humor."
Tho attempt to comment upon
George Bernard Shaw is almost fu-
tile" In the opinion Of the Phila-
delphia Public Ledger; 'he makes
his own comments, and they are In
imitable. He will also comment upon
his own comments, and here likewise
he rings the bell. The Shavian gleam
| Is ineluctable. Even the Nobel prize
L AS 1lCt1G " o' IL eCs LA1tA OH
added opportunity to let it shine In
a naughty world" The Des Moines
Tribune is reminded that "it is pop
| ularly supposed the prizes go to the
complaisant and conventional" but
exclairns: Fortunate for the Nobel
prize, then. this award to Shaw"
His statement that he wrote nothing
during the year is quoted by the
New Orleans Tribune, with the com
| ment: "That may be why he got
the prize. But II is also characteris-
tic of Shaw's pose Of srorverseness.
It Is likely that the critical Scandi-
navians who awarded the prize could
, give a more substantial excuse for
their judgment"
Disagreeing with these estimates,
the Louisville Courier Journal says:
"Now 1t is the irrepressibie Anglo
Irish radical who declares he IS mys-
titled by the award, as he wrote
nothing in 1925. He is hardly more
mystified than are many others. not
only over some of these Nobel prizes,
but over other prizes OF similar ma
ture that are annually announced"
OF the comment by the author that
the award vas because he had not