Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-07
"CR|S|S OF MIND"
SEEN IN EUROPE.
Decadence of intellectual
Life Alarms French
Philosophers.

By Radio to The Star.
PARIS, July 6.-Members o. the
French Academy, writer's and philoso-
pliers are alarmed. There is in France,
they say, "crisis Of the mind" or, to
speak plainly, decadence OF intel
lectual life. This decadence is, per-
haps, not confined to France, but is a
modern evil of all of Europe. 1t Is,
however, according to French writers,
intellectual life has been so brilliant
during the past century and before the
war.
The number of books printed in
France Is increasing yearly. The pub
fishers have become extremely prosper
Gus, as the need for books has grown
considerably, but the quality Of the
printed matter has been deprecated,
observers think. by its quantity. Young
sell their books. In order to live COM
fortably they try to publish at least two
novels yearly, and these novels are no
more books of high standard that are
likely to outlive their authors and re-
main in the history Of French litera-
ture. Most of them will have short
tame, with attention for a while, to
bring in suff1cient sum to the au-
thors.
Two Types Popular.
There are scarcely any more writer's
who, like Balzac or Flaubert, toll day
and night at their books and live for
the sake of pure art, poor and I'M
known. Two types of rather easy writ
ing have fascinated young authors as
having most success among today's
readers-romantic biographies of ia
nous men and women and descriptions
of adventurous voyages IN all parts OF
the world. The market has been flood
ed with books of both types, some Of
them being of high literary value,
others of a cheaper sort, but all having
O like success. Psychological studies, in
which French novelists had always ex-
celled, have now gone to the back
ground. The problem of psychoanalysis
seems to modern writer's too dangerous
ground to tackls since Marcel ProuSt
has made such an elaborate study
thereof. Poetry is almost dead; it does
not pay any more to be poet and
writers disregard this type Of literature.
known in Paris-Paul Valley and Con-
Jesse de Noailles. Serious play writing
is in just as bad position. Light COM
edies, reviews, music halls and movies
have driven dramatic plays out of the
market. Theaters like LIE VieuX Colom-
bier, which tried to revive the serious
dramatic style, had to close their doors.
In a word, the older writer's and stu
saying that the intellectual production
in this country is In a critical state.
They fear that If writer's continue to
adapt their works to the public's taste
instead of trying to bring readers to
their standard France might lose the
prominent position she has always oc-
cupied on the worlds way toward prog
resS. Many reasons are blamed for this
fall In intellectual standard.
War Wrought Chaos.
First of all, of course. was the war,
which brought chaos into what people
considered before as firmly established
values. War was responsible for the
desire Of the younger generations to
live as quickly as possible-to snatch
from life the maximum it could give.
Young writer's are like most of their
contemporaries-Snob who are eager to
sell their talent to the highest bidder.
They do not care for a poSt-mortem
fame, but prefer quick success that is
likely to bring them honor and money.
But In spite of these pessimistic state
ments regarding French literature, some
observers still remain hopeful as to the
future. They think that the lower
quality Of production is merely passing
phenomenon of the postwar era. In
their opinion any movement that has
gone too far must inevitably bring a
reaction, and this reaction can already
be noticed. There are signs, although
slight yet, that French literature and
theater production are becoming deeper
in thought and conception With the
gradual Sterilization OF the European
political, economic and social life liter
allure may also return to more normal
ways after having passed through a
period of Initiation"
Copyright 1927