The Washington times., 1931-09-03
True
SHAW DEFEN IDS RUSSIA;
OTTO KAHN DEFENDS
AMER CA
GILBERT SELIlES=
-By GILBERT SEE-D

the celebrities invited to visit the British trenches and
he managed to offend nearly everyone by his report
under the title of "Joy Riding at the Front" Now he
has gone almost venerable (f somewhat foolish and
garrulous) old man, to Russia and returned with
other joy ride. Like his delight in Mussolini few
years ago. his enthusiasm is not impressive. The
Russian stick is good enough to beat the old American
and British dogs but the whole process is laborious.
Half hundred other people, beginning with John
Dewey and ending with engineers actually at work in
Russia have given better and interesting reports
Where Did He Get That Hat?
Shaws present method is to contrast the defects of
civilization with the virtues of the Russian. Thus:
"In England recently, convicted of robbery with
violence committed suicide in prison after receiving
vindictve sentence of 10 years penal servtude and
fogging" This single instance balanced against the
lenient Russian system of dealing with criminals. The
can, and ''n New York. to which Liberty welcomes all
mankind with her waving TORCH man even choose
the sort of hat he is to wear Is it, perhaps because
he chooses to believe such that Shaw persist
emily keeps away from America?
The most vicious of Shaws misrepresentation comes
when he attacks the democratic system for destroying
its exceptional and praises Russia for making them
rulers over the masses These exceptional individuals
easily recognized by their continual clamOr for the
betermen of the world their criticisms of society," their
greed for books and their consequent knowledge OF MS
tory and economics, their contempt for vulgar ambi
tOns and cupidtes their lack of for wealth
and artificial rank and when they poor, by their fire.
quent sentences to Imprisonment and martyrdOm
Forgetting Trotsky
Such men, says Shaw, vilified, rdicued and cleo
trocuted when they in the United States; such
men made leaders of the Communist party in Rus
sia Yet Shaw knew perfectly that at the moment he
in Russia Leon Trotsky who might have stood for
the portrait of the exceptional which Shaw has
painted, exile driven out of the Russia ne helped
to create outawed by powerful political organization
which did not hesitate to steal Trotsky's ideas.
The men whom Shaw describes all enemies of the
existing order. They may love humanity, but they hate
the government; and Russia will simply not tolerate
them. Emma Goldman, who clamored more torcetuly
and passionatey for human beterment than most
people of our time found herself unwecome in Russia
You may clamor there, but only in the words handed
down by the masters.
No Place for Saints
Shaw has, unfortunately for his reputation, let
of his 5O-year-old (and almost dead) humanitarianism
creep into his hymn of praise He is really enchanted
because Russia is disproving lot of twadde about
human nature because Russia is under the tyranny OF
few ruthless realistic and intelligent people, because
it is fascism with the proleariat and not the politicians
the ultimate beneficiary But when ne tries to make
Russia appear the true home of the lovers OF hu-
manty he is talking 1t is the pride of Russia
that it is the home of plan, of system. The reason
Stain would not change places with Hoover is that
Stain believes his system be the framework of the
future and Hoover to doubt whether our system
was a satisfactory framework for the past 1t is
not because communism in Russia is an open field Tor
altruists, humanitarans and cranks
Art-Lover and Financier
suppose it typical of Mr. Otto H. Kahn to issue
his statement on the present crlSlS
he was making his annual visit to the music festival at
Ravnia Mr.. Kahn patron of the arts, has so far
superseded Mr. Kahn, the fnancer, that his defense
of the American SYSTEM the capitalist state, gives little
shock of SURPRISE rather pleasantly because we like to
think of art lovers who capable of handling the
problems of craftsmanship.
have always felt that art is overemphasized because
the artists especially wrters) control publicity; and Mr.
Kahns statement provides excellent test When he
says that prohibition ought to be abolished most of us
feel that we are as competent in that field he s but
he goes to attack the Clayton Antitrust Act Now
my proposal is that group of artists prepare list OF
ten questions contemporary arnot obscure SUBJECTS
but important and that Mr. Kahn prepare ten ques
ons on contemporary and important legislation affecting
the business of the country The purpose is to dis
whether the artists know much about business as
the business knows about art
When Is Wednesday?
Some time year the League of Nations is going to
consider variety of proposals for new calendar Argu
ments against the 13month year from the suggestion
that the landlords behind it ALL to the religious feel
ing against varying holy days. the arguments for it are
business-like and based convenience.
The impressive thing is the assumption that our
present calendar is itself halowed by time if there
were something quntessentiay thirty dayish in Septem