Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-01

them with the feeling that life is grand and
exciting affair
"As it is you can't make the man In the iron
cage who shoots up to the twenty fourth floor
and back hundred times day feel that he is
doing anything important or eleyating That
is why / believe that most people honestly
would like to have war II 1t would not wound
them too badly. War is the only thing which
fires their spirit; it makes them feel for the
time being that they are doing something
worth while.
I'VE can do without anything in life, but we
cannot do without enthusiasm. We must feel
that life holds out great deal for us and that
we are performing something which is of value
Everything that we have touched has become so
mechanics that there is no particular reason
for existence any more. We have diminished
the toll In life, but we Ravens increased its
beauty or happiness. Our powers have grown,
but our wisdom has not
I'VE are like the prehistoric dinosar. It
grew so large that it could neither walk nor
swim. It could only waddle. Some other small
and frisky animal came around and soon the
dinosaur disappeared"
What could this world do to save itself from
the fate that looms ahead? The historian
didn't think 1t would care to arouse itself from
its lethargy to do anything. sst#s.ts
only the realization of-where they are In
this life would help them" he stated. But
people will not read honest things. They win
not listen to the truth nor face the facts. They
want to close their eyes and their ears and
continue to believe that the world is made Of
green cheese. They prefer to be drugged by
some forms Of literature. They win only listen
TO lecturers who previously have been cautioned
as TO what may or may not be said. That is
why they are unable to realize how far the
whole civilization is going to pieces.
IF people only would be willing to seek the
blunt truth, then they might at least begin to
map something out. When you know that your
ship Is sinking you see what can be done about
it. But the stokehole is running fun of
water and you continue to sit around doping
yourself with liquor or dancing to a jazz band
you win drown That is exactly the way we
are acting today. Our civilization is ugly and
our people unhappy. What are we doing about
1t except to make lot Of noise?"
MIR. VAN LOON was asked whether educa-
ton for the masses and general enlighten-
ment would not help people to attain a greater
degree Of happiness; whether he did not already
see greater cultural individualism.
IT don't see it that way" he replied How
many people do you find are interested In good
music and books compared to the vast number
who prefer cheap plays and pictures and jazz
bands? Have any masterpieces been produced
that are comparable with the ancient ones?
Indeed. the artist who finds an appreciative
audience for his work is rare
AS a matter Of fact, the intelligent person
is not even encouraged to do his best work.
Why spend few years creating work of art
which may only bring few dollars when one
can get $4,000 for some drivel that aims at
the lowest common denomination of public In
telligence and taste?
1T is the shoddy that works against our
present civilization. A man like Dante the
Italian poet, spent years in writing one piece Of
work We would consider that q sher waste
Of time We could go to Hollywood ard do so
or 100 pieces to his one and accumulate
fortune. Do we, for example, make the kind
Of violins that the craftsmen Of the seventeenth