Evening star., 1933-04-21

OcdCQ OF the WlSeCfACk Is observed
by Americans in the aftermath Of the
address Of George Bernard Shaw be-
fore an, audience Of American leaders
credited with paternity Of this form
of expression, and its one-time vogue
Is recognized, but he is declared to
have registered failure in his attempt
to apply it to a supposed analysis Of
American affairs.
Most scathing Of the comments on
Glendale News-Press that he is q "pol-
ished rufiian Of letters" while the Co.
lumbiA Is. Co. State calls him . me
ander1ng scold and vendor Of decayed
jests." and the Atlanta Journal con-
demns . "dribble Of nat ale and the
squeak Of q senile mouse" The Gin
cinnAti Times-Star offers . verdict:
I'VE neither laugh nor get mad at Mr.
Shaw any more. We merely yawn. This
does not mean that we should yawn in
his face, as several of his New York
auditors did the other night. What
ever the falling OF In the Shaw vogue,
however sharp the decline in the quail
ity Of his wit, he Is still Q distinguished
guest and q dramatist who has done
Important things in his time. And he
Is q gentleman Of advanced years. He
deserves the gentlest of hospitality, and
it is gratifying to know that those New
Workers who were aware Of Mr.. Shaw's
presence treated their venerable guest
with the grave kindiness Of any Boy
Scout"
"Shawism. in its personal aspects, If
vile Banner. represents . fad which,
having lost the flavor OF novelty, may
reasonably be expected to recede." The
Newark Evening News states: What
happened was that the worlds best
publicity getter put ON q swell show.
He made q speech with which no one
could disagree In toto. and he made
as much fun Of himself as of the Amer
ican. That Ia not only good show
manship, 1t Is canny type Of sales
manship. As to the sermon, it was a
case Of oh. Shaw? Oh, pshaw!"
"The only bungle Of the evening,
In the opinion Of the New York Sun,
was the failure Of part Of the audi
ence to keep in tune with Mr.. Shaw.
They laughed at the wrong time; they
failed to laugh when at least q giggle
was called for. Yet here was gathered
the flower Of our serious thinkers.
Bankers came prepared to smile at
abuse of American financiers. Inter-
nationalists came to applaud the IN
evitable declaration that the war debts
should be Cancelled. Parlor communists
who in one brief and personally con-
Quoted tour Of Russia learned magically
all about the Soviets. They did their
best; they should not be criticized too
roughly for laughing In the wrong
spot"
"Shaw has no idea," declares the
Danbury News Times, that Americans
are dumber than others. He thinks
them wiser than others. America Is .
country he never ceases to praise, when
he talks straight English. He sees Q
world starving in the midst Of plenty,
he sees folks split by their religious
beliefs, divided by their party afdlia-
tions, guided by foolish slogans. He
sees countries putting noisy and In
competent folks into places Of power,
quite disregarding the able leadership
that makes country. In China he
sees girl babies exposed to die. In
India men and women lie down before
trolley cars. In Germany 9 govern
ment beats and imprisons those who
that people are, In Q mental and spirit
ual sense, deaf, blind and dumb, which
Is not In the least funny"
I'VE are glad" advises the Milwaukee
Journal, ITO have Mr.. Shaw among Us.
His visit ought to be . cure for such
Shavian tricks % We have adopted. such
Shavian tendencies - we have shown.
Mr.. shaw IL one Of the creators and
the chief exponent Of the visecrack.
tineed with 4pny. As this habit came
across the Gutic to u, distance must