Detroit evening times., 1945-12-28
BEHIND F..
THE NEWS
BY Paul
Mallon

lOliO<i
WASHINGTON.- Dec. PA
W German artist died AT rs in
a small mountain town in Eu-
rope.
l had never heard Of her, but
a national liberal weekly which
guides the political thoughts Of
so many Americans. observed
her death along with taxes, the
full employment bill and such
things, saying she was "a silent
voice of protest against the
wrctchedneSS of the lives of the
common people They did not
say she was a good artist
They said she was widely
known for her political posi-
ton
They did not mention any
work OF hers as being superior
artiSucally, only that her canvas
had some distinction IN anti
naZlSm.
EARLIER. | had seen the last
II play of one of our leading
playwrlghts, tn one who
worked on Mr.. ROoSeVelt's
speeches in campaign time and
also on war propaganda, while
continuing his playwrighting art
on the side.
lie always got his jobs mixed,
but in his last play he finally
demonstrated how silly your
own propaganda can sound
after the war Is over.
He wanted 10 prove news
paper editors are FaSCistS. and
he had some racial issues
foStered by the bitter) mixed
in with the plot, in accordance
with political formula of war
days, but not even the utmost
liberals could stand II.
The war ended too suddenly
for him and the play he had
begun to write months hack.
No good art is political art. I
venture to say politics corrupts
art.
The very nature Of a domi-
nant propaganda purpose pre-
vents political art from being
good art.
In every canvas. play, book
or sculpture conceived for po-
litical purposes, the political
motif inevitably leads the artist
away from superior craftsman
ship and true artistic eeHeep-
tiOnS.
His message rules his presen-
tatlon.
Books like Uncle Toms
Cabin may carry exciting war
messages and have great propa-
ganda effect. but In the case as
all instances present in my
mind, they represent such infe-
rior artistic quality as 10 he fit
only for burlcSque in retrospect.
Politicians, for their purposes,
may make books, plays or
paintings temporarily famous
by promotion-with the view of
influencing political judgment
of the people for their purposes
but art must come from the
soul of the man where lnSplra-
tion is rooted deeper than the
shallow politics of any day,
whatever 1t IS.
THIS is why the Russians
Il have produced no great art
in my opinion. Their judgment
in all lines is dominated by po-
litical considerations. Freedom
of expression is impossible to
newspapermen. citizens or art
lists.
In our own country. the pre-
vailing art leaders continue TO
estimate contemporary and past
art on its political message
Critics of the great news
papers and magazines have Bit
ten more than the average citl-
zen on the bitter political roots
of this era and judge accord
ingly.
Sales distributor centers cater
10 these political whims. and
thus the whole dominant group
in art has led the people and the
country into its own false
values.
This is as stupid a situation
as when the Louies of France
and similar artistic tyrants de-
MED prominence TO Millet Re-
noir and other greatest artists
of all time, denying their books
the prestige Of the best salons.
The next generation will de-
nounce our own present day art
faddists as thoroughly as We
denounce past falscness and
corruption.
THERE have been at least
l. three great American art
lists, and yet in my time there
has never been a complete show
OF their works.
Eakins is probably the great
est.
His works rank with any
world immortal anywhere
(they were disliked in his
hometown Philadelphia in his
day..
Winslow Homer and Grant
Wood. / would rank next.
Not one did a political theme.
In my home l have Hopper.