Evening star., 1949-08-25

ever MINK OF taxing SUCH chance?
To be serious again, let me affirm my
faith in democracy. Yes. to me it is faith
that can Withstand any attack. If we live
and practice democracy, and If we maintain
sensible vigilance, no hostile theology ever
will be able to harm us. However, let us
never forget that Thomas Jefferson re-
garded reason and free inquiry as the only
enectual agents against error, and he con-
sidered difference Of opinion as advan-
tageous AN AMERICAN.
Poetry Fellows Secretary Discusses
Bollingen Prize Award to Ezra Pound
To the Editor Of The Star:
Your editorial Awards Under Other Au-
spices" is motivated. apparently, by a wish to
have maintained in some fashion the arts
awards now cancelled by the Library Of Con-
gress on recommendation from the Joint
Committee of Congress on the Library. For
this wish and spirit your editorial writer
and The Star merit the thanks of friends
Of the arts
With respect to one body, however, of
friends-and practitioners-of the arts, some
comment upon the editorial is. believe, in
order.
In the second paragraph of the editorial
1t seems to be suggested that the integrity
OF the jury for the Bollinger Prize, unlike
been questioned. has been challenged. be-
l1eve have seen or heard cited all the COM
ment upon this award. and may be per-
mitted to say that the integrity of the jury
has been challenged, and there only by
implication and innuendo. only in the pages
OF the Saturday Review OF Literature, and
in subsequent statements based without
further information or examination on these
implications
Some days ago the Library made available
to your staff q documented statement from
committee Of the jurors, pointing out.
among other things. that such implications,
bearing on the integrity of the jurys action
had been substantially Withdrawn by edi-
torial admissions and retractions In the
Saturday Review. find the apparent lack
OF reference to this freely furnished state
ment Of the jurors especially disturbing in
view Of the fact that reference Is made by
your editorial writer to mere allegation and
hearsay concerning the procedure Of the
jury and In the sams paragraph.
Some Poets Did Approve. .-.
y It Is said In the editorial that few citizens,
certainly very few poets." approved the
award. I do not suppose there has been .
poll In the matter. and everyone has heard
and read much criticism Of the award. Ap-
proval has also been expressed. and often by
poets. The jury statement referred to calls
attention to the highly favorable reviews Of
the "Pisan Cantos" publiahed before the
award In . number Of periodicals, including
the New York Times Book Review. There
have been others since the award for in
stancs in the Virginia Quarterly. The
award has been supported by the Oldest and
best known poetry magazine In the country
poetry. and the method Of the recent
attack upon 1t and the jury In the Saturday
Review vigorously denounced there ~ In
effect An attack upon all serious poetry. I
call the article in Poetry for August. as well
as the statement for the jury, to the at
tention of the friend Of art who has. I
believe In all sincerity. written your editorial.
The editorial says that the choice Of the
jury was deliberate. Should the choice for
such an award then not be made with de-
liberation? The statement for the jury set
forth its procedure to show that the recon-
mendation was arrived at by votes honestly
and independently taken upon the eligible
books. in accordance with the agreed terms
of the award. The jurors felt that 1t was
their responsibility to vote on the poetic
merits of the eligible books. Although the
majority jurors had no sympathy for the
attitudes or actions objected to by most
Americans in Mr.. Pound. they believed that
political Considerations should not sway q
decision supposed to be made on literary
grounds.
Purpose Of Jurors Cited.
The statement on behalf Of the affirmative
jurors added that they believed it to be the
wish of the American people to permit
free and full development Of its cultural
life: and that it would seem to be repre-
sentative of this wish that its professional
workers. express their opinions honestly
and SO put their experience and understand
ing for what they may be worth at the
general service"
Your editorial recommends that the ma
tional Institute Of Arts and Letters or the
National Academy of Arts and Letters. as
accredited bodies which enjoy public con-
fidence," might be asked to award the Bol-
linpen Prize in future. Since its repre-
sentative nature had been questioned during
the recent attack, the statement for the jury
cited the widespread recognition OF its mem
bers by American universities, colleges, edi-
tors. publishers and learned societies, among
them the Institute and the Academy. II
their acknowledgements are to be held valid
by your editorial writer, should he not con-
slider the following facts? Five members OF
the Jury. one this spring, have been ap-
pointed to membership in the Department OF
Literature of the National Institute OF Arts
and Letters Within the last few years, Its
awards in poetry have gone four times TO
members Of the jury. (These are nom
member awards") The rarely accorded gold
medal Of the Academy for poetry has been
awarded to q member OF the jury. Perhaps
II should be added that Of the two newly
appointed Fellows who would have served
. UPON next years jury. one is the recipient OF
an Institute Academy award. and the other
4 member Of the inner circle OF the Acad-
emy as well Is Of the Institute. and that the
recipient of the Bollingen Prize IN Poetry,
Mr.. Pound, Is himself listed as member
Of the National Institute Of Arts an Letters.
LEONE ADAMS.
Alliance With Reaction
Seen Looming Ahead
To the Editor Of The Star;
In the last war, any one who was not
fascist was our friend. and 50 we collabo-
rated with the Bear.