Evening star., 1951-01-10
Continued From First Page.)

PulltZer'S Will setting up the prize.
His 21st book, "The God Seeker, ("
was published in 1949. His 22d
and last, called World So Wide"
will be published posthumously
March 81. It was described in
New York as love story with an
Italian setting.
The famous author had been
under treatment for some time.
Friends said he realized his death
was near and wanted to die in
Italy, where he wrote "Babbitt"
and where he met his second wife,
Dorothy Thompson. columnist-
commentator.
After a visit to Italy in 1949, he
returned to the United States. his
friends said, to put affairs in order.
He returned here early this year
and after a sojourn in Florence
took an apartment in Rome with
his secretary. Alexander Manson.
Associates disclosed that he had
outlined the plot of a new book,
to be titled Courage" on the
theme that courage Is a commod-
ity belonging to those who are
afraid.
Beyond the outline, however,
he had done no writing on the
work. they said.
His condition became grave
three days ago. his doctor said.
His heart collapsed this morning
Born in Sauk Center, Mimi, on
February 7, 1885, Mr.. Lewis after
student days at Yale and a minor
career on newspapers and maga-
zines. became one of the great
social historians among American
novelists. His books blasted the
foibles of "typically American"
people and communities of the
192Os and 1930s with biting satire
and down-to-earth realism.
Amid ever-stormy controversy,
he put Main Street on the map
and Babbitt into the language.
Elmer Gantry." story of an
evangelist with unministerial ap-
petites, aroused religious storm.
Businessmen rallied at "Babbitt"
and "Dodsworth."
Germany and Italy in the mid
1930s banned 1T Can't Happen
Here" warning against Fascism
in the United States.
Mr.. Lewis was married twice.
Both his first wife. Grace Living
stone Hegger. and Miss Thomp-
son divorced him.
Wells Lewis, son by his first
marriage and an Army lieutenant
in World War II, was killed in
action in France. Michael Lewis,
his son by Miss Thompson, re-
portedly returned to the United
States last week to visit his
mother. He had been studying
VI dIudtlCS IN LOnQOn.
The novelist's brother, Claude
Lewis. lives in st. Cloud, Minn.
He said there that he had re-
ceived several cablegrams recently
about the authors illness but
hadn't realized how serious it was.
He said nothing has been done yet
on funeral arrangements.
Sinclair Lewis, the lean, lank
f1dgety fellow around whose head
controversy ever swirled. was a
frequent visitor in WASHINGTON,
and each visit enlivened the local
scene.
On the occasion of the release
OF 1T Can't Happen Here" Mr..
Lewis happened to be in town long
enough in 1886 to charge former
Movie Gear Will Hays with max
ing it happen here.
Mr.. Lewis insisted that the Hol-
lywood chieftain censored plans
to make movie of the novel
which envisioned a Fascist revolu-
t1on and dictatorship In the
United States. Mr.. Hays denied
the allegation. but Germany and
Italy made political capital of the
dispute.
Joked About Invasion.
On another occasion in 1888, he
frightened the day with an inter-
view in which he facetiously said
ne would like to see the Japanese
invade the United States
1t would teach the Japanese
a good lesson" he remarked
Cant you just see them crossing
Nevada? Why they'd never get
past Reno. Those Reno boys
would take all their cash and have
the Japanese exchanging three
cannons for a couple of divorces"
Mr.. Lewis also was in Washing
ton for the world premier" of his
first play. "Jayhawker," in 1884.
He was here for several lecture
appearances at Constitution Hall
and Central High School, and
always he got in a plug for his
definition Of liberalism.
Liberalism is an active belief
that no one system, religious or
political. is correct in every detail
or has the right to seek or correct
or destroy other systems"
Stirred Religious Storm.
Mr.. Lewis Main Street" set
the pace for his social novels. It
gave drab picture Of life in a
SNUG and complacent small town,
and it stirred such a controversy
as to whether its characters were
typical Americans, that the book
got II printings.
For "Arrowsmith," the story of
a Western doctor whose devotion
to medical science triumphed over
the ignorance and prejudice of
his colleagues in the community,
Mr.. Lewis was selected for the
Pulitzer Prize, but refused the
award because of the strings at
tached."
Mr.. Lewis denounced the Amer
lean Academy of Arts ard 1ettars