ART NOT ENCOURAGED

Evening Star, Issue 22354, 2 June 1936, Page 10

ART NOT ENCOURAGED

GERMANY'S CLOSE RESTRICTIONS ITALIAN ATTITUDE SIMILAR “PEACE OF THE DEAD" “ In Germany, as in Italy, there is a tendency to restrict artistic expression. Thought is discouraged; the people are taught to look to Hitler, described as being sent from God,” declared John Harris, 8.A., University librarian, when addressing the Workers Educational Association to-day at the University, the venue of the winter school, which is at present in session, GERMANY ARTISTICALLY REPRESSED. These observations were made during » recent visit to Germany by the lecturer, whose subject was The Arts Under Fascism and Bolshevism. Mr Harris was particularly impressed by the paucity of attendance at the German libraries. Of what was written, about 50 per cent, was devoted to the nnsciefatific attempt to prove the superiority of the pure Nordic race The number of theatres had declined heavily. As they had no positive ideas, there was an almost complete-sterility in their new plays. Art was national, whereas under Bolshevism the aim was an international mind. J>ot only was there a severe censorship, but on* was not permitted to write at all unless one were of supposedly pure Aryan blood and belonged to the National Union of Nazi writers. Many great actors and actresses, painters and musicians had been exiled. Mendelssohn’s music was not allowed to be ■played because the great composer was tainted with Jewish blood. Among great writers expelled were Thomas Mann, Fenchtwanger, Wasserraann, Eweig, Toller, and Remarque. Germany in literature had attained a peace of the dead. The output of llt £ had declined strikingly. Book sales had declined, and the only writing that flourished at all was journalism. FASCISM AND LITERATURE. ’ Italy, Germany, and Russia, continued Mr Harris each possessed, a proud record'm the history of art. Development of literature in Russia had been later, but her great writers of the past century were knovyn to the world. Fascism was based on action, not thought. Though the leaders despised thought, they found thev had to develop a philosophy to justify themselves. Futurism, Jed in Italv by Marinetti (a personal friend of Mussolini), embraced free verse.and even claimed that in time poetry would coaso to be a matter of words and would relv onlv on sound and touch. The futurists extolled war and violence, and some suggested the abolition of museums and libraries. Mussolini at length had thrown over futurism because he felt he needed the support of the Catholic Church, against which the futurists were in rebellion. Now there was no distinct Fascist art; the futurists were becoming _ played out. Pirandello, the dramatist, had gone over to Fascism, and his playwriting had suffered. Fascism was really revolutionary. Mr Harris pointed out. One would expect new ideas in regimes, but the regimes were not fundamentally revolutionary. The artists who had been expelled were those who were radical, progressive, and internationallyminded. In Russia, on the other hantl, there was a.keen interest in art developments. One could only understand the difference when one realised -tjiat Fascism -was not attempting to chary* the present social and economic system. The tendency in Italy was to go back to the- classic art. The mass ■ of the people had less opportunity to enjoy art than they had before the revolution. EFFECTS OF RUSSIAN REVOLUTION. The Russian revolution had affected every phase of life, including art and literature. It was based on a clearcut philosophy. Its leaders were intellectuals in the true sense. Lenin had said that all the culture left by capitalism must be taken and socialism be built with it. Proletarian culture must be a logical development of past - funds. had spoken of the desirability of free expression in art. Th* artist must be liberated from the necessities of the market. However, he had added that art must be guided and controlled to prevent a drift to chaos. It was commonly said that art was controlled and regimented in Russia, but Lenin believed in freed°mßUSSlA’S FILM INDUSTRY. In the films, and especially-_in the silent film, Russia had surpassed every other country. All film critics were agreed on that. They had organised th* visual technique so .as to give, not only striking episodes, but also an appeal to the whole heart of man — notablv in the film ‘ Battleship Potenilsin.’ Here was a new vigour and intensity which one did not get in American films. The conditions of life favoured the development of art. because the artist was not dependent on the necessity of making a profit. In Russia there was a greater demand for the written word than probably in any other country. It was said that the Russian writer had to write to order, but a review of the actual products of aft showed that the artists had had every opportunity to work out their own ideas, said Mr Harris in conclusion. A poet who had produced some works of merit some seven years ago was still receiving pay. The theatre had been greatly developed. Art was not merely passive. Reality was perceived as something to be understood and changed for the better. Mr Harris was warmly thanked for his address.