U.S. CIVILISATION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 3, 15 December 1930, Page 5

U.S. CIVILISATION

“A LITTLE IMPOLITE” RULE OF BUSINESS LORDS. NOBEL PRIZEWINNER’S COMMENTS. 1 United Preu Association—By Cabl»Copyright.l (Received 15, 8.45 a.m.) Stockholm, Dec. 14. Mr. Sinclair Lewis, in accepting the Nobel Prize for Literature, delivered an hour’s address upon American civilisation, which he describes as honest but indiscreet, and a little impolite. “The business lords,” he said, “rule the United States. The author and the artist do not count in a country producing 80-storied buildings, millions of motor cars and thousands of millions of bushels of wheat.” He derided the United States universities and said that the prominence given to the college footballer was nearly equal to that extended to Henry Ford, Lindbergh and President ’Hoover. He scoffed at American art and literature, pointing out that the popular novel must assert that all Americans are tall men, handsome, rich, honest and powerful golfers. He added: “Americans revere writers who chant in chorus that the people are as simple and pastoral as they were in 1860. The American author is oppressed by the feeling that what he creates does not matter, as his readers expect him to be a clown. American professors like their literature clear, cold, pure and very dead.” However, Mr. Lewis concluded on a more optimistic note, announcing that tile United States was emerging from its sale, sane and dull provincialism.