LITERARY IDEALS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22833, 14 September 1937, Page 6

LITERARY IDEALS

[THE P.E.N. CONGKESS A NEW ZEALAND VIEW // INTERNATIONAL CLASHES THE CAUSE OF FREE SPEECH Entertaining observations on international literary amenities at the recent P.E.N, congress in Paris are made by the New- Zealand representative, Miss N. E. Coad, in United Empire, the journal of the Royal Empire Society. A well-known Wellington educationist, Miss Coad is the author of several works on the geography and history of the Pacific. "The mystic letters denote Poets, Essayists and Novelists," she writes. "The P.E.N, is an international organisation founded by an Englishwoman, Mrs. Dawson/ Scott, and the administrative headquarters are in London under the direction of Mr. Hermon Ould, the general secretary. It aims at being non-political, non-party, ncn-sectarian, and it recognises no colour bar. One wonders, human nature being as it is, whether such aims are attainable in this wicked world. But the P.E.N., its executive officers particularly, are straining every nerve to make them so, and already they have some achievements to their, crgdit. Peoples With a Grievance "The last international congress was held in Paris in June. Forty-two nations were represented, including England and other parts of the Empire. Literary celebrities from almost every European country were present—Poles, exiled Germans, Spaniards of every political hue, Italians, Yugoslavs, Hungarians, Austrians and so on. Peoples with a grievance were well represented. "To a New Zealander representing the New Zealand P.E.N, the congress was a revelation. The conference began well. At its first meeting the atmosphere simply dripped with the milk of international goodwill. An international glow spread like a rash among its members as they listened spellbound to the eloquent speech of Jules Romains, the French president. "It continued while J. B. Priestley restated the platform of the P.E.N., tg, which all its members subscribe. The P.E.N., he reminded them, must not be used to serve the ends of State or party politics. It stands for the art of literature and for its diffusion from country to country. It endeavours, too, to provide a vehicle of friendliness and hospitality among writers, and to se-

cure their co-operation throughout the world ta safeguard freedom for creative literature. '-The resolutions were put forward as a word in season, and passed With a unanimity beautiful to bohold. Italian Leader Departs

"Bat it did not last long. Soon the conference struck a rock, or rather two rocks, not lightly, but hard and head-

on. An Italian incident loomed ahead, a Spanish situation developed. The roseate'hues of international goodwill grew dim. ).

"The Italian poet Marinetti, a determined Fascist and the leader of the Italian delegation, was there. His views were not at all in accord with those

expressed in the platform of the PJE.N. How could he, for instance, advocate free speech and at the same time be a*strong supporter of Italian Fascism? And had he not used his pen to glorify war? Shades of Mussolini! Marinetti must either recant or go. He preferred to go. 'He resigned his leadership of the Italian delegation, though he still . continued to be a meraber of the P.E.N. So closed incident number one. The pen had, for once, proved mightier than the sword. Dead Spanish Poet "Then the Spanish delegates provoked a heated political disoussion on certain resolution*. The temperature rose considerably and for a'time verbal brickbats flew. But owing largely to the diplomatic chairmanship of Humbert ,Wolfe, a compromise was reached, and as a result the congress passed a resolution of sympathy for the death by Bhooting of the great Spanish poet Garcia Lorca. The congress also resolved to send to Spain an expression of grief at the presence of so much bloodshed and destruction of works of art .in the recent bombardments and fires, and a wish that civil peace might promptly be restored. Oefmany and the Nobel Prize "The German situation now came up. As a result of representations made by Lion Feuchtwanger, the cougress registered a protest against the persecution of German writers who have indulged in freedom of speech. It also strongly disapproved of the action of the German Government in preventing the winner of the Nobel Prize for 1936, the author Carl von Ossietzky, from appearing in person before the Nobel Committee in Oslo to deliver a speech ,as prescribed by the rules of the Nobel Foundations. "Resolutions of protest, however, were not the only order of the day. The congress now and turned its attention to literary affairs. New World in the Shade

"And now, may a New Zealander be permitted a few unofficial comments r Fortified by tbe free speech platform of the P.E.N., I proceed with tho utmost confidence. "It will be extremely hard for the society to keep itself unspotted from the political and economic world. Here, as elsewhere, the price of liberty will be eternal vigilance. _ T ~ "At the congress the Tsew World represented by America and the countries of the Pacific hardly appeared on the literary map. The atmosphere, naturally enough, was entirely European. Still, the New World has a literature of its own, even though its authors, as a rule, blush unseen in the European air. Literature's Place In France

"An interesting feature of the P.E.N, in France is the support it receives from the French Government. The government has donated a fine International House for members of the P.E.N, who visit Paris. All this, of course, is in line with the French practice of giving authors an honoured place in the community. "One feels, after it is all over, that the greatest value of the congress does not consist in its output of resolutions, but in the contacts made between people of various nations. Finally, I nave a horrible confession to make. Belonging to the P.E.N, as I do, a supporter *'of its aims as I am, I yet left the congress full of sinful pride in the British race., Still, it was a most enjoyable conference, and a wonderful experience for a country cousin from New Zealand in the far-off South Pacific."