MASTERPIECES AND PROPAGANDA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 811, 7 May 1910, Page 9

MASTERPIECES AND PROPAGANDA.

lii the "Labour Leader," Mr. Arnold Eiloart writes on ''Poetry for the People, beginning with the doubtful statement that for one who' enjoys reading a poem there arc twenty who would 01° joy hearing the poem road to them, and proceeding to the practical proposal that a Reformer's Verso Book should bo compiled to quicken tho . feeling "for universal brotherhood, to. help tho humanitarian movement;" or ' even to advocate particular reforms. Wo need not state, tho terms of an eternal controversy,. and perhaps'some artists will shudder needlessly at -the resolution, passed at a Garden City meeting, that "our art should he used to unify the life of tho community." Almost any formula will do, and we need not be disturbed about the talk of incentives to noble ends or the frank intention itovUßo...poetry•■ and'the-'drama, for pro- ' pagandistr-purposes. If- an anthology such as Mr. Eiloart wanto is compiled, wo must still, try .tt; ; maintain our critical standards, for it is pos'siblo to distinguish between a useful marching tune and a fine one. But when it is suggested that Shakespeare's lino "England, bound in with tho triumphant sea," which Mi. Eiloart, as a good critic, admires, is to bring to the land reformer primarily "support in his revolt against legal bondage," wo find it.as hard to follow him as it would be to Shakespeare to know what lie would be at. We' want to know,, too, what the Reformer 1 proposes'to do with such a A poem.as "Kubla. Khan," and whether "Tho Ancient Mariner," which is jtist a magnificent fantasy, would bo brought iii by virtue of ono or two unexceptionable humanitarian tags. Is the standard to be lowered—or how much—for things that are very apt but not good poetry, and are wo to Hops for some kind of holiday volume of pieces which do not score definite points in reform? Boldly and wittily. Mr. Eiloart declares that tie would protect his book from tho charge of being faddist by including fads of every description, "so, that, by a mutual balance, there may result an all-round harmony." Our fad would be to get in a few pieces that do not lead anywhere, and wo should justify it by the advantage to the Reformers.— "Manchester Guardian." '