THE AMERICAN NEGRO.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5378, 23 January 1929, Page 4

THE AMERICAN NEGRO.

NEW YORK'S “ FASHION.”

AUTHOR’S VIEW OF HOLLYWOOD.

Mr Carl von VechWn, the author of “Nigger. Heaven,” recently made spme interesting comments on the position of the negro in the United States to a representative of the “Manchester Guardian.”

He believes, firmly that the present negr.o “fashion” in New York is only itlhe prelude to a great age of negro art in America. Within fifty years negro, art and literature will be something with which the world will have to reckon. At present, in his view, no negro author or. ai.tis.t has produced anything that was considered firstrate in America, although several writers had approached very nearly to that. I asked him abo.ut the position of the negro in New York. “It is difficult to talk about anything, that is so large,” he said. “You must remember that Harlem, the nejgro quarter, is half the size of Manchester. Negro society is very self-contained, very snobbish, and reserved. I lived myself three yejate ta Harlem before I wrote ‘Nigger Heaven,’ and I found it extremely difficult to break into society. They have an elaborate cas,te system, and within thos.e limits they are contented.

“At the present time, howqver, in New York there is a great interest in negro art, and egro writers aiid artists are welcomed in society. Their, rehabilitation has come through the arts. Tfen years ago it was very difficult for any negro to ge;t anything published ; to-day in New York it is easier to get it published if you; arp a negro than if yo.u ate white. Negroes go everywhere, in the South, of course, it is different. In certain States negroes, although allowed by Federal Jaw to vote, atej by State law. It is illegal for negroes to contract mixed marriages, andedu-j cation is deliberately avoided, especially in those State*; where the negro population outnumbers the white.” I asked him whether the street of negro beauty parlours which he described in “Nigger Heaven” was rqal. “Yes,” he said, “quite real. There are economic, reasons for, white negroes to be; made whiter, and for the curls to be taken out of their lhair. It is extraordinarily difficult for negroes to get good jobs; in America.” . Mr von Vechten’s new novel, “SpiderBoy,” deals with Hollywood, and hq has spent some time there. He was rather amusing about Hollywood!. He viewed it from a detached Olympian pinnacle.

“First of a)l,” lhe said, “it is quite the dullest place on earth. The great film stars give dreary parties, where you eat off gold plates and drink very little. There is no intelligent social life. Mary Pickford 1 and Do.uglas Fairbanks live like royalty. They see very few other film, stars except peo-i pie Hike Chapliln.

“In Hollywood you: can get anything —camels, a Russian wedding party with the decor of old Russia included, anything you want—simply by ringing, up the casting director or ithe producer of. one of the big companies. Recently when Mr Otto Kahn caine to Hollywood two parties were givep in his honour. At the first the guests included 60 ! blondes, at the second 60 br.unettes! It is the most fantastic place in the world !” Apparently Mr Douglas Fairbanks may find spme use for his acrobatics. There are many hold-ups in the Beverley Hills, and Fairbanks never motors into Hollywcodj for a first night without carrying a revolver!

Mr von Vechten forpshaddowed a great increase of negrb acting in the film studios. “King Vidor,” he told ■me, “is. contemplating, a new negro film, and it is my own belief that soon there will be little else I”