Dined with Mr. Otto Kahn at his house, a small party, and went on
afterwards to Carnegie Hall to hear the Philadelphia Orchestra which
was heavenly.
At dinner we discussed the psychology of men and women here. He
has a fine analytical mind. We talked of the American woman being
starved emotionally. He said about the position of women in different
countries, “Here they are an ornament, in England they are an object,
in France they are a passion.” It is a good summing up.
We talked about Bolshevism. He had an amusing point of view, so
different from the usual “foaming-at-the-mouth” reactionary. He
said that the Russians are naturally an anarchistic and rebellious
people incapable of self-government. That Bolshevism was a form of
self-expression that would pass, as everything would pass--but why, he
said, take it so tragically? It was none of our business! The world had
lost its sense of humor. Our attitude towards the Russian experiment
should be that of interested spectators. But the idea of getting cross
about it, of exchanging furious notes, of sending soldiers to “walk up
the hill and down again.” It was ridiculous! He talked of Bolshevism
as a great play, and the Bolsheviks as being living actors, fulfilling
their part dramatically, but that play acted in French, or English, or
Italian, was another thing. What would succeed in Russia would fail in
translation....