Quote: Americans are the only race which passed directly from barbarism to decadence without knowing civilization. (1932 July 16 Wash Post trans of La Liberte)

[victor steinbok]

A quick GB review shows quite a number of hits, some in periodicals, from
1932 to 1936. All but one credit either "a Frenchman" or "A French
journalist". The one exception credits (Golden Book mag, 1934) apparently
credits John O'Hara (date not verified--but this version uses "touching
civilization").

One item is telling.

http://books.google.com/books?id=u8MfAQAAMAAJ&q=barbarism

NYTRoB [1935]. Queries. p. 27/1 [issue unknown]
"Barbarism is Decadence"

> J. G. R. wants the name of the witty Frenchman quoted by R. W. Howe in the
> Saturday Evening Post, Dec. 20, 1934, as having said that America is the
> only country in history that has passed from barbarism to decadence without
> passing through civilization at all.


Art Magazine and Time from 1932 also quote "a witty Frenchman". So the WaPo
quote is likely also anonymous.

VS-)

On Fri, Dec 2, 2011 at 12:36 PM, Garson O'Toole
<adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com>wrote:


> There is a well-known humorous saying about the United States that has
> been credited to several famous wits including: George Bernard Shaw,
> Oscar Wilde, and Georges Clemenceau. Here is a common version:
>
> America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence
> without civilization in between.
>
> The Quote Verifier and the Yale Book of Quotations cite a version in
> 1945 with an attribution to Georges Clemenceau in the Saturday Review
> of Literature.
>
> Below is a version that appeared in multiple U.S. media outlets in
> July 1932. The text is reportedly an English translation of a passage
> that appeared originally in the French newspaper La Liberte.
>
> Cite: 1932 July 16, Washington Post, Herriot Admits Pact Not Aimed at
> Debt to U.S., Page 1, Washington, D.C. (ProQuest)
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> Does this government, which obeys gangsters, which capitulates
> helplessly before thieves and assassins of babies in the cradle, dare
> to assume such a height of moral authority that it thinks it can
> dictate to Europe and France?
>
> Americans are the only race which passed directly from barbarism to
> decadence without knowing civilization.
> [End excerpt]
>
> The name of the French author was not specified in the Washington Post
> or in other publications. The remark may have been an unsigned
> editorial comment from La Liberte.
>
> Earlier citations or comments would be welcome. If someone can locate
> the French text that would be great. Thanks.
> Garson

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