Rabindranth reached Cincinnati of Ohio State on 9th Nov and got in the Hotel Gibson. Here he read from his essay in Lyric Theatre organised by Drama League.
He came to Detroit of Michigan State on 10th Nov . Here a Tagore committee was formed with Mrs, James L. Hand as its Chair Person.Rabindaranath read his essay on "The Cult of Nationalism " in the Board of Commerce Auditorium to help the Salvation Army Rescue Home to an audience that filled it to capacity and in which Detroit's exclusive society was well represented .
Bankim Chandra Roy was the then Headmaster of the School founded by the famous motor car manufacturer Henry Ford (1863-1947). An interview of a journalist of New York City Mail was arranged by him on 21st Nov. An essay " America as I see it" written on the basis of that interview, Rabindranath said;
" I talked with Henry Ford about foreign exploitation and the oppression of weaker people. Mr. Ford is a friend of mine. I think he is an idealist and I admire his attempting and solving a great problem of humanity in business. But when I introduced the subject of foreign oppression of your treatment of Asiatics, I do not think I made him understand.'
The news papers of Detroit had , in general, said in favour of Rabindranath.In an essay, titled " A profound Message", Free Press commented on 13th Nov:
" The Board of Commerce audience heard the most profound analysis of life and of the mechanism of commerce, of organized society and of Government that any modern ears have heard. The Rouseaus, the Jefferson, the Karl Marxes, the Bryees and the Wilsons seen superficial in the presence of this swarthy analyst."
Having read this editorial, one resident of Detroit, L.P.Moyle, appreciating the editorial wrote;
" Thank you for the virile stand you take against such sickly saccharine mental poison with which that Tagors would corrupt the minds of the youth of our great United States." The paper published the letter to the editorial , titled " Dislikes Tagore's Ideals/This Citizen considers this very poisinous."
