Rabindranath read the essay " The Cult of Nationalism" in Macaulay's Theater in Louisville of Kentucky state on 6th Nov. This program was organised by Fine Arts Association of Mrs. Ona Talbot.The publicity mediums were publishing information of Rabindranath's arrival well in ahead like that Milwaukee.But mixed reactions of his lecture was reflected in the local paper Post on 7th Nov;
" The audience received the lecture with evidently divided feelings.At the conclusion of the lecture itself there was no applause; some remained silent because they had not been interested and others because their interest had been so keen that they did not care to interrupt it with applause.After the lecture the poet read some of his translations of his own work from the Bengali, and these were received with applause from everyone.
The later expression was also available in Herald written by E.A.J. on 8th Nov under the title, "Orient and Occident meet in Tagore's Wonderful talk.";
" It was an audience unusually representative. It was, beyond that, an audience of exceptional , of tense and earnest attention. And, most of all, it hesitated to disturb with applause, utterances so strangely poetic, Philosophic, and of the day...The poet who is a philosopher is not usually met. The poet who is a man of politics and affairs, that is Hugo and -- how hard to keep away from him -- it is Kipling, too. But these were men essentially practical and, one might almost say, commercial. Tagore is practical because he is human, real, Verile, vibrant. Commercial he is not. We do not regret it.His indignation burns. His wrath sears. His sense of the unseemly and the scandalous is a benediction for the sole reason that it is conviction. How paltry are the things we tolerate. How dirty. It is refreshing to meet this manly man of an outside world very near to us and more valuable, by far, than it is near."
This was the success of his message. "The cult of Nationalism" was criticized severely . Though there were other essays to be read But he wanted to say something which E.A.j. spoke " Tagore insists that his audiences think. It is an unusual demand. Nor are we quite sure that they met it. " Seattle Post intelligence truly commented, " Tagore is not an entertainer. He is here to say something and he has something to say. He will leave his impress on the thought of our country."
