Evening public ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, January 13, 1915, Night Extra, Page 8, Image 8

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    i u.jlAi.i.i.i'iiiA. WEDNESDAY, aSTTAKT lgLJLJi
JLL
'V Jb ai i ix 1 a-
(!uiitt0 giSSft W0CJr
PUBLIC LEDGEIt CdJII?AN Y
CUIUS It. K. CURTIS. TiMiosst.
ft John 0 Martin, '.rt nr r ; Charles It Ludlngtott,
P J'hlllfr R Collin. Johh U. Williams, Directors
toiii-.jiii -fn , ,..-. ,,,.. ,. . j ii. ii ! i i.i.-i
EWDOlUAIiDOAIlDj
3 . CtaCs 11 K Ccarit, ChalftrUtt. I ..
P. 11 vltAlx. fceeutlr IMIlo"
JOllKC MAItTlN..
.General Business Manager
Published dAllr at Pcbuo Ledum Building,
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ly carrier, Daht Onlt, six cent. Itymnll. postpaid
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nrtJ-nooowAiNUT
KEYSTONE, MAIN 3000
psr Address oil communications to Evening
Ltdger, lndtpcrtdtnce Smiart, rhlladclpMa.
XNTxnsn iT ins rmLiDRLrm rosTorrtcs a- second
class tutt. UATirn.
niHUhUMIIA, ytDWESDAV, JAWUAIIV 13. 1'JlS.
The difference In men financially ti due to
head, heredity and hustling, not to parly;
and no party come tMhln the ex
clusive benediction of the beati
tudes. Progress That Cannot lie Blocked
IT WOULD bo a grievous mlstako for tho
Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association
to maintain a "lobby" at Harrlsburg to fight
tho progressive legislation demanded by pub
Ma sentiment. A workman's compensation
law and a child labor law, not to mention
others, aro demanded by all those for whom
tho rising sun of a better day Is not ob
scured by tho dime held before their eyes.
The Manufacturers' Association can be
helpful In framing wlso laws. Its members
are experienced business men, and their
advico Is indispensable if, mistakes aro to bo
avoided. Its Harrlsburg "lobby" can possibly
Justify Its exlstenco If It co-operates with tho
representatives of tho employes and with tho
agentB of the philanthropic societies In draft
ing n workman's compensation bill which
Will protect tho Interests of nil parties and
bear heavily on none. What Is needed Just
now Is" good faith and a forward vision.
But whether the Manufacturers' Associa
tion co-operates or not, some kind of legis
lation for tho relief of tho worklngmon and
their children must bo passed this win
ter. When Congress declared that tho
labor of human beings Is not a commodity
It formulated tho new gospel which Is to
lnsplro much lawmaking for tho next gener
ation. If tho employer falls to treat tho
employe as though ho woro a brother man,
society at largo will Insist upon a reform.
Tho old-fashioned economists may object,
on tho ground that generous humanity in
business relations spells ruin, and dcclaro
that society cannot lift Itself by Its boot
straps. Perhaps It cannot, but society can
throw a rope over an Ideal and pull Itself
up to higher things.
Strategic Victory for Women
EQUAL suffrage won a great strategic
Victory In Washington yesterday. A
change of 18 votes would have given tho
Wendell resolution a majority and a change
of 39 votes would have given It the two
thirds necessary In cases where amendment of
tho Constitution Is proposed. The issue has
passed from small areas into tho national
.arena and hereafter every national legisla
tor -will have to wear his opinion on his
sleeve.
The vote was an emphatlo tribute to the
sagacity with which the women have waged
their campaign In this country. Practically,
of course, It gives tho advocates of equal
suffrage nothing to worry about. They aro
Winning State after State, and a State once
won can- never be lost. All their progress
must bo forward; it can never be backward.
That la one reason why tho nationalization
of equal suffrage Is certain. Irrespective of
the attitude of Congress.
Follow The Worm
A HARVARD professor, experimenting with
. the intelligence of a worm, has discov
ered that tho wriggling Invertebrate knows
enough, after three trials, to avoid a path
that lads to an electric shock and to take
tho road that leads to comfort.
But vertebrato man will follow tho lane to
disaster tlmo after time. He knows that It
is tho way to ruin. Ho knows that discom
fort and disease Ho at the end, but with that
.splendid gift of reason and free will, with
which he is endowed, he lets the crawling
things bf the earth prove their superior
wisdom.
Austrian Weakness Helps tho Allies
THE END of the war will be in sight when
Austria-Hungary collapses. How soon
this catastrophe will overtake the dual mon
archy no one can foretell, but signs of its ap
proach are manifold, Austria-Hungary weak
ened herself in the beginning by sending her
heavy artillery to Germany for use in the
campaign against the French. But the lack
of artillery does not enfeeble her so much as
the Incoherence of the hostile racial elements
In her population.
Hungary Is nearer akin to Russia and Ser
vla than to Austria. If the Russian forces
can once get through the Carpathian hllla in
considerable numbers they will And that the
resistance from the Hungarians will be more
formal than real. Hungary will not be a
second Belgium, fighting1 to Its death, to re
sist the Invader. If Constantinople falls be
fore the Russians, and the Balkan States en
ter the conflict, backed by Italy, the doom of
Austria will be sealed, and Germany will find
iier sole friend In the Triple Alliance a, broken
reed and will have to continue the fight
atone Devitalized Austria Is the hone of an
arly peace.
Burglary and Unemployment
THERE are burglaries In moat prosperous
times, but to periods of depression, when
men are out of work, there aro more bur.
glarles. Men whose families are in need
yield to temptation and men with no faml
Urn, but with stomachs that intist be filled,
levy toll upon the well-to-do for the satis
faction of their own appetites. Statistics
how that there is a close relation between
unemployment and crime
The most obvious way, therefore, to re
hc4 the number of burglaries, not only in
Ctemanttrura, but in other parts of the city, la
f yfovtile work, and tha easiest way to giv
th i,wptt a, jpuA still farther on tha dwn-
eftjr riMmrV wJr to pievMf p Wf
the Idles the great publla work, (or which
the city 1b waiting, ought to be pushed for
ward with the utmost speed that employ
ment at a living wage, Instead of a petty
dolo of municipal charity, may ba offered to
the hungry.
Inexorable Pursuit of Pence
THERE Is red blood In Mr. Beck's volnf
but why should ho wish to pour It out on
fields already wet with goro? Tho Idea of
the Unltodi States and tho other neutrals
summoning tho belligerents to cease hacking
each other on pain of the aforesaid neutrals
drawing their swords aim terminating tho
conflict by fdrco of arms Is all right, but In
such n caso Just whom Would tho neutrals
fight? Thlri thing of Interfering In a family
row Is lnovltably so disastrous to the Intor
ferer that tho comic artists wax rich in de
pleting tho results. We could not well put
our armies Into motion against Germany
alono If tho- Allies also refused to accept
peace. And ns for fighting both Germany
and tho Allies well, "let them as wants to
do It."
Tho former Assistant Attorney General
speaks of n "cowardly sulking, shirking pol
icy of Isolation." Those nro strong Words,
Mr. Beck. Thero is nothing cowardly in
keeping our heads, nothing sulking In tho
charity wo havo extended to tho stricken,
nothing shirking In our determination to
protect American Interests on tho high seas
and everywhere elso. Tho United States Is
the great romalnlng guardian of peaceful
civilization. It Is nn oasis In tho desort of
strife Who would deliberately chango Its
status and hurl our youth Into tho mael
stroms of flro and shell? Lot Europe fight
as It will and It Is best that thoro bo no
end of It until pcaco can bo established on a
lasting basis but tho United States Is woll
out of It and must koop well out of It Par
ticularly must wo bowaro of many whoso de
votion to tho cause thoy ndvocato leads them
Into strange pursuits. Our duty to tho world
and to humanity Is to keep our place far
above tho senseless clamor of tho battle
fields, tho shining champion of peace, ln
oxorablo In our pursuit of Industry, thu hap
piness of humanity and law and order.
Entitled to a Trade School
A TRADE school for girls is Doctor Brum
baugh's final recommendation as ho
passes from a field where ho has been con
spicuously successful Into a larger area of
octlon, and why not? Thero aro eight mil
lions or moro of women engaged In active
business, earning their own living and In
too many cases supporting dependent fam
ilies. If our economic system drives them
Into tho workshop, If thoy must tako a placo
In tho Industrial machine, by all means let
them bo as well equipped as tho men with
whom they must compete. They aro en
titled to a special form of education, as aro
tho men, at public expense, that their earn
ing power may bo augmented and their ca
pacity for service Increased. Equality of
opportunity is a fundamental American
principle. Here Is an excellent chanco to
put It Into effect.
Feed America First
A LOAF of bread must weigh a pound, pos
sibly more, but never less. So says the
law, enacted for the protection of the people
more than a century ago. It has not been
annulled. Tho courts have sustained It.
Against short loaves Philadelphia Is pro
tected. Tho consumer will got what he pays
for, whether tho price per loaf rises or re
mains stationary.
But the flour market Is ominous. It Is sky
bound. On one Bido is Europe's cash and
on tho other tho American people, tho pooror
poople, those to whom a 20 per cent, lncreaso
In the cost of bread would bo a calamity.
For which sldo does the Administration
stand? No peoplo will tolerate tho draining
of their food supplies. They will not coun
tenance bold robbery of American mouths for
the benefit of Europe. They are already pay
ing war taxes and they do not propose to be
taxed additionally by speculators for private
profit. They aro aroused, as they ought to
bo aroused, and the demand for action by
the Government Is already becoming a
command.
Keep the wheat at home, all but the sur
plus. The crop Is a bumper one and tho
price must parallel the domestlo supply. Let
us feed our own peoplo first. There will be
plenty of time then to supply Europe's needs,
which are of her own making. It Is un
thinkable that any other policy should domi
nate Washington.
Backstepping on Coal Rates
THE Pennsylvania Railroad Is entirely
right In declaring that it Is Important
to the Stato of Pennsylvania and the city
of Philadelphia that tho revenues of tho
public carriers serving both be adequately
conserved.
It Is even moro important to the State of
Pennsylvania and the city of Philadelphia
to see that their natural advantages are not
nullified by differentials In favor of other
States and cities less favorably situated.
The question of the adequacy of the coal
rates, which the Public Service Commission
has ordered reduced, is not the issue; for if
they are inadequate the railroads stand con
victed of having for years maintained un
profitable rates to competing ports. The
discrimination has been notorious and per
sistent The official order of the commis
sion was on that account anticipated.
The appeal to the courts by the railroads,
therefore, appears to be a dilatory proceed
ing which public opinion will not Indorse.
Otherwise, If the roads are convinced that
their case can stand on Its merits, their
failure to ask for a rehearing Is Inexplicable.
Even a Colt can argue for universal peace.
Washington can never be "drier than Con
gress. It Is an ocean-going, not a political, mer
chant marine that is wanted.
It blew last night andjt kept on blowing.
Even the elements ere Joining in the clean
up campaign,
in 11 1 1
England views new trade with suspicion,
That's nothing. Our own Congress began
doing that two years ago,
" ' n'1.1 '
The tax receipts for last year broke all
records; that Is what the demonstration for
transit tomorrow night la going to do, ,
The balance of trade In our favor would
be even more satisfactory If the import trade
also were normal, although It would not look
so well on paper.
Mr. Var$ put himself on the side of equal
suffrage; that Is, he voted for the Mondell
resolution. The Pennsylvania delegation, in
fftct, showed more than the necessary twp
thlrda in ftivor of submission of tha constl.
tutliiiil ameiiduwit.
CONGRESSMEN MUST
BE GOOD LISTENERS
1 .. 4, 1 .. -.
tltfnking Promises is Different Under
wood, Chnmp Clark and Mann Are
'Adepts at Fvading Callers' Pleas, But
Their Methods Dilfcr Greatly.
By ED WA11D W. TO WNSEND
""7'ES, ho did," half mused one woman to
X another, who had said that tho President
had not answered them, "and that's it
blessed relief, because ono bo seldom gets
nn nnnwer hero In Washington that Isn't
or cut on tho bins."
Now that surely was a naughty comment
by tho second speaker; nevertheless, ono
experienced has more than an Inkling of
what was peoVlng her. Tho President had
received a delegation of suffragists tho sixth
ono, I believe, that ho has received and had
told them with Wllsonlnn prccisoness that
he did not agree with them In tho way thoy
sought their coveted end, Tho second
spenker quoted above plainly intimated that
tho Washington afllcinl concrsation Is not
distinctly marked by precision.
But, IiIcbs hor heart, If she only knew what
weird questions Involving problems of state
craft, morals, manners, religion and taBto
In art, landscape gardening and mixed drinks
wo nro blithely called Upon to decide offhand
sho would not have been so darned sarcastic
Old and successful members cultivate ns a
science tho ability to ovado conclusions on
tho nnlmportnnt things. As to Important
things, they must dccldo quickly and firmly
and cleavo thereunto.
A Helicons Listener
Majority Leader Underwood has most skill
In th's matter of evading precise promises
In unimportant things, and tho secret of his
success Is his prodigious capacity for listen
ing. Tie is railed upon by moro peoplo de
voted to moro trifles than any other member
of Congress. Ita has ono oilier In tho Capi
tol besides his big sulto In tho IJouso ofllco
building which ho devotes to tho business
of personal callers.
One would have to bo In comedy mood to
tell oven half tho truth about tho requests,
protests and advice Underwood received from
callers, to all of whom ho listens with pollto
patlonco.
Stick a pin in that word "listens," please,
for I'm coming back to It In a moment. Ono
day I went to that conforence olllco to seo
tho leader nbout a legislative matter, nnd
although ono woman was talking to him
and another woman nnd a man were waiting,
ho nodded to me to wait.
Tho woman by his sidn was saying, "So,
If you will uso your influence with tho Li
brary rommltteo to give her tho commission
to paint the portrait, it will pleaso her friends
so much! Sho has painted a yard of red
clover blossoms which hangs In tho pastor's
study right now, and the $500 sho would get
for painting tho portrait would givo her
a year nt tho New Yotk art sclfool, and sho
docs want to learn to paint so much!" and
so on, and so on.
He Was Pleased, That's All
Underwood never peeped, but never looked
uninterested, rinally, tho woman's talk ran
down, sho rose, pleased ns Punch. Under
wood roso and shook hands with her, saying,
and they wero the only words ho said to her,
"It has been a great pleasuro to meet you,
madam."
Tho man was next. Ho protested against
a tariff discrimination, a duty on sweetened
biscuits while the unsweetened kind were
on tho free list. Ho preferred tho Imported
sweetened biscuit and wanted to know, you
know, nnd so on. He finally departed wear
ing tho proud smile of victory. All that
Underwood ihad said was, "It has been a
great pleasure to meet you, sir."
When It camo my turn I said, "I've got
you, Oscar."
"Yes, I guess you havo," he answered,
smiling. "It took mo 10 years of experience
to provo tho rule. If ou don't sny 11 word
to peoplo who call on unimportant matters
you gain two desirable results: First, you
savo time, for If you let a caller run on with
out saying a word thoy protty soon finish
what they havo rehearsed to say to you; If
you reply you start them off again. Next,
you send them away pleased, for thoy don't
wake up until tho next day to tho fact that
you haven't promised thorn anything."
Speaker Clark Is always a surprise to
callers meeting him for tho first time. Per
haps It Is because ho Is called "Champ" and
Is from Missouri people generally suppose
he is a finished "mixer." Ho doesn't "mix"
a llttlo bit. He doesn't even shako hands
with one, but lots you shake his hand; he
doosn't smile In greeting, but gravely watts
for t'other fellow to mako an unhid advance.
If, however, a caller Is not abashed by his
gravity, his bulk, and has anything but plati
tudes to offer, he soon finds that Speaker
Clark Is interested. He likes to meet men
who have Ideas and can express them; with
such ho will talk with lively Interest about
odes, oats, Shakespeare, farm wagos, Henry
Clay or early Irish literature. But and
here Is where ho Is unlike Underwood If
you come with a protest or request ho'll have
It out with you roundly.
The assistant secretaries of Cabinet de
partments who have to go to Chairman Fitz
gerald to explain 'their requests for appro
priations will tell you with a shiver that
"Fltz" can bite a fellow's head off with less
effort than any other man In Congress, Well,
Doctor Guillotine's little safety razor hasn't
much on "Fltz," I'll admit, but Minority
Leader Mann can leave him at the barrier in
a race at head biting. Mann, of course, has
an army of callers with requests for his
entirely respectable pull.
Ho does not listen in deluding silence like
Underwood, nor talk' It out as does Clark.
With Mann It's, "Well?"
YiHage Raphaels
(Brief explanation, then);
"No, I wdn't!"
"Good evening!"
Yet of tho three men, Mann, I fancy, has
tho most natural affability.
There are others, but what I've said sug
gests that the suffragists' complaint about
not getting answers in Washington was made
without a full knowledge of the questions
put up to oftlqlals to answer, '
A chance allusion I made back yonder to
portraits of Speakers recalls dear old Frank
Millet, who, with his cnum, Archie Butt, sank
With the Titanic. Millet was pne of the Fed
eral Arts Commission created by President
Roosevelt, and the only one, as I recall, who
lived In Washington.
Before Augustus Gardner (who wants an
army) and I served of ether on the Library
Committee Qf the House, the committee,
-when authorized to obtain a portrait of a
Speaker, usually gave tha Job to soma plains
or mountain Raphael or the .female equiva
lent. As the painter couldn't paint aad had to
nn-
cnff9CC"
f-'i,v
tvMV
-'
work, usually, from an early last century
photogtaph or tho fervid recollections of a
grandson, tho finished product when it mado
Its nppcaranco in Washington was woll, Just
guess!
It, with tho "artist," would bo sent to
rrank Millet's big studio, whoro ho painted
his stunning decorativo panels for- public
buildings.
Not un unkind word from Millet, In whoso
Judgment lay the artist's fato. Gently and
kindly ho would point out tho "little" faults
of tho portrait and suggest how they might
bo remedied.
At not!) ho would climb down from his
paint bridge and look ovor the artist's work.
It had generally mado horror mnro horrlblo;
then ho would suggest by example. In short,
at tho end of a week or so, ho would havo
repainted tho thing. That is why the por
traits lately hung In tho lolby of tho House,
whether or not they aro likenesses, aro good
paintings with somo vlllago Raphael's namo
signed to them!
As I was saying, Gus Gardner and I do
lighted In putting a tin can on the floor of
tho Library Committee room, and kicking It
around tho big table whenover another vll
lago Raphael gamo was proposed. Whereby
wo Incurred great dlsosteem, but saved tho
House lobby walls from much horror.
Sl
SONG IN RELIGIOUS REVIVALS
Its Influence in the Time of the Crusades, and
of the Reformation.
PRACTICALLY all of tho periods of re
ligious activity In tho Christian Church
havo been 'marked by an outburst of song.
What "TIpp?rary" Is to tho British army and
what "John Brown's Body" and "Dixie' woro
to tho soldiers of tho Civil War "hymns havo
been to tho church in Its militant move
ments. '
In tho early church Ambrose of Milan, tho
most powerful preacher and ecclesiastical
soldier of his age, was a hymn-writer, and
tho "To Deum," which is a creed set to music,
is ascribed to him It watf no mere coinci
dence that Bernard of Clalrvaux and Ber
nard of Cluny wrote their hymns, which are
still sung In churches of nil creeds today, dur
ing tho height of the crusades. St. Francis
of Assist called himself tho "Troubadour of
Christ," and the sermons that ho preached
had tho lyrical noto In them.
Not tho least of tho Influences' of tho Prot
estant reformation was tho outbreak of song
led by tho hymns and chorals of Luther and
his friends. Charles Wesley's "spiritual
songs" were quite as great a factor In tho
establishment of Methodism aB tho preach
ing of John Wesley Hcber and Faber helped
to deepon tho Impression made by Newman
during tho Tractarlan days In the English
Established Church, and Horatlus Bonars
hymns in Scotland were even more potent
than tho pulpit effort of Chalmers.
In modern revivals tho power of tho songs
has been quite as significant and far-reachi
Ing aa the thunders of tho evangelist. San
key's1 "Oospel Hymns" will be remembered
long after the sermons of Moody are forgot
ten, Alexander did moro than has ever been
admitted to make Torrey and Wilbur Chap
man effective, The "Bllly'Sundaysongsspread
tho Bplrlt of the baseball preacher's work far
beyond the range of the tabernacle. In
Scranton they wero sung In the street cars,
played by tho German bands and whistled
everywhere. The great Scranton choir was
exceptional, as It was composed largely of
members of tho Scranton Oratorio Socletz.
It was; no unusual thing to have a chorus of
"Elijah," "The Creation" or "St. Paul" sung
not only by the BOO voices In the choir, but
by the entire audience. Indeed, the "Halle
lujah Chorus" was magnificently rendered
more than once during the campaign. It Is
already manifest that the singing Of hymns
Is as notable a feature of tha Sunday meet
ings here as -the unique addresses of "Billy"
himself.
Sleep and Poetry
From tha Ohio Stats Journs.1.
An exchange recommends the reading of a
fine soul-felt poem before retiring for the
night's rest. It tends to' compose the bouI and
put It In harmony with the truth and goodness
of things. A novel will jiot do that, nor a news
paper, nor anything that sets the mind in A
flutter. Reading a poem one of the good old
kind that get! Into the heart and has a nice
time there is IlketloatlnK down a quiet stream,
past the fragrance of flowers and the songs of
the birds Never had that experience, eh! How
very shiftless. Indeed!
Did you ever try reading 'flnow.Bound" on an
evening when the snow was piling up the
"silence deep and white"? Well, try It. Wblt
tier will give one something for any evening.
Tennyson's Idyls are a little more urgent, but
they are as tranquillizing as a, gentl arm
around you. Wordsworth Is great, but takes
too much thought; Browning, too, and Lowell,
but Longfellow not so much. But as my aa
smiling is the humorous kind, like Riley. But
there are hundreds of poems floating about as
sweet as a bush of roses. Taks them In and
resd them before going to lied A good one
will last a week Like a song they Improve
with age We often have on this page a sic
HtUt go-to-bed poem. Wateh for them, clip
thjiift eut and us them to help the holy spirit
Ol 8lp. .-
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IT IS TO LAUGH
PUTTING THE THEATRE
UPON AN ALLOWANCE
What a. Philadclphian Might Do to Save
the Little Theatre and Place the Play
house on a Par with School, Lihrary
and Opera House.
By KENNETH MACGOWAN
THE Llttlo Theatre threatens to cut short
Its season for lack of funds, while nlmost
at tho samo tlmo tho Liebler Cgmpany nnd
Harrison Grey Flsko go into bankruptcy.
Mrs. Jay's Idealistic venturo in local dra
matic art cries pltcoiisly for aid, and the
best of managers of tho commercial theatre
go to the wall. Does this mean disaster for
the American drama? Or can It bo made tho
desperato buglo call for help that may save
somo part of tho citadel of dramatic art?
Thero can be no doubt of tho thoroughly
fine work done at the Llttlo Theatre They
nro great plays and entertaining plays that
have been given there this year. Shaw's
"Arms and the Man," Sheridan's "Rhnls"
and "Tho Critic," Hougljton's "Hlndle
Wakes," Galsworthy's "Silver Box " Thoro
are oven better things promised: dramas by
Hauptmann, Hervlou and Tchokoff, comedies
by Gogol, Mollere, St. John Hankln nnd
Ibsen. The company Is excellent In members
and ensemble Tho producer, B, Iden Payne,
long ago distinguished himself by his work
in England, where he was Instrumental In
tho creation of tho Mnnchester Repertory
Theatre.
It Is a comparatively small amount of
money that will carry tho Llttlo Theatre
through Its list of notable plays, enabling
it to add Hauptmann, Mollero nnd Tchekoff
to Galsworthy, Shcrldannnd Shnw. Every
week sees somo rich Philadelphia)! give as
much to a worthy cause Every field of hu
man endeavor comes In for its endowment
except tho drama. Tho rango Is quite ns wide
as the satirist Pope Imaglped; peoplo aro
ready to
Endow a college or tt cat.
Wo sow education by endowing schools,
Instructive diversion by founding libraries,
esthetic pleasuro by supporting opera. But
wo never think of Investing money In tho
stimulating, heightening sopial entertainment
o'f the theatre. t
If Opera, Why Not Drama?
Tho responsibility is probably a llttlo di
vided. Thero is, of course, a tendency to
underestimate tho theatre. We endow opera
and orchestras because wo value lino music
very much above fine drama and are not con
tent to wait for the tnakeshifts that com
mercial exploitation would bring us. But,
'after all. Is Beethoven better! than Sophocles,
Mozart than Shakespearo; Is an opera by
Strauss superior to a play by Shaw? Would
we trust any other Instrument of social art
schools, libraries, museums, orchestras, opera
companies to bo conducted on tho whole
sale, speculative system of the American
theatre? And what would wo get If we did?
All this would have been almost meaning
less to a European of what are now ante
bellum days. Nono but the Anglo-Saxon
countries thus neglect the theatre. In Paris
thero were and, of course, there still are
tho State-endowed Comedle and Odeon and
playhouses like the Theatre dea Arts, sup
ported by private patrons, Through all of
Western Europe the samo holds true. Even
barbarian Russia, of Czardom and autocracy,
has its royal theatres In Petrograd and Us
sublime Art Theatre of Moscow, In Ger
many, where the stage has reached Jts high
est development as an Instrument of art, the
royal, State or municipal theatre Is the rule
In every city, even In towns of 85,000, like
Frolburg. Public ald doesn't exhaust Ger
many's Interest In the playhouse. Men like
Relnhardt find willing backers among the
rich. New theatres are frequently built for
a promising producer by a group of men, who
practically give the land and structure aa p.
foundation. Everywhere but here the far
sighted, the art-loving, are giving financial
aid to the drama,
Outside our underestimate of the value of
the theatre, there Is a very natural econ5mlo
explanation of America's backwardness. All
these endowments abroad are for local stock
companies under a single directing hand;
those are almost the only kind oi theatres
that the Continent knows. Here, where the
drama sprang up overnight as our civiliza
tion sprang, we created a vast touring sys
tem of Interdependent theatre buildings
united by the exchange week after week of
separate companies each acting a single play.
The local theatre was and is only a busl
ness unit The traveling company is a com
merclal venture on a single play. The whole
system is spread over a continent.
,
Where to Endow
Where would be the chance for endow
ment? Backing 0, single player or a com
pany or two would be unsatisfactory at best
and exceedingly risky. This speculative
touring system, wa must rwmeraber, means
bjg costs, a few big galas and great wajry
S 1 - i
ix&mm
big losses. Anything but the obvloiS
popular Is damned almost at tho iutil
Tho only opening, for tho endowment?
dramatic art would seem to bo the ctetUa.
of local companies as In Europe. AniTffi
In tho face of tho theatre-going habits iu
ready In force, seems almost as rhkjjia
anything In the commercial theatre. MM
i. inn la uuvt i. t;ujjiu trim ttiatl JJlQm
Theatres," "Toy Theatres" and "Puncli
Judy Theatres" as many have doniiJ
Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston and New Tom
havo to face a long period of loss tefej
tho public can learn of tho opportuj
awaiting them. These risks must Um
art of tho commercial theatre ifytirt
satisfy certain of tho community anj &
cause tho commercial theatre Itself Is fruk
lng down under an Impossible flnnricW'bw
den. Every season grows harder than ft!
Inst In this gargantuan gambling hosiatj
art. Even the managers themselves en
at it. And it Is tho best men with the jig
art Tyler, of tho Lioblers, and the hww)
and manager of Mrs. Flsko who(go
first. Tho tlmo ha3 plainly come ta'ft
something.
Tho plea for tho endowment of open
orchestra has always been a necessity,
opera Is a losing business. Deficits hatjTi
br met or the art given up or debased.
.fnen in Philadelphia, Now York, Chlctp
and Boston hae mado the sacrifice fcrtl
Tho, oxcubo cannot wholly have been to kej
a snolnl entertainment nllvo for the elhlft
tlon of gowns. ' ij;
Real art In tho theatre races ihtjsa
necessity. It has always faced ltt Tit fi
of drama Itself now Beems threatened, I
tho commercial thpatro Is no longer tol
rolled upon to supply our craving foMsf
tertainment, ventures like Phlladelpffi
Llttlo Theatro must be tided over till Urn
tregoera got their bearlng3 and learn t W
their amusement and sustenance In &
local playhouses, where art may oe nurran
by such a hand and such nn Intelligence
Iden Payne's. Some rich PhlladeipniKi
TniiHf pnmn tn this renll7ntlon before t M
night; or Mrs. Jay nnd Mr. Payne iu
reluctantly closed the Llttlo Theatre Ml
us waiting for nnother Moses.
Teaching Local History
The teaching of local history In public 5
la i occasionally discussed, nnd 'then ths nil
inn lq nllnwnil to die of Inanition. Butll
nevertheless a matter of considerable ItfTfB
tance. If patriotism ana State pride "'
fniinrlfl,! nn HnmMhlnn TTlOrfi substantial H
effurvesccnt sentiment, they should be m
a knowledge of what a community, a oiwe
a nation has done In and for the world. AS"
lean school children are fairly well WM(
In national history. But we doubt If i;
them could relate the history of the Bi
origin, tho chnrncter and development iW
constitution or the names and deeds of IU W
men ind women.
The Growing Spirit of Humsnltj:
From ths Kana city Times. B33
Tn ,1.a mint., Ik... la a., fn-rHllnr AQC
of persons who put out food for blrairyj
modern spirit of humanity Includes Dirfw
as beasts. 'K
It was only a couple of hundred yPr;
that the first erl8lotlonagalnst cort-isw
was epactea in jsngiana oy me .uin-.
16 was enacted then not because the sp!J
crueto 'he birds, tout because tne piw(
"fiommonlv accomnsnlfid with sarablingtj
Ing- swearing, quarreling and other dfe
practices." ,
On MOTJJERS OF MANY
f&J
Cmint nVr vnur hrnn.l. nh va Mother! OX
One two and three-God! How tlw
rlpnrl a
'Which will ye spare, then? All? Or Pt
une two ana tnree 10 tne "",
Whv fnnlffth nnnunl fUf V to VOUT W
Fatter yet breed ye and bring to the tW
mm yuur mnq nearu in unit iu-j
juying Ta
Splendidly rear them to fatten the eM
Is't not for this yo plight ye to your tow
uniy lor mis mat ye Biyo juw.tnp 1
Month unto month, that ye live the war
inrs, ,
Bitter of travail to mother ya mem
One two andi three God I How ttttl
precious! 1
These that ye onoe went road-mate wj
death! -
Babes that ye suckled-3odl How tbj
precious
Fl.h nt vnur flali nnd llv breath .
breath 1
One two-and three-not for this nwl?fi
Not for the wastage of bullet and 1J
Not to malce fallow tha fields can J
thero? ,
Not to heap high up a king's rarUb'1
Strain ye your breasts Godward-Oh MU2
' Many
Stretch ye your clamorous arms tbt
Cit ihom va rrnv.U.H fn nnl anv nOt
m
Can ye soars from your count unt9j
butchery I
Qh, count o'sr your brood then, y W
( Many
Qn twoand thr Qod! IJow
dear! '
Which will ya spare, then? All? Of 1
uneiwer-aifci tftree to tne muu
-LouUms TJunham Goldberry, in ths I
ysr'?8BiH,