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EVENING EEBGEBPHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, APRIL' 15, tOlS:
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PUD LlG LEDGElt COMPANY
crias Jr. k. crnns. rtMioixi.
CturlMtl. L.idlngton.Vlce Fr.MnliJoni.C Martin,
FfrrfWtir and Tr-nurr. Philip B. Collin, John It.
l II I I 1 , , .
KDITOntALllOAnUj
ffe H. k CCRtis, Chairman.
T. n. TVMAf.BY Kecutlv Hdllcr
fonwe. MAttTlN. ........ .timer.! nuslneos Man
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SL'nSCrttPTIONTKrtVI",
Hr carrlr, Daii.t OnLt, nit renin. Itv mall, nn.tnald
enlftMs of tnitlndelphla, r-Aciil where fnrlcn pn-tA,.
H required, Uul.Y Ost.t, one mnnlh, l-enljr-fle renin,
mtrr O.-t.t, nne year, three dollar All mall nub
rcrlpllona parable In advanee
?
BELL, 3000 WALNUT KH S 1 0K, MAIN .1000
9 Addrvta all rnmmuntcntlotia to nicntng
I.edOtr, tfidetitndente Squarr. Phlladftyliln
KNTEBED IT 1MB rillMPr.l.PtlH 1-lKTortlCK in srcfl.Nn
rf.A. suit. iMrrri!.
rillLADUJ'lllA, -Illl'ttSDW, AI'llll. LI, 1913.
it ia not the Ucletts, but the Penelopes, who
hold the world together.
Things (o Think r Today
FIFTY years ngo Hie natlcm was In mourn
tng because Lincoln was dend. Tho
Soiltli mourned as writ us the Ninth, for tho
South realized Hint tho groat President hold
no vlndlctlvcncss In his hrart. Lincoln wns
ton big for the iioity vice of rovengo and
too tolerant fnr tho Ignoble emotion of
hatred. Ho holds n. high place In the henrts
of men of all nations, even those now at
war. because of the Involuntary and In
stinctive admlrntlon which we pay to a man
Who can forget himself In his devotion to i
frrcat cause.
On this fiftieth anniversary of his death
It Is well to think of theso things and profit
by them.
Local Option Moves on Schedule Time
IOCAIi optIonl3tn won a strategic vlc
1 tory when the local option bill was re
ported to the House yesterday, Instead of
Tuesday night. Tho bill will now be ordered
to Its second reading on next Monday, tho
day fixed by tho Governor. If It had been
reported on Tuesday night It would have
been voted on this week, when the lliiunr
lntorests think they could kill It. Hut with
four or five days morn In which to work
the local opMonistK are confident that they
will win.
Tho case with which they lmvo kept con
trol of the measure thus far strengthens tho
hopo that they will carry their point. Tho
bill was retained In committee Just as lone
as tho Governor wished It to remain there.
It was reported out at thn tlmo which ho
selected and the voto on lis second reading
Will bo taken In accordance with his pro
gram. It Is morally certain that nil thnso
on whose support ho Is fountliif will lino
up on tho roll call and he counted on tho
right side.
Experienced politicians in ItnrrlshiUK are
discovering that Dr. UrumbnuRli is him
self a politician of no mean ability and un
derstands the arts of persuasion and tho
science of popular nppenl. And they nro
learning, also, that when he pledged him
self to local option In the campaign bo meant
what he said.
It Looks Like a Skirmish
CAN It bo thnt tills campaign against tho
Hlggs National Hank has been started
to provo to tho country that Icgitlmato busi
ness has nothing to fear from the Democ
racy? Or is its purpose to demonstrnto to
the Bryan Democracy that tho Administra
tion Is not afraid of tho money power and
dares call to book a national bank nlllllatcd
with another one of the biggest national
banks' In the country?
The presumption, of course, is thnt tho
Rlggs bank Is Innocent of tho offenses which
Comptroller Williams charges it with, and
It must bo regarded as Innocent until It la
proved guilty. This Is its constitutional
right. The burden of proof rests upon tho
Comptroller.
Whlto tho case Is awaiting settlement
every business man will bo curious to know
whether this Is really tho first gun In tho
campaign of 1916,
Political Topsy-turviness
THE position of Organization Coiinclltnen
scorns to bo .that they nro In favor of
iiny good housing law that will not nssuro
good housing. In this respect thoy differ
In direction only from tho eminent village
philosopher who solemnly averred that ho
was against strong drink but In favor of
whisky.
Necessity a Goad to Prosperity
THERE la no monopoly in trado herotoforo
enjoyed by Germany that tho exigencies
of tho present should not convert Into
American supremacy. Cheap mineral dyes
are not out of reach of our Industrial
capacity. Thero aro natural monopolies, It
la true, which seem to bo beyond our power
at acquisition; yet, oven so, tho scurclty of
potash, for Instance, has given a new Im
pulse to search for an American substitute,
Which had resulted In a treatment of sea
weed which may prove practical, and In
Utah ores rich In potash have been dis
covered. Necessity continues to be tho mother of
Invention. A long war will compel us.
Whether we wish It or not, to secure our own
upplles of raw or other mnterlals of which
We are now depiived. A famine In any com
modity breeds Invention and energy. That
the great conflict means some now Industries
In America and the great expansion of
Others Is very clear. It cannot bo otherwise.
"Cotton am king and I are got It," said an
Alabama planter before tho Clvl) War. This
1 practically the only great notion of the
World now engaged' In Froduotlve manu
facture, which will tend as the war continues
tp become more embraclva.
Tho rebound to prosperity, therefore, has
fcnly Just begun. We are on the threshold
at a new era, Ho much bigger than any era
YVhleh has preceded It that the national
Imagination Is staggered.
The Real Yellow Peril
YEIIOW JOURNALISM menaces the
United States more seriously than any
etfcer yellow peril. That yarn about the min
ing of Turtle Ray Jn Lower California by
the Japanese and the landing of tons of
ammunition is about aj credible as the
Nev York Herald April fool hoax about
the escape of all the animals from the Cen
tral 1'ark Zoo. A Japaneee warship ran
aground in Turtle Bay In December and
ctbcr slUjw hve been snt Uwro to see
viliat tly uW da to- s-ne her. Thoy havo
t
not tho necessary apparatus for tho rescuo
nnd nro said to bo waiting for It. This Is
all thero appears to bo to tho sensational
report that tho Japanese havo seized Turtle
Ray nnd nro fortifying It.
Lower California has been productive of
moro yellow peril sensations than any other
part of North America, and whenever a
Japanese ship appears thero tho yellow ling
Is run up nomewhero and nn attempt Is
made to color the whole western sky with
saffron. Hut tho sun still sinks In n glow
of led nnd gold Just as It did before nity
one began to ilream of Japanese naval bases
on thn Parllle coast of Atncrlrn.
Hrumbaughlsm Succeeds Hlgolowlsm
WITH tho appointment of Robert J. Cun
nlngham as Commissioner of HlRliways
the Governor has definitely ended tho era
of Ulgrlowlint In the Highway Department.
Mr. Cunningham Is a capable business ex
ecutive. UN connection ulth tho Oliver wing
of tho party in Allegheny county doos not
illsminllfy hint for service to tho Stale, but
his occupancy of tho important ofltco to
which ho has been appointed doc.f mean that
ho must tint servo tho politicians with whom
lif Im.i been bletitllled. Tlu business of tho
Highway Department Is to build and main
tain iTOids, not political mnrlilnes.
Governor Urunibaugli has let the poli
ticians tindPtt.-tattd thnt the hlghwoy policy
in tn be under his direct supervision, and
Hint the men who nro to assist him In
carrying It nut must glvo evidence of ofll
cloiiry. The chief engineer of tho depart
ment. William f) filler, of this city, will
supply tho technical skill In road building
nnd repair: Mr. Cunningham will look after
the business administration of tho bureau
nnd tlu Governor himself will superintend
the general scope and plan of tho work to
be done.
This seems to be n good program for mak
ing better roads. Anil It I" the best way
to slrencthen the party In the State. When
It has been proved In the Highway Depart
ment that tho Administration believes thnt
pub'lt: money should be spent for tho benefit
of tho whole commonwealth and t.ot for the
enrichment of a few politicians, It may bo
thnt tho same, excellent rule can bo enforced
In other departments. Rut whether this de
slrablo result Is reached or not, wo nro to
have as good highways as It Is possible for
the Governor to secure with tho money
available. He pledged himself to bring this
about ami he Is preparing tn keep hli word.
A Teetotal Dam
The great current slogan against rum
Is that It Is the oncm or elllclene lltil
Is It possible to coiigrntulntc the Presi
dent on tho elllcleney of his two teetotal
Secretaries? furious to say, they ate the.
Irnst elllelent members of Ills Cabinet. If
tho argument fnr elllcleney rested on them.
It would full In a heap. Life.
WHY confuso efllelency and tho two tee
total Secretaries? It Is quito obvious
thnt they would not bo one whit morp ef
ficient or' less ebullient If they were sam
plers for till the distilleries and breweries
In the country.
Pnindextcr as a Progressive Progressive
SBNATOR ROINDEXTRR. of Washington,
dlstliiguls.hed ns a Progressive, when that
wing of the Republlcnu party was flapping
by Itself, has concluded, after due tefloctlon,
that If the paity wishes tn fly, both wings
must llnp together. Therefore, ho has given
out a statement that the Republicans can
easily defeat the Democrats In l!Ufi If tho
division disappears, and ho Is confident that
tho reunited party will be Just as ptngros
slvo as tho rrogresslvo wing of It was two
years ago.
The Senator states the case witli admirable
precision. Every practicable principle In tho
last Progressive platform can be contained
in the next Republican platform, and those
Progiesslvo planks which am vicious can bo
left out. The Progressives aro rapidly de
serting their castles In the nlr. nnd are lin
ing up nn tho solid ground of common sense
nnd political wisdom, preparatory to mnklng
their voting effective next year.
Why Not Let Her?
THAT 12-year-old girl who is being ex
ploited, not ns a child prodigy, but ns an
Illustration of what every mother can do
with her daughter, snys: 'T didn't like Now
York nnd I will be glad to get away from
Philadelphia. I want to get homo and bo
let nlono,"
This Is a wholesomo indication that sho
Is still unspoiled nnd has tho nnlural lo
pugnanco of a child to being exhibited. Why
not lot her go homo nnd bo let nlono?
Is thero not war enough In Europo without
tho Portuguese revolutionists trying to stir
up moro trouble?
No other community envies Rcnn Its pe
cullnr distinction as tho great licensing
centre for progressive polygamy.
Camden County has decided to spend
$19,000 for live now bridges, but not ono of
them Is tn bo over tho Delaware.
Rethlehcm Steel filial cs- ought to remind
prudent persons that thero Is considerable
risk In attempting to rldo ci a skyrocket.
Either tho managers' of tho Rlggs Natlonnl
Rank nro not fit for their Jobs or thero
should bo a new Comptroller of tho' Cur
ropey.
It did not tnko tho recurronco of tho an
niversary of tho Governor's birth to eon
vlnco tho Hnrrlsburg politicians that ho was
not born yesterday.
Captain Thlcrfeldcr wonts to bo known as
one of tho kindest hearted men who over
scuttled a ship, for ho saved even tho cats
from tho vessels that ho sank.
Premier Vivian! of Franco says that Ger
man militarism must bo crushed, ns If that
were not what tho Allies have been trying
to do for the past eight months,
Tho Baltimore newsboys who gavo to tho
President a permit certifying that ho is old
enough to sell newspapers In Maryland
roally Intended to compliment him.
Mr. Beverldga says that It Is easier to get
to a battlefield In Poland than to a ball
game In Indianapolis, which shows how In
adequate the Indianapolis "rapid" transit
system Is.
When the Postmaster General decides that
the patofllcQ may accept parcels for delivery
without prepayment of postage It will be
easy and Inexpensive to play practical Jokes
upon your friend's.
The predicament In which the British Par
liament finds Itself la almost as perplexing
as that which distracted Hamlet, "To pro
hibit or not to prohibit; that's the question;
whether to endure the evils of too much
booze or out It out and hope that it will
end the malingering of the Indolent work
men." and so on, in the elegant diotlon of
the immortal William,
GERMANS RESUME
DRIVE FOR WARSAW
New Bombardment of Ossowetz Mrty
Mean Finnl Attempt to Capture
Railroads, Drive Russians From
Wnrsnw and Relieve Auatrians.
FRANK H. SIMONDS
RUSSIAN reports of new nrtlllcry oper
ations by tho Oermnns nbout Ossowel3
call attention ngiiln to the most ambitious
of recent German strategical oiUtircs In tho
cast, a Venturo which was suspended rather
than abaiiduned because of weather condi
tions about three weeks ngo.
Conceivably tho new nrtlvlly fore
shadows a fltinl attempt to get Warsaw
and take tho lino of tho Vistula ns a per
manent defensive position tn the cast.
Look nt any good-sized map of Russian
Poland and It will bo sern thnt somo B0
miles south and east of tho German fron
tier, mill following It, Is thn Pctrogrnd
WnisnW Rnllrnail. South of this and con
verging upon it is tho Moscow-Wnisnw
Railroad. Theso railroads nro tho life
lines of the groat Russian nrmy defending
tho Polish capital, on tho Itaum-Ra-vn lino,
a few miles to the west.'
On two occasions the Germans have at
tempted to take Warsaw by nn ntlvanco
from tho west. The first time they woro
defeated almost within the city limits mill
driven to the frontier. Tho second tlmo
thoy were brought to a halt nt the Rztrni
River, In December, nnd held thoro from
December to April.
Third Attempt Fulls
Lato In February they mnde n third at
tempt In get to Wnrnaw, nnd this tlmo they
planned tn inon j,butb from J'lnst Prussia
and cut the Pet rograd -Warsaw and the
Mosrow-Worsaw railroads east nf Warsaw,
This would compel the Russians to evacu
ate Warsaw nnd go back from the Vistula
tn the Rug. Tho Germans would thon hold
tho Vistula lino from East Prussia tn Ga
llcla, and holding It could send troops to
l'rnnco nnd to aid tho Austrlans.
When this drlvo began the 10th Russian
Army was In East Prussia, strung along
tho MiiKtirlan ljiikes and slowly working
west toward Insterburg. This army wits
defeated, completely routed and iVFlvcn east
nnd south inward the Petrogrnd-Wnrsaw
Railroad,
To reach tho railroad, however, the Ger
mans had still to break through tho Nle-men-Ilobr-.Vnrew
barrier, a series of forts
nnd fortified towns stretching from Kovno
to Novo Georgievsk on a bro.ld semi
circle 2i0 miles long. This bnnler fol
lowed tho eastern nnd southern banks of
theso rivers. Iletween tho rivers swamps
and forests mnko the rounlry ditllcult for
military operations, and wherever mads or
railways crossed the line thn Russians have
constructed forts. Kovno, Giodno, I.omza.
Ossowetz, Ostrolnnka and Novo Gcorglovsk
nro nmong the most consldcrnblo of these.
The Germans advanced In threo col
umns, the first tnwnnl Grodno, the second
toward Ossowetz, the third upon Novo
Georgievsk. The first actually penetrated
the line nt Grodno, but under pressure fell
back upon Suwnlkl and Atigustown, where
It still stands. The third, after taking
Prznsnysz, bnlf way between tho German
frontier nnd Novo Georgiovsk, was driven
out of It by Itusslan corps called up from
Warsaw. The other, the central column,
approached Ossowoti:, covering tho point
whero the railroad from Koenlgsberg to
Illelostnk passes the Russian border line.
Heavy artillery, tho famous -12-centi-mette
guns, were brought up, nnd Osso
wetii was bombarded for tunny days. Hut
presently Russian ofliclnl reports noted tho
withdrawal of thn artillery; the wholo Ger
tunn offensive ceased. Tho failure was In
terpreted as meaning' that weather condi
tions, the coming of tho spring thaw, had
piovonted pushing the attack.
May Ho Final Dnah
Tho new activity may moan that the
weather conditions have sulllclently im
proved for tho Germans to risk ono moro
drlvo, ono moro effort to tnko Warsaw,
I.Ike tho operations of February, tho pres
ent operation would then menu nn attempt
to cut tho Potrogrnd-Wnrsaw nnd tho Moscow-Warsaw
railroads. At Ossowotz thoy
aio within 20 miles of tho former.
It is equally eoncelvablo that the Ger-
PUNCH'S APOLOGY TO LINCOLN
YOU lay a wreath on murdered Lincoln's
bier.
You, who, with mocking pencil, wont to trace
Droad for tho self-complacent UiIUhIi sneer,
Hla length of shambling limb, his furrowed
face,
His gaunt, gunrlcd hands, his unkempt, bris
tling hair,
His garb uncouth, his bearing 111 at case,
Ills luck of nil wo prize as debonair,
Of power or will to shine, of art to please,
You. whoso smart pon backed up the pencil's
laugh,
Judging each step ns though tho way were
plain,
Reckless, so It could point Its paragraph,
Of chief's perploxlty or people's pain
Rfuldo this corpse (hat bears for winding sheet
Tho Stars and Stripes ho lived to rear nncw,
Between the mourners at his head nnd feet.
Say. ectirrllo Jester, Is thero room for you?
Yes. ho had lived to shame mo from my sneer,
To Inmo my pencil, and confute my pen;
To make mo own this hind of Trlncea peer,
This rail-splitter, a true-born king of men,
My shallow Judgment I hod learned to rue,
Noting how to occneion's height he rose.
How his quaint wit made homo truth seem
more true,
How, iron-like, his temper grew by blows;
How humble, yet how hopeful, ho could boj
How, In good fortune and In 111, the same;
Nor bitter in success, nor boasUtul he,
Thirsty for gold, nor feverish for fame.
He went about his work Bush work as few
Ever had laid on head and heart and hand
As one who knows, where there's a task to do,
Man's hontwt will must Heaven's good grace
command; '
Who trusts the strength vvljl with the burden
grow,
That God makes Instruments to work His will,
If but that will we can arrive to know,
Nor tamper with the weights of good and 111.
So he went forth to battle on the side
That he felt clsar was Liberty'; and Right's,
Aa In bis peasant boyhood be had piled
ill warfare wlb "uJ Nature' thwattloj
might .
" JERE, GEORGE, YOU'RE VIOLATING H'AMERICAN NOOTRALITYl'J
mans nro moroly attempting to draw Rus
slnn attention from Gallcla nnd to forco tho
Russians tn divert to northern Poland
troops thnt might givo the deciding blow
In tho Carpathians. I'ressuro In tho north
might easily compel u slackening of Rua
slnn effort far to tho south.
Rut if Ossowetz Is n moro demonstration,
then nt its close it will bo necessary to
record tho failure of the whole .German
winter campaign In the east. This cam
paign hud two objectives: llrst, to destroy
Russian military strength, ns tho August
nnd September campaigns aimed at "dis
posing of Franco"; second. If Russia could
not be ci lished, to get Warsaw and the
Vistula line, and, having conquered Poland
and obtained an admirable defonslvo posi
tion, to go west in the spring.
Germuns' Efforts Fruitless
Two great victories, tho Mozurinn hakes
and I.odz, tho Germans won, but thoy wore
defeated nnd checked nt the Rstura. .Their
losses havo been tcrilfle, and they' havo
neither won a decision nor acquired tho
Vistula Hue. Indeed, their best efforts
wero lusufllclent to prevent the caplitro of
Przemysl by tho Russians and tho ndvnnco
through tho Carpathians.
Tho operation against Ossowetz, then, Is
of real Interest to the whole world audi
ence, whether It is ono moro tremendoiiH
offensivo drive or collapses presently, nnd In
collapsing demonstrates German failure In
tho east, after ono of tho most' colossal
campaigns In military history.
RAILROAD NOUGHT FOR $1
I'rnm the KannH City Star,
Hem's how tho Kansas Southwestern IJall
rotul, tiO miles long, between .Vrkansus City anil
Caldwell, Kan , was hold u few months nKo
fnr 31
Tim rniid was owned Jointly by the Atchison,
Topeka mid Santa I'V and the St. I.ouls and San
Kinnelsco railroads. It was badly Involved mid
tn poor phvslcnl condition. The Kansas .State
Public Utilities Commission had Just issued nn
outer thnt l.'AOOO should tin spent to put it in
better condition.
R. P. Ftliiley, president of the Santa Ko, and
W. It, Hidille, ono of tho three receivers for
tho Frisco, met to talk over what wns to bo
done about the commission's new order.
"How would you like, to buy tho rood?" Mr.
Riddle nsked.
"I'll naino a price, glvo or take," Mr, Ripley
said.
"Go abend," thn Fr! -co receiver said.
"Ono dollar," Mr. rtlpley responded.
"I'll tnko It," Mr. Illddlo sunpped.
Ami that's tho way tho Snntn Fe acquired
full tltlo to tho ownership of the branch load.
Tho story eamo out when n Santa Fo official
told It at tho John AV. Weeks luncheon.
Tljo uncleared forest, tho unbroken soil,
Tho Iron bark that turns tho lumberer's axe,
Tho rapid thut o'crhcars tho boatman's toll,
The prairie, hiding the mazed wanderer's
tracks.
The ambushed Indian and the prowling bear
Such -wero the needs that helped his youth
to train:
Rough culture but such tiecs large fiult may
bear,
If but their stocks bo of right girth and grain.
So he grew up, a destined work to do,
And lived to do it: four lons-suffcrliig years'
Ill-fate, Ill-feeling, III. report, lived through,
And then he heard the hlssea changed lo
cheers,
The taunts to tribute, the abuso to praise,
And took both with the patno unwavering
mood;
Till, as he enmo on light, from darkling days,
And seemed to touch the goal from where ne
stood,
A felon hand, between the goal and him,
Reached from behind his back, a trigger
pressed
And those perplexed and patient eyes were dim,
Tho-o gaunt, long-laboring limbs were laid
to rest.
The words of mercy were upon his lips,
Forgiveness in his heart and on his pen,
When this vile murderer brought swift eclipse
To thoughts of peace on earth, good will to
men.
The Old World and the New, from sea to sea,
Utter one voice of sympathy and shame.
Sore heart, so stopped when It at last beat
bight
Sad life, cut short Just as Its triumph came!
A deed accursed! Strokes have been struck
before
By the assassin's hand, whereof men doubt
If moro of horror or disgrace they bore;
Rut thy foul crime, like Cain's, stands darkly
out,
Vile hand that brandest murder on a strife,
Whate'er Its grounds, stoutly and nobly
strlvun,
And with the martyr's crown, crownwt a life
With much to praUe. little to be forgiven.
-Tom Taylor, in Punch, Ufa.
7
mSSi bM
T1HCRK aro n great many flaws In tho
American tlioutiu. Theio aro n, great
many angles from which Its art mid Its or
ganization may bo attacked, and justly at
tacked. Even tho theatrical manager himself
can't bo blamed for objecting to the bank
ruptcy which threatens him moro hud moro
each season. Rut tho fastidious playgoer,
facing high prices and rather uninteresting
fare, has tho simplest case. Ho doesn't get
tho plays ho wants, nnd ho has to pay for
those ho never sees. Tho "long-run" theatro
can't cater to the man who would like a little
Ibsen, Hclinltssler, Hnuptmnnn or Wilde. If
ho craves dramatic entertainment ho must
bo content with "Kick In" and occasional
bursts of Shaw. And when he pays M cents
to. $2 for a ticket to a popular success ho Is
also paying for two or three failures which
ho may havo been fortunate enough not to
see.
Tho Undemocratic Theatre
Moreover, thero Is something besides high
prices 'and uniisked-for plays to mako tho
most democratic of tho arts undemocratic.
Tho American audiences have no deliberate
participation either In tho choosing of tho
plays they seo or tho financing of their pro
duction. Theirs is only a very limited choice
of what some other people arrange for them.
Theirs Is only the privilege of buying a pig
in a poko.
This condition lias been ended In Ktirnpc.
Tho playgoer of Merlin has been made a re
sponsible part of tho theatre business. And
now n man who was a considerable factor In
tho readjustment comes to Phllndelphla Fri
day to demonstrate a similar project for
America. His name is Kinnuucl Relcher, nnd
ho will givo three performances .it tho l.lttlo
Theatro of "John Gabriel Rorkman," ns ho
bos acted the play In Now York for what
ho calls "Tho Modern Stage."
Tho prototypo of this organization began
Hfo In isnn. Through 23 years' It has waxed
and waned, disbanded and icorgnnized, until
tho "None Frelo Volksbuehne," of Berlin Is
now a great democratic society of CO.O00
members, owning a new nnd beautiful the
atre, whero only tho best and most Inter
esting of classic and current plays aro acted.
Max Rclnbnrdl, Germnny'H greatest theatro
director, has crowned Its success by accept
ing tho management of tho now playhouse.
Ibsen nt Tvvcnty-fivo Cents
Tho distinction of this theatro Is not that
its repertory includes tho best, tho oldest, tho
nowest, tho most romurknble, of drnrqatlc
literature. Its real distinction is that It gives
theso plays at a cost to Its patrons of a mark
(23 cents) a performance, whllo It arranges
with n dozen other theatres to admit Its
members to special .performances at tho samo
price. This Is accomplished without a finan
cial deficit or bad acting.
The secret of Uio success of tho "Freo Peo
plo's Theatro" Is Its organization. It has
members IpBtcnd of nn audience. Theso 00,000
pcoplo dccldo beforo tho season begins that
they will subscribe tho sum of 13 or 14 marks
for 13 or 11 productions of a certain character
of plays. Tho director and cnmmltteo of
management, us well ns "past performances,"
nro tho gunrantco to tho subscribers of the
sort of plays to conic, Tho subscription sys
tem Is n guarantee to tho manngemont pf
full houses. On this bnsls tho directors can
ellmlnnto speculative wastes nnd cut tho
cost of production to n minimum. Thero
aro no "failures." That la all.
The Beginninp;
Tho Free Tcople's Theatre began with pro
found modesty. We may Btudy that begin
ning nnd that modesty at first hand in Eman
ual Relcher's "Modern Rtngo." Hero is the
statement of nlms, on tho basis of which ho
solicited subscriptions to his season In Now
York:
Flrpt. The performances will take place
once every month, If possible on certain
evenings, In a New York theatro containing
not more than 1200 seats. Tliei plays will
bo porformed In English.
Second. Tho repertory wilt be International
and each evening will be devoted to a differ
ent author. Tho plays will be such as have
either not been presented In America nt nil
or only very seldom. Tolstoy, Ibsen, Haupt
mann, Tchechow, Courtlaln. Hoffmannsthal,
Bernard Shaw, Schnltzler, Strlndberg, Oscar
Wilde and Wedeklnd are among the writers
whom I have In mind.
Third. The scenic presentation of each
work will be simple, but adequate and suit
able. The actors will be capable of repre
senting psychologically profound characters
and have enough enthusiasm to mako some
sacrifices to the high artistic aim of the
enterprise.
Fourth. Subscribers only will be admitted
to the performances. Each subscriber may
apply for one or more tickets, but only 'for
all five performances, which will take place
In the months of January, February. March,
April and May of MIS.
Fifth. The price will be 13. f-V an4 U
Sixtb. About 109 seats will be reserved for
sw . ' m
ORGANIZING THEAUDIENCE
What Emanuel Reicher's "Modern Stage" Is Trying to Do B?i
America Its Berlin Prototype Where Ibsen and Shaw
Cost Workingmen a Quarter a Performance.
By KENNETH MACGOWAN.
guests of honor and another 100 seats forthV
purpose, of giving free admission to nrt-lovn'
joutig pcoplo who cannot afford to subscribe,'
Tho Freo Pcoplo's Theatre began a modul
season of Sunday night performances ff
a hired playhouse. On theso evenings IT
could obtain the service of actors who'wefT
profitably engaged In the other BerlS"
houses. Mr. Relcher hns found it poitlbi?
to employ disengaged actors, clvo Derform"
ances on weekday nights, and even YliJll
other cities, such as Philadelnhla. Thn Km.
Hit venture grew rapidly through good rej
port, until the large membeishlp necessitate!!
moro nnd more performances and finally thl
hiring of a permanent company nnd a mm
niauent theatre. The New York critics hW?
already reported favorably on Mr, Relcher!
productions of Hauptmann's "Riga" and lis
sen's "John Gabriel Rorkniiin," and tho U-
rector Is looking forward lo next season'.
subscription list. '
Tlio Hkntith wlin ilniililci Hint llin nprfnrm.
ances at the l.lttlo Theatre Friday and'SatS
urdny may be tho forerunner or great thlnfi
for tho American playgoer should read the
history of tho Berlin venturo as H. K, Mod'
erwell has recorded it In the best hook t
written rilinut flirt mnilern drntiin. "Thfl ThUfi
utro of Today." The Free People's Theatrfl
has Hone more tlin.ii achieve tho llnancia.
miracle of giving Gerinnn wm kinsmen tin
finest plnys nt a price within their means
It has made tho audience muster of the piaj3
house, a icsponslblc part of the greatest and
most democratic Instrument of art
REASONS FOR THE JITNEYf
It Offers Employment to Men and Profit
to Capital.
Tho rapid spread of tho Jitney Idea is. not
unrelated to tho subject of unemployment. At
least that Is ono of tho partial explanation?
and runs ns follows: ".Many of the bus operaj
tors aro men who havo tinned to this wotl
because hard times have thrown theni out otj
n Job, and they havo leaned to tho cajlMti
thing In sight. Many of these men a few monlhil
ago held fair positions positions gooj cnoiiin
to cnablo them to support n Binnll motorcar.
When tho depression came they found tliecv
selves out of work nnd a second-hnnd'automtM
bllo on their hands the easiest thing In sW
waw tho bus business, which nt least promlM
to cnablo them to corn cnoush to support
themselves."
Then, ngaln, women's Invasion of men's occu;
patlous may have something to do with It. 14
many cities women aro numbered anions' tnjl
Jltnoy chauffeurs. From Haltlmore comta tkil
Information: "Miss Sarah Henderson, a younj
girl of 22, who opened tho Jitney service jg
Raltlmoro February 1. must be awarded tt
credit for Introducing tho movement Into w
Knst. Sho Is already refened to as 'The Jan-M
Girl." Miss Henderson decided that Bullimojj
was in need of a Bcrvlee which had proved 14
successful In the West. Sho has put her im
fortuno of JSOOO into the ventuie. engaged htj
brother unon a stnted salarv as business IB?!
ngor and has resumed her studies In a mulc4
i.iH
school, confident that her Investment will JkJ
,nl. - .1, . nlcl Al9 BO
ner a gooa revenue, uno juuey bin mm
plan to compete with the street car eetYlSB
but to supplement It. Her cars make a enfl
run so quickly as to bo greatly appredatjlji
by persons In a hurry. Upon her present CM
rangement they mako four round trips oijl
blocks every hour."
WORK IS HAItMLESS
W.,,.t, .nrA l,,-f ci.iv nnA it it lVAS OnlY tfOii
enough and deep enough In Its claims on UI55i
nature. Our cxtVemcly lopg-llved men nasi
nltvnvH ftf.A.1 v.rv liiinl workers. POPS. rj!l
XIII, who died at 03; Humboldt, who died Mia
Gladstone and Vlrchow, octogenarian", i- ua
amples In our time, ,S
Is It any wonder that a physician " ''S
patient when people talk about thq men 5J
women oi our senerauou iiuiiik " - ; vjj
they aio exhausting vitality? The H0UD2
Is they do not do enough. Their ln,er"w.S
so few and bo superficial that a lot of ""!l
that ought to be used up In good work 14 lBJ
Bipaieq wunin inemseivea uuu uu . -,.
greater harm than would any possible "JJJS1
of work that they might try to accotspiJJI
with It. James J. Walsh.
LIFE FROM DEATH
Had one ne'er seen the miracle
Of Maytlme from December born,
Who would havo dared the, tale to ten
That 'nenth ice-rldges slept the cornr
White death lies deep upon the hills,
. .. ... l.a rMr,ns gO,
Will lliuuillllfiil nil "US" " ""--' ,il. I
The exulting wind, with freath that ebUii,?
Shouts triumpn to ine-unreonie
My Btudy window show me whero
On hard-fouuht fields the summer oia.
R banners now are stripped and bare
Of even autumn's fading pride.
Yet on the gust that surges by.
I read a pictured promise; soon
The itorm of earth and frown or "
I,..!. -lt. fn.n li.Vll.fll .IllflA.
jumv ivw m,. ..--" a.vslt.3
JUaot Juln 6 jj