The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-10-16
The Patriotic Drama.
The Country Needs More Real, Unadul-
terated Americanism.
BY ROBERT EDEsON.

To prescribe the tonic Of the dramatic
pharm0copies Is my ambition.
To present plays that make a man
think better Of his country and him
self, by awakening his sleeping patriot
ism.
Last year I'm Soldiers OF Fortune"
now In "Ranson's Folly next year H.
my new play BY william G. DE Mile.
and IN others to follow. I want to up
hold the type of character which stands
for an that Is good and strong and pro-
gressive and cleauIy and wholesome IT
our national life
Richard Harding Davis, Augustus
Thomas, Stewart Edward White. Jack
London, o. Henry, others that 1 can't
at this moment, cali TO mind. have
done the state good service in that they
mad shown. national possibilities in
hctioHal way and proven to the doubt
eFs that clean cut, viriIe, aggressive.
Independent Amerieau-au every day
sort OF fellow, mind you. with every day
vices and commonplace virtues-is
much better fellow for q hero than the
stencil-plate prigs that American writers
have been borrowing across the sea
from time immemorabIc
Elemental Qualities Of Americanism.
These men belong 10 that school Of
American writers who are procIafuin
the big elemental qualities OF the man
OF our race, the American we can an
admire; one IL would be well for US 10
initiate. He does things and is modest
about them He comes up from the
American people and is proud Of 1t.
don't mean to assert that an art I'm
writing for the library OF the stage
should be confined 20 distinctivefv
American subjects. Too much staiwart
Americanism would be too stimulating
for us, 1t would have the same result
as taking an overdose of quiuiue. Our
ears would be set ringing with Yankee
Doodle too much for our own good.
But an occasional dose speeds the blood
arPEses enthusiasm, iucuICates pride Of
country. And that IS n good. healthy
state 20 be in II would be better for ali
or as n 10 were oftener So. THE feeling
is there ID the time-the love, the IovaI-
ty, the 9atri3tism-but il doesn't come
10 the surface often enough.
Liberty a Goddess.
We Americans forget that Liberty ia
symboiiZed as a goddess. She is ygo-
man ana wants attention. Our attitude
toward her is entirely too domestic
men a man has a sweetheart ne Uavs
her Thousand and one little gracious
courtesiesi he is affectlouatc and de-
monstrauvei ne testihes his love daily.
After ne is married he is more I'm love
than ELUSIVE He values his wife n
thousand fold more than the girl he
courted and won but he doesn't tell her
so often enough
In the great things of life ne comes
nobly 10 the front. When she needs him
had la sickness or iu sorrow-he is by
her side Then she realizes how great
is his affection. how essential she is to
his happiness. how his best thoughts.
his hottest Impulses his greatest deeds
are an fOr her.
The Woman of It.
stiil, and there is the woman of e.,
she wants the little daily services OF
love too. It's much the same with the
Goddess of Liberty. She does not doubt
her American lovers, bat. like. the wife.
she wishes he would show his aneC-
ton Ofteuer
Why don't we do IL?
Why don't we bubble ard hzz and
overflow the glass Of life once in a
while?
If we love our wives let them know
it every day and every hour of the
day. If we value our couatry, let's COO
il IN her ear and shout It 10 the world
ital American!
ring play which ceIe-
American IS worth a
ic tracts. The personal
oual example. is every-
ssary 10 Keep the Stars
avs hutteTing from the
sad. The ideal American
es that symbolic the
1e Stars and Stripes IN
"a his deeds. When he
auder daring and con-
ne shows the Old World