New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-28
@LES VENTRES D0RES."
story of a Battle.of Finance on the
French Stage.
Paris. March Il.

In We
en5 realism. written by Emile Fabre. young
6~o-,s+,st whose lack of polished. pointed Pa
80, irony. such as one finds in the plays of
.T,-.5 capus Maurice Donnay or Abel Her
-. &c more than atoned for by tragic intuition
80 ,-srfIty. Les Ventres Dores" is a mer-
cftess satire upon the up-to-date company pro-
meter. Certain passages seem inspired by Shy
,o.k II bristles with shady stock exchange
transactions and some OF its situations have
hur1sntarian poEgnancy equal to the denoue-
-,sut Of BaIzac's ''Mercadet.' together with the
rrcdernity OF Octave Mirbeau's Business Is
business"
Les Ventures Dores." although pronounced by
some Of the leading critics TO be clumsy in
construction" and provincial is having un-
expected but well deserved success at the Odeon,
where IL is the delight OF students and Of the
genuine, paying public. French dramatists in
the last year or two have developed a tendency
toward purely Partisan local subjects that inter
feres with the production OF their plays abroad,
and II is satisfactory to note that Les Ventres
Dores" deals with what is as capable of impas-
s,onins theatregoers in New-York London Ber-
I'm o- Vienna just as if has done the Parisians.
Money is its theme. and the life and death
struggle between two 'barons of finance" Baron
s.TJrth and Baron THAI. who might appropri-
s+elv be called Baron Bull and Baron Bear.
BARON Thau and Baron d'Urth hate each other.
TTrfb who was once clerk in Thaus office, haV-
ing been drawn by his patron from the gutter,
snd dulv initiated into sharp business tactics of
che Place de la Bourse. develops Napoleonic
company promoting genius. THAI soon leaves
rrrtb in the Iurch after alternating the beautiful
and sentimental Baroness d'Urth's affection and
boasting about it THAI is at the head of the
great New Africa Company" Millions are 10
be gained by the exploitation of railroads and
rnfres in the company-s concession. which en-
braces a vast tract OF territory somewhere
between Algeria and Morocco" Urth moves
heaven earth. and the stock exchanges OF Paris
and London TO discredit the enterprise and
bear it's shares.
TTrth, moreover carries the into Africa,
and fouents insurrection among the natives,
and Arab assassins employed who try TO
kill Thau and several French functionaries dur
ing one OF the journeys Of inspection. THAI
manages 20 escape from his would-be murderers-
Returning TO Paris he makes capital out of the
Instruction by exciting the public. and from a
purely commercial industrial enterprise the
New AFRICA" scheme blooms forth into ma
tioral undertaking VOLTA" cries THAI. ia
France est engageer Deputies are interested"
by means of discreetly placed checks, and the
French government. by appeals TO patriotism"
and ''nationalsrn.' works in behalf OF Thaus
company" But Cabinet changes are utilized
by Urth that the shares Of the New Africa
fall IN price with alarming progression In
order 70 save the situation THAI resorts to the
classic device Of buying up all the purchasable
shares with the shareholders money. Urth
~bcars' the market Collapse is imminent.
Verniere the only honest man in the concern,
dies from heart disease owing TO the terrible
shock 20 his conscience at being made the in
struuent OF gigantic cheating. swindIing. piracy.
murder and robbery. so much the better.
shouts Thau, when he learns of the death of his
faithful empIoye; I'VE can now throw all the
blame upon the dead Verniere IN his capacity
as administrator" IT is true that Vernieres
widow has in her possession document proving
that verniere had opposed ell the Irregularities
and that he was innocent Madame Verniere
IS however, not a woman to accept financial
misery for a sentiment Of honor. Her husbands
memory will be disgraced. but she VIII be rich.
The scene between this incarnation of COM
rany promoting viIlany and the widow is skill
fully presented and is alone enough TO insure
the success OF the play There is another ad-
Inirable scene at the meeting Of the board of
directors. THAI convinces his accomplices that
France viii be obliged to support their enter
prise now that many millions Of French
money are engaged in the region between Al
geria and Morocco" He explains how the press
has been subsidized, and how the bankers have
been inundated with founders shares. and re-
veals all the pot de Wins and shady trans
actions or his calling Seldom does one nno so
much action and movement in q modern French
play. After thrilling vicissitudes the New At
-ica" is at last under liquidation. and the wind
ing up" is accomplished Bondholders and
shareholders lose all their money, but the board
OF directors with the irrepressible THAI at their
head, emerge from the crisis with millions in
their pockets Baron d'Urth gets wind Of the
secret devices Of Baron THAI. and comes to him
straight as an arrow, with the frank avowai
that he is going 10 blackmaiI him. There
documents there are check stubs all proving
Thsu's bribery OF Deputies, Senators and Minis
ters. Much Of this is taken from the Panama
scandal. Crth exclaims: You know well
as I do that this means for you police court
trial and prison" THAI. hereupon. draws an
unexpected trump card from his sleeve. Baron
q UJrth's sister, who is in love with THAI. has
stealthiIy obtained from her brothers enemy
documents proving that Urth had fomented the
revolt among the Arab tribes, and had main
tanned with mis- money their rebellion against
the French authorities.
II is thus six of one and half dozen of the
other The struggle Of financial 1nesse between
these two ''barons Of the bourse' is adroit and
cunning as a japanese jiu-jitsu contest but 1t
ends in a drawn match THAI who was about
70 spring at Urths throat, appreciates that. af-
ter ALL business is business" offers his rival
his hand which is cordially shaken by Urth, and
the worthy pair OF financial knaves become fast
friends and enter into a combination.
They seat themselves at an imposing green COW
cred desk. Thau says: "Ah, here is the superb
affair OF the isthnus OF Malacca. We must find
I've hundred millions in six months" and down
comes the curtain on one Of the strongest and
most emotional plays OF the season. c. L b.
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