The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-26
SHAW sTIRs UP
ENGLISH CRITICS
NEW PLAY ssMAJOR BARRARA,,
HITS ESTABLISHED IDEAS.
Comparison Of Salvation Army Ideas
with the Model Town Of the Newer
Commercialisn- Shaw Is Now "The
Fashion In London and Prime Min
listers and Parliamentarians Sit in the
Boxes.

Correspondence of the Chicago Post.
London.-Bernard Shaw's unscrupu-
lous honesty, SO to speak, which he has
allowed to do it's worst in his long an
ticipated and pre-paragraphed Major
Barbara, - produced for the first time at
the Royal Court theater, was another
blow to English orthodoxy, the result
being concerted wall metaphorically
sent up by those custodians Of the ar
chives Of morality, the London dra-
matte critics. Indeed, there is scarcely
an implied epithet omitted in the cru
SADIE of denunciations now being waged
against the arch enemy Of respectable
ity" and tradition-George Bernard
Shaw.
stance this: Which brings the surest
salvation to the masses, the missionary,
churchman, purveyor of prayers and
, aims or the secularist proprietor who of
fers steady job and income to fit the
man7
In order to launch the discussion he
has invented Andrew Undershaft,
philosopher millionaire manufacturer or
explosives and instruments of warfare;
his daughter, Barbara, who has become
! a major in the Salvation Army, and
other characters technically essential.
Undershaft visits Barbara at the army
shelter upon her agreement to inspect
his cannon foundry in return, each one
intent upon the others ultimate con-
version. = ~. --,-.
In the last act Barbara goes with her
mother, sister and brother, her nance nee
and her future brother-in.law to the
arsenal Of her father and the model
town of Perivale. st. Andrews. finding
to her surprise that everything IS clean,
every provision is made for the com
fort Of the workmen, even to VIII
i liam Morris labor church: Barbara, be-
ing reasonable, if preiudiced, young
thing to her father Is point of view by
force Of the obvious comparisons be-
tween the meagerly inadequate quar-
tiers Of the shelter and the wholesome
4 prosperity of the model Perlvale. but
being also deeply sincere and not with.
out some Of her fathers resolution OF
purpose, she recognizes new ana pre-,
ductive field for her efforts In the mooei
town. !,
The dialogue of "Maior Barbara
fascinates with its caustic wit, touches
Of pathos and flashes Of truth.
eve construct at a vast output OF
capital a new aerial battleship. Ii 1T Is
wrong in the fraction Of detail, what
do we dos Scrap It'll You make your.
self something which you call moral.
ity, and you find it doesn It fit the facts
Scrap it, and make a new one that
In short, "Major Barbara" is largely
an expansion of a little sermon prof.
ected in the preface of The lrrationa
Knot" the novel brought out by Mr.
.. shaw's London publishers last Septem
, Der, developed from the text.
HMoney is the most important thine
In the world. Money controls morality
,, goes the argument. t'For a sufficient
J income is indispensable to the practice
of virtue; and the man who will le'
any unselfsh, consideration stand be
tween him and its attainment is a weak
; ling, a dupe and a predestined slave; .
, cism--one might perhaps rather. say
aided by them-Mr. Shaw is the fashion
in London. Prime ministers and par
liamentarians sit in the boxes and tn
stalls for him. Society filters at hi
epigrams.