The sun., 1906-12-31
HYPATIA INSTEAD OF HOPP.
MONOLOGUE on THE FUTURE BY
ELIZABETH FLYNN, AGED II.

Eyed Cherub But Mr.. HOpp Hangs On
sandwiched between sentiments by Julius
Hopp on what the real drama ought to be
an audience that half filed the orchestra
OF the Berkeley Lyceum Theatre yester-
day afternoon listened to a lecture by Miss
Elizabeth Flynn, aged IL, schoolgirl Social
list.
Miss Flynn is pretty, is not addicted to
laughter and IL self-possessed, as one might
expect a girl to be who nonchalantly sub
mitted to arrest for csrttail talking without
a license. Her remarks were on lines IA
miliar to most Socialists, but she declared
that they were unfamiliar to most capital
istic editors. who appeared to have room
enough in their heads for only one idea at
a time.
She said that she was a materialistio
Socialist and advocated socialism purely
on scientific grounds. II was a problem OF
bread and butter and not OF sentimental
ism. Mr.. Stokes could not feel about the
subject as the workingman could because
he was not in the workingman's class.
The idea OF the Socialist was the cooper
stive commonwealth. That could be at
tanned only through a process OF evolution
that had first caused the destruction OF
slave labor and later the disappearance OF
the feudal system. The next step in the
evolutionary plan would be the vanishing
Of the capitalistic system. All methods Of
production that capitalism had used would
be used by the working folk in more en-
lightened fashion for the benefit Of all.
Production, transportation and distribu-
ton would all be done by the people them
selves.
The plan Of Upton Sinclair to establish
a cooperative community in the midst Of
an unfriendly environment of capitalism
would fail as all experiments Of the kind
had failed. The man in the way Of the
consummation Of the socislistic idea was the
capitalist, and he would have TO be removed
not by any force other than that OF social
evolution.
There had been crises in the administra-
tions Of many Presidents, including Grant
and Cleveland. The cause Of it all, accord
ing to some Of the economists, was over
production. We were on the verge OF a
crisis, according to some Of this same class
Of economists, just before the California
earthquake. Strange to say, they declared
that the demand from the Pacific Coast for
necessaries averted the crisis.
Miss Flynn said she did not blame the
capitalist for wanting to remain a capitalist
any more than she blamed the workingman
for wanting to become a capitalist. Very
few IL any Of the workingmen, she said,
would not be capitalists if they got the
chance. The scientific Socialist did not
advocate the breaking up of monopoly. He
knew that it was going to break itself up.
He had no ideals and plans for the future,
as Morris or Bellamy had. The questions of
religion and matrimony would be settled
by the bread and butter forces and not by
the idealists Miss Flynn said she believed
that in a very short time society would not
need the capitalists, and they naturally
would have to get out and work, something
they would kick against as much as some
workingmen do.
Miss Flynn was applauded vigorously.
Mr.; Hopp was not received with 30 much
enthusiasm. He seemed a bit depressed
when he introduced the lecturer. That was
because, as he explained, he was unable
to produce, as he had expected, his so
cialistio drama The Friends Of Labor.
much that he had been unable 10 raise
enough capital TO pay for putting The
Friends of Labor" on yesterday, but not
enough friends OF the drama had bought
tickets to pay for the house. He suggested
TO the audience, which received the propo-
sition with some coldess, that each one
should chip in rs cents and become a mem
Der of the Socialist Stage Society, the
object Of which is to boom the propaganda
through the thrilling contemporary dramas
of Mr.. HoPp;
dience all of whom were admitted free,
laughed at some of Mr. Hopp's remarks,
which at times were delivered with a Weber,
Fields accent and smacked of vaudeville
monologue. Mr.. Hopp thereupon said
that there was not much humor in the
situation, which created more laughter.
Mr. Hopp was Of the opinion that the So
cialist Stage Society, providing, OF course,
il backed up the plays OF Mr.. Hopp, would
be "a great force combined with the So
cialist propaganda
There was, Mr.. Hopp said, a great paucity
of real dramas. Ibsen wrote plays that
interested "the people on the spot" In that
respect he was like the dramatist Hopp,
who also dealt with themes OF to-day. Mr.
Hopp was glad TO announce that he would
be able in the future TO put more time and
energy TO bis dramatic work for the uplifting
OF the stage and the education of the masses.
In response TO his request for questions
from the audience he got one from young
man in a back seat who wanted 70 know
il the workingman after six days OF hard
labor did not want on Saturday night some
thing in the nature Of music and comedy
rather than problem play.
Mr. Hopp responded quickly and with
confidence He said he wanted to do away
with CONDITIONS WOulu make the WORK.
ingman tired, and that under the new dis
pensation man would work only four hours
day Therefore he would not be too tired
to appreciate problem play. Anyhow, the
socialistic plays would not be put on every
night. There would be few oases between
deserts.
Mr.. Hopp then wandered bit from the
question, saying that, although he be-
lieved he was not pessimistic, he thought
he scented a war between Japan and the
United States, a race conflict in the South
and q revolution in Germany, where 3, 900 900
Socialists were ready at any time TO do
away with the Kaiser il the police would
let them. Socialist plays would be a great
help to the cause Of revolution as well as
the propaganda. They would frighten the
capitalists and make them hesitate in their
work OF exploitation.
Another Questioner wanted to know
whether il was possible for the American
public to take an interest in anything ex-
cept circuses and vaudeville. M. HOpp
said he thought il was. There had been
some great changes in public sentiment
lately. A revolution in the taste OF au-
diences was coming about. All that the
Socialists had to do TO start the real socialis-
tic drama going was to put up the money
for the Hopp play and the people would
take 10 it. Meantime would the audience
contribute TO the sinking fund for the first