Omaha daily bee., 1906-11-25

the opera in America. just how great DR..
Fulda's opportunities for observation or
how extensive his investigation is not
vouchsafed. but this has no apparent effect
on the definite conclusion he has reached
DIT. BNulda says: I'm rich America the
dramatic art is the poorest OF the arts
Public bodies and private citizens vie with
one another in patronizing and promoting
the other arts. but they ignore the theater
They think It is not good enough to de-
serve subsidies. The drama is on the very
lowest rung of the ladder America has
not yet bred a dramatist. and still her
theaters produce almost entirely home
plays. light burlesque, comedies. melodrama,
spectacular pieces in which revolvers play
the chief part. Problem plays are ia
booed. There is too much OF the prude
in American playgoers to permit this. Now
and again one hears Shakespeare, never
systematically"
In some degree DR. FNulda's comment Is
deserved criticism, yet his unfamiliarity
with the American taste and temperament
is doubtless responsible for the bad opinion
he holds Of us. II is one source of genuine
pride in America that we do taboo the
problem play. We insist on having our
theater as clean morally as we insist on
our personal lives. This is a condition that
the people Of Europe have never thoroughly
understood Maxim Gorxy came from Rus
STA in search OF freedom, believing that
he would find II in America, and brought
with him a woman not his wife. He found
very much to his disappointment that
americans do not interpret freedom to
mean license, and instead OF being received
as he had expected, he was given to I'M
derstand very plainly that his peculiar
views of personal conduct would not be
tolerated by the Americans. Europeans
persist in calling prudsh what the healthy
minded American regards merely as COM
mon decency. We can stand this. DR..
,POlda must know, however, that we have
given patient hearing to the so-called prob
lem plays as produced by the leading writ
'ers of Europe, Suderman, dAnunzio,
MaeteTlinck, Ibsen, Hauptman, Zola, Sar-
dou, Jones, Pinero, and all the list of
moderns who have delved below the surface
ad exploited their peculiar ideas in regard
TO certain phases OF human life and the
relations of men and women in their social
intercourse. The frankly open way with
which these writer's have dealt with the
questions has proved unpopular in America.
The greatest reason for this is that no
society such as would make the conditions
possible eNlslh III AlhtEltds Consequently
there is an absolute lack Of appreciation
and failure to understand the necessity
for parading on the public stage what is
privately considered to be indicate, 81 not
absolutely indecent. Therefore, DR.. Fulda.
we have tabooed the problem play in
America.
IL to produce a great dramatist depends
on the conditions that make such players as
those that have been weighed and found
wanting, it will be many, generations be-
fore America has a great dramatist. If,
/ however, the mission of the stage is still
to hold, as t were, the mirror up TO ma
lure" then We already have a number of
great dramatists. Just as our life has been
OF the humber sort, so are our poets and
dramatists 1t is this glorious feature Of
American democracy that the European,
accustomed TO tho manners and distlnc-
tions of an aristocracy with its false dvi-
sions OF society, absolutely fails to under
stand and, therefore is utterly unable to
appreciate.
Dr. Fulda again says: "Of the best OF
what Europe produces Americans know
'-,oxt to nothing. Managers go on playing
the same pieces night after night as it
fills their Golfers. This is not love OF art
II STILES art" Again the doctor fails to
understand us. The theater I'm America
like all other institutions excepting those
of charitable or corrective nature, must
be self-sustaining. We have no prince or
poteutate who can levy a tax on the peo-
PIES necessities for the purpose Of erect
ing great palaces to be devoted to art
I'm any OF its manifestations Such mu-
seums, galleries or theaters as We have
are those that have been erected by the
people and for the people, and the people
pay directly for their support. The theater
Is looked upon IN this country as private
and not a public enterprise. At no time
nave the Americans felt the necessity OF
giving from the public Golfers to the sup
port OF any enterprise that must in the
long run partake to a large degree Of the
nature OF private institution. This may
stlhe art. but Il does not encourage pseudo
1T. II Is unfair to say that Americans
know nothing OF the best Of what Europe
produces. quite on the contrary, Europeans
have again and again charged that Amer
leans drain that country OF the best Laws
have been enacted IN many OF the Euro
pean countries absolutely forbldding the
sale Of certain objects Of art 10 Americans
for the reason that the despiged land OF
tbs dollars does have that appreciation OF
art which makes It willing TO outbid any
competitor for the possession OF the mas
terpleces. European singers and actors
have visited America times without num-
Der and have never failed to meet popular
, and enthusiastic support. American man
ayers and actors are continually on the
| Lookout for plays produced In Europe which
are capable % being produced in America,
aud n We have no great dramatic school
of our own We have an advantage over any
other country IN that we readily adap,
anything that = worthy, no matter from
what source It oomes and We have never
stinted the stream OF golden dollars that
goes 20 reward the author, the actor on
the producer.
Dr.. Fulda further inveighs against the
ASsr system, saying that III Il the star and
mot the play that the people 80 20 see. "
Had DR.. Ftlda observed a little closer tho
experience OF American managers he would
not have made this assertion. The truth
Of the matter Is. as Is well evidenced by
costly managerial experience, that the peo-