Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1906-12-14

New York-"The New York Idea"
has been much-discussed play. Peo-
pie have wanted to know why Mr.
Langdon Mitchell, leveling, his satire
eat divorce, was at pains to describe
1t as a New York idea.
II chose New York for my title be-
cause New York is the greatest Of
American cities and reflects American
life" Mr. Mitchell explained: THE
play might have been called The
Chicago Idea or The Philadelphia
Idea just as well, suppose. The
most explicit title would probably be
The American Idea"
"In other words" remarked the re-
porter, you used the words New
York to mean America just as we say
Paris when we mean France, or
:speak of London when we think Of
England?"
Precisely"
''Why do you assume the attitude
you do on the divorce question:" ?"
The author settled back in his chair
sas If to weigh his words. Mr.. Mitch
,ell is anything but a flippant young
man of the town. His urbane manner
and an almost imperceptible impress
sion of reserve at once recall his ia
ther, Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, the noted
physician, and himself famous au-
thor.
Mrs. Fiske suggested several years
ago" he said, gravely, that l write
a play with divorce as the theme"
would not such play be serious?"
''If there were children in a drama
of divorce it would be great tragedy.
i decided. however, that my play
should be a comedy"
acting l suppose, on the principle
that ridicule is the most dangerous of
weapons suggested a representative
eof the New York Times.
NO There is a great drama in the
divorce question, if treated as seri-
tous problem. should like to write
such play. My decision was reached,
however, to make my play
comedy"
ut has been suggested that your
methods resemble those of Bernard
Tmind?"
"Any resemblance to Mr.. Shaw's
plays in The New York Idea is quite
unconscious, l assure you," Mr.. Mitch.
.ell replied Il know Mr.. Shaw, having
met him in London while 1 was liv.
Ing there. He was very kind to me
when my first play was produced in
England. have never been student
of his plays, though. 1 can almost
say l have not seen performances OF
them OF course, 1 make a round OF
: the theaters every season, but l &c
.away into the country to write my
plays
Life as the Author Secs 1t.
"Then your criticisms of modern
conditions merely reflect life as yor
see it?"
Marriages based on affection, 10y
atty, and sense Of duty are mo-
affected by the satire and rebuke II
my play. Nearly all married people
/. have quarrels. Where the husband
and wife have a sense of loyalty and
obligation they pass an unpleasant
day or so and then are good friends
again. With people like Cynthia anC
John Karslake, on the other hand, I
divorce is the first thing that sug
agests itself-the easy, the usual ent
of quarrel in married life.
"Who is to blame for such condi
4ion? The law makes marriage civi
contract; divorces are easy to oh
tain. The church may place ban ol
divorce. Why does not that keel
husband and wife out Of the divorc
court! Can it be that the people an
.criticising have ceased to be guide
iby the church,"
'Mrs. Parsons recently suggeste
marriages on probation" suggests
the reporter. "Is such a SYSTEM pos
sible?"
when we come right down to 1t,
Mr.. Mitchell replied, do not som
marriages amount to precisely that?
"The real trouble and the blame,
continued Mr. Mitchell. ''lies deepe
4han the foolish husbands and wive
n have sought to typify in Mr.. an
MRS. Karslake. The people reall
aim at are the fathers and mother
ssg such husbands and wives. VIII
do they not teach their children tha