New-York tribune., 1907-12-15
m THE PARIS STAGE.
4 Drama of Social Conditions
Stock Brokers Depicted.
Paris, December 3.

Tbsstre de rGuvre, elicits a spirited and
..o,,ous polemic in regard to the social situa-
of Israelite families settled in France.
,-,-aira Bloch, rich stockbroker from Frank
r. rbose wife is "bluestocking'' and whose
,her is an fntransigeant Talmudist. has three
ras, Andre Helene and Lucen, born in
Irie Bloch who himself has become nat
,,zed French citizen. would be the happiest
- roortsls were il not for the aspirations of
"a, uife and children, who move heaven and
-,b TO be received in the most select circles
- Roman Catholic Partisan society. This
..a,hv family OF snobs feel mortified at sights
- enlbs from the great ladies of the Eau
.o,,rr aristocracy. They do their utmost to eff
&c what they themselves call 1.-The stigma of
sbe ghetto" They become more royalist than
80 Ro." they proclaim adherence to the cler-
..1 reaction they are fiercely hostile to the
,.u of separation of Church and State, and
Andre has taken leading part in the mani
..stations against the inventories of church
property.
One evening through the agency of the Comte
do Coissy. to whom NJ. Bloch has advanced
large sums of money. a venerable French car
dinal consents put in appearance at a
grand soiree given by Nine. Bloch in the u
rerh mansion in the Avenue du Bois de Rou-
logne The cardinal does so because he is a
candidate for the French Academy, and there
bv hopes TO secure the vote of the Academician
Blumenthal. Nine. Blochs uncle. who is also
one of tie guests In spite of the presence of
the cardinal and Of the Corlte de Coissy, the
Blochs fail TO secure the attendance of the
noble ladies of the Faubourg. The scene at the
bali is highly effective The cardinal and the
count find that all the other guests are de-
scendants of Abraham. Isaac and Jacob
When the ball is over Andre angriIy asks his
mother: Are we forever condemned TO meet
none but Jews? ] encounter all sides spite
and arrogance, and although native born
Frenchn1an / am made 10 feel that / am a for
eigner."
The young Lucien chimes in, and says: II.
too suffer from the same cause. / feel that L
am not like my comrades The other day
street bohemian called me q sale juif' Why
on earth did we not remain at Frankfort
This. by the way. was the question put in the
Chamber Of Deputies in course Of the Dreyfus
agitation by Maurice Barres. the nationalist
leader, 10 Theodore Reinach.
Bloch answers: Because, my dear son, at
Frankfort il would be just the same thing"
Lucien insists and asks: What is il to be a
Jew"
The father replies: TO be Jew is mis-
fortune great misfortune"
= Notwithstanding these rebusfs and chagrins
the Biechs still persevere in their efforts They
enc-uraged by the fact that the Conte
de Co.'s Is suitor for the hand of their
daughter Helene. This Helene is enigma
She has expressed her determination not to
marry unless she really loves some one. Her
parents and brothers protest that she ought not
20 throw away this opportunity OF becoming a
countess. and that moreover il is her duty to
become Roman Catholic convert and be
baptized
what real difference does it make?" OBJ
serves Andre. 1t is mere formality. neces-
sary for social success
Helene does not matters in this light. She
studies the catechism. She becomes at last
convinced, and transforms herself into gen.
uine sincere Christian greatly TO the conster
nation Of her parents and especially of her
ertii, =ox Israelite grandmother.
Nevertheless. Andre, who is practical says:
'Wha is the use OF teasing Helene on account
of he unexpected sincerity? Why not, the
contr2ry, follow her example. up to certain
point. and let US ali be baptized together?"
The ambitious family of snobs finally agree
10 this. but with the understanding that they
are not TO become dupes and that the baptisma
ceremony is to be regarded merely as a sort OF
business transaction Tie venerable intransi-
geant Talmudist grandnotners objections
overruled, and the good news is communi-
Gated TO the little Lucien. whose salient Semitic
features have called down upon him avalanches
OF Gentle reproach and insult
All very WELL retorts the lad. but will this
taking the sacrament straighten out my nose?"
The wholesale baptism. without faith, takes
place.
In the third act Helene has become so fervent
a Catholic that she no longer wishes TO marry
but announces her intention of entering con-
vent. Her resolution is irrevocable, much to
the disgust OF her parents and brothers
Andre always practical. says: AFTER all. let
her take the veil. Who knows but she may be-
ccnne saint and with such record in the
family our descendants may present themselves
n the Jockey Club with fair chance OF being
elected"
Andre who had hitherto through pure snob-
bism affected disdain for business matters.
NOW. after his baptism. becomes a partner OF his
father, who being a Christian. no longer casts
any reflection upon the social status OF the SON.
The Blochs become the bankers OF the world OF
Catholicism. and. remarks Andre. always practi-
cal: when Helene takes the veil. what a stu
pendous advertisement for our firm." The am
b!1on CT this family OF society climbers Is at
length partly realized They make place
for themselves In Partisan society
The authors deal with this burning social
rroblecn with incisive wit. but with too much
levtty snd nippancy. Bloch is q sort OF Semitic
1artufe and his strange cynicism seems exces-
sive. although II Is said to be within the limits
presented by certain prominent figures In French
public lise- It is also pointed out that the late
Bernard Lazare, In his work on "Antisemitism:
tts History and Its Causes" has expressed views
similar 70 those set forth IN this stirring play.
The authors Of which are botL Israelites. 1t Is
only fair to say that the bright and tncisive