New-York tribune., 1907-06-04
uTSS-FIRE SATIRE.

There can be no question of the thoroughly
up-to-date character of the play I'm PlonGee'
which is now presented in Paris and or Whloh
our correspondent In that capital gave VlVld
synopsis in his cable letter in last Sunday
Tribune Neither can there be any question
of its realism, of the thrills" which 1t pro-
duces in spectators. 1t is the elimination, thus
far, the glorifcation, the apotheosis. OF the
tank drama" Nor are we inclined to dispute
orr cOrrespondent's estimate of its mordant
satire We may concede that Voltaire himself
never conceived anything more biting than the
contrast between men dying like rats in a trap
and exhibiting while so doing all the selfish pas
sfons of the elemental human animal, and
minister of state in full dress, smugly and
sonorousIy descanting upon their godlike SUI
periority to all such things. But In one essen
tial respect this satire differs from Voltaire's,
or at any rate thus far omits to demonstrate
likeness to it. The strength Of satire lies in its
truthfulness. In that quality resided the ire
mendous efficiency of Voltaire's scorching and
shriveling screeds. But this "En Plongee'-is
it true? Is its versimilItude so obvious TO be
at once convincing?
We think not. The t1atulent dispenser OF
platitudes may perhaps be accepted. He Is by
no means confined to governmental offices. But
even he is exaggerated and distorted, and that
which is freakish Is put forth as typical Con-
CernlnS Jle ueutn scene or Jne crew OF IUe
submarine boat, however we must give chal-
Ienge to the melodramatists. We may do so
negatively, because there is no authen-
tic record OF men having conducted themselves
as these are shown 10 do; and positively, be-
cause there is much indubitable evidence to the
contrary. The world knows. upon authority
which cannot be disputed, how men mpris-
Oned in mines. and Arctic explorers in the last
extremes of famine and privatiOn, and fremen
trapped in burning buildings, and many others
in supreme and tragic emergencies, have CON
Quoted themselves. The world knows that
while sometimes the most selfish passions rise,
in many more cases these are subordinated to
q restraint generosity and a serene nobility
of which the resounding rhetoric of the play
writer's minister IS but a feeble and made
quate expression Seeing that men who engage
In submarine service do so with full realization
of its peculiar and appalling dangers that they
bound together in special sympathy by that
very knowledge of their common peril, and that
they are in an exceptional manner and degree
the subjects of discipline, the strong probability
is that in such catastrophe that depicted III
the play their behavior would be more like that
suggested by their official eulogst than that
enacted by their impersonators.
Satire is easy. Sneers are faclle. \ clown
might provoke laughter by turning handSprngs
over his mothers grave. This play of En-
Plongee' might be adapted, mutdtis mrutdndis,
to fremen trapped and suffocated in a burning
building, yet have had impressive proofs, a
thousand times as in a recent Broadway fire,
of what a libel it would be, For us. prefer
to believe that heroism does exist and Is prac-
tised, and that in the last extremity of despair
and impending death men are capable Of think
ing of duty and of the welfare Of others And
the literature or art which sets forth the baser
view, however brilliantly and for whatever pur-
pose, will fail TO produce conviction or to
establish It's own lasting triumph, because 1t is
not just TO human nature and is not founded
upon truth.