New-York tribune., 1908-04-06
TRIBUTES TO FRANCE
London's Arc de Triomphe-No
poleonic Drama Revised
London Nfa-.s y,

May Ihls ls tne grandiose style IN which ..
Marble Arch Of the bus drivers is dsscribA. -
virtue Of the improvements now IN pro--.,-
was originally erected by George ". at,b.
trance OF Buckingham Palace and "a an -.
tion OF the Arch Of Constantine with rsIi.s, =
Baily and Westmacott and bronze gates .,
considered magnificent work When N. -
end facade Of the palace was added six-v -
ago. the arch was in the way and had - -
removed. and consequently il was recons,ru-..s
at the northeastern entrance OF Hyde Park s-s
so badly placed 20 be reduced 70 insiz,,s
ance. Although more than $4,000 had -
expended it in the two sites II was 49,
beater than a park gate with a pair - So.
lodges. and was referred 70 with fns cvn,-,--
by artists the crowning monument ~ a.
inartistic nation This reproach may n. -.
moved by another course Of reconstrucrio, -
approaching completion. by which the Io4v,.
have been taken down as useless encurb-s,o
the roadways enlarged and the arch i-,n-.
sively isolated on higher level Larg. sbt-,
OF men have been working night and day n.
two months these extensive alterations. s,s
the authorities expect that everything Will =. =
order when NJ. FaIlieres drives OUT 70 so.o-
herds Bush 10 open the Franco-British exbr5t-
ton
Whether the French President be pIeasan+lv =,
unpleasantly reminded OF the Pa-isian ar,
which artists have considered too small ,,- -.
spacious environment since the cIeararc.s -
fected since Napoleon's time. he viii probsblz
regard II a compliment 70 France thar -.
neglected Marble Arch should be treated a.
tistically, as though il were another Arc =.
Triomphe- 1t will be one OF many signs that N,
imperial capital is receiving during King "a
wards reign many finishing touches suggested
by the superior elegance OF Paris When n,
professional road is completed from the paIac,
10 Trafalgar Square, and the Victorian raonu-
ment with its ornamental approaches ard
screens. is supplemented by the Quadrfga ov.-
the arch Constitution Hiu and the archzsy
in Whitehall, there Will be an artistic achlsve-
ment surprising anything attempted during n.
Regency OF compliments 10 France there ara.
however. enough and 10 spare. L'Entelte cor
dale is reflected by the theatres where ''Boaey'
has ceased 10 be an ogre and French otacsrs
villains, cOnspirators and spies
The play. for example. a. Nj Maudss
theatre "Marjory strode," has Us diplomats
aspect It deals with British and French -
lations during the war period OF 1910 and
adapts the theme to the existing conditions %
amenities and grace. An oft1cer IN q scarlet uni
form sets out from his Devonshire home 10
the sound OF drum and fife TO fight with VEL
hngton in Spain. and the girl whom ne IS !sav-
ing behind him. instead OF promising 70 NARY
him. hurts hts pride BY refusing him and dis
matchmaking ~
soon his back is turned the fair Marjorie falls
desperately in love with q French prisoner who
is lodging in the village on parole. and in tss
leisurely course OF four acts agrees % elope
with him while he is escaping 70 his own coun-
try. The two squires succeed IN frustrating the
romantic plot, but the British ofHCer returns IN
time 70 upset their matchmaking. H4 has
rushed into hasty marriage in Spain during
an interval OF a victorious campaign and IS
no longer eligible mate FOR Marjorie So the
French officer, after overpOwering a constants
on the drive TO DartmoOr and receiving a dis
uissal from her when she considers thar his
safety depends upon the sacrifice o. her love
for him, sUTenders himself and Is accepted 5y
the squires the only possible sutror. Every
thing goes 10 please the gallant Fren-huan.
Even the English girl syTnparhizes with him
when the villagers are shouting themselves
hOarse over the British victories IN Spain. Hs
is the heroic refugee. who carries or the st- IN
triumph. while the rival in scarlet : les- II =
ridiculous plight. Magnant-niry toward France
England's new ally, could hardly Re carried
further
Marjorie Strobe" is the work o. q popular
Liberal member OF Parliament. NJ Mason who
was elected from Coventry after writing The
Four Feathers and a series os ronaaces. 7
comprises a succession OF scenes with q pict-
uresque Devonshire setting and a sparkling cur
rent OF dialogue, in which Marjorie matches her
VIII against the Cleverness ~ Uncle ChrtsJOphs-,
alternately losing and winning he- points Ths-s
is no dramatic movement: the curtains s-e noc
effective: the underpIot Is confused and almost
unintelligtble; and in place OF climax there Is
final reversiOn 20 farce. M Mason can wrtts
interesting chapters fo- a romantic novel. bu-
he is not practised dramatisc- He has pro
vided Devonshire cream for the matinee girls.
vrb will L, t+-fa Ia
Hghtful love scenes with E5-lish. handsome Mss
Sevening He has also enabled NIr. cyril NaUds
and Mr. Alfred Bishop 70 portray the hU-lors q
the TWO old sqUires and 70 entertain pIzygoe-s
with a fine display OF their ar. After M
Naude's prolonged experiences n farce i- IS a
most agreeable change 10 md him cast to- a1
old mans part in eccentric comedy; and his
work in this play is unforced and excellent. with
fewer mannerisns and less artificial stage bust
ness than usual and with incessant flashes o.
drollery.
American missionaries as well as Eng-sn
playWrighrs and decorators are paving tributes
TO French civilization. Bishop HarczeI- Who
has been haIting in London for q week hefcrs
sailing by tha Mauretania 70 report n The Gen
ereI Methodist Conference on his four years
circuit OF missionary work IS preaching new
crusade in French Africa. NOT satisfied with
his vast mission field in East and West AfricA
and the islands. ne is eager 70 open operations
in North Africa among the Mahor1arans- TAs
subject came up ~ Protestant congress n
Rome; generous subscriptions were receiver
from hopeful lsymen; three excellent nne1- ohe
an expert In Oriental languages. havs voiun-
teered for the work. and the Bishop. arrsr
deliberate survey Of large section of AIser'H
and adjacent countries and satisfactory con-
suItations in Paris with the French governments