The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-24
Capital VS.. Poverty Is the
Theme of Stirring
Play.

RAY.
The problems that fill the very news
paper I'm which this review is being
printed, the new leaders who have at
tanned to what many estimate as feudal
power by new means, the sense of
heaTt-clamping injustice which makes
the very poor cry out, and the sense of
being hopelessly misunderstood which
makes the very rich less and less Inc
dulgent, the new philosophy Of love for
ones fellows which has lately found
convincing expression on our stage
these are the materials which Cleveland
Mofet has annealed into remarkable
play now being acted at the Belasco
Theater
The Battle" fl is called. In manu-
script IL is an interesting essay ia form
Of dialogue; the Liebler company has
transformed it into a drama OF superior
natural quality by committing it TO
Wilton Lackaye. +. NJ. Holland. and
other actors of almost equal skill. And
last night a numerous and perCeiving
audience gave clear evidence that the
product had been found of upbuilding
inter est anu tllcl -Aa Ats'DlA A4tlA tANN
missed the mark.
In straightaway acting alone, the per
Torrance must attract general interest
Mr.. LaCkaye-remarkabl as his past
ten years have been tor vivid imper-
Onations-has done mo- ling more note
worthy than his realization in THE
Battle" Of some such figure in Ameri-
can commercial life as Mr.. Rockefeller
or Mr. Morgan, Mr. Holland, who has
a. record stll longer without ever a
misunderstanding indistinct, or care
less, or without that peculiar faithful
ness which makes the acting seem real
ity. is here quite at his best as a sort
of Caleb West, Master Diver. Miss BIZ
jOu Fernandez, less experienced, but not
less earnest, confirms her right to
something better than clothes-dlspiay-
ing roles by projecting a strong per
sOnality from the garb of a factory
hand. Frederick Lewis in fact AS
sumes" the role of a young settlement
worker, and Josephine Victor, new 10
this audience. brought home that the
Liebler selection need not be matter
Of names alone in order to produce re-
markable results
What Say You of Your Kind?
Yet it is not acting-even though this
company holds rank with the remark
able casts the Lieblers have provided
for The Children of the Ghetto" The
Christian THE Eternal City" The
ProdigaI Son" and THE Melting Pot
which gives The Battle its directness
Of fire, not acting alone. It is a steady
unfolding of incident which constantly
% FrFr
is kept within the channel of a story
which belongs To our time more than
to any other, and the apt. forceful, often
apigrau.atic expression OF thought which
must nave occurred definitely or half
definitely 10 every auditor.
The rich; what say you of them2
The poor what say you OF them? Is
either wholly wrong? Is either wholly
right7 What shall a rich man do 10
be saved2 Help his fellows2 What then
shall he do for them that win not make
them paupers2
Mr. MOffet propoues thes@ questions
out of a close contact with both classes
and an inCisiye study OF modern
economic tendencies. Those who have
read his magazine articles VIII under
stand that these questions are also a
reflection of deep sympathy with the
needy and an aSsertive resentment
against the ruthlessness of the com
nercialIy powerful His premises are
-hese:
A woman vigorously gooG has fed
her home with her young sor TO escape
partnership with her husband in a
typical war of combination against
Independent producers The boy she
,onsecrates TO the uplift Of the poor.
He is reared IN a tenement district BY
/ master diver, himself follows that
Tade. succeeds In il, and becomes q /
eader of the disconnected.
IL
Ormerly managed a little business but
vas crowded OUT and is now become /
b bakers helper, and In that family IS 4
young woman whose lie has been 4
tained by a rich profigate. and two .
little children who are i'll These babes .
ire nursed by a young girl whose
ather likewise, was crushed by the /
system"
BY degrees. the master divers knowI- /
dge spreads among the others that /
he young settlement leader is the son
# the richest man In America. That /
nan IS brought 20 the home OF the 4
laker in one OF his own tenements.
there TO win the love of his son before
ne young man shall learn their reta-
lOnshlp ne sets out, while his Yacht I
s supposedly carrying him round the I
Il New York offer opportunity to a
nan who VIII use IL. He does tt
arough energy and power 70 discern
rade openings He does something
o understand somewhat Of the merits
T the successful and comes himself
o learn somewhat of the beauty Of
he spirit.
| Spokesman Tor the Rich.
Here, then. are the two causes face to
ace. The situation is productive Of fine
ramatic values First there is comedy
real comedy, evoked by the flash of
bought on thought and the contact of
cal personalities. Then there is wit
he kind of wit which is spontaneous TO
II. LaclZaye, as was reflected last
light in a curtain speech much to be
lughed over and long to be remem-
cred, kept on the track of the plot
here is, above these things, a develop
lent of events which makes it hard to I
e-ieve Mr.. Moffet not an old hand at
ramatic building, and would sustain
The Battle" as a play of straight
onward stage value. Most interesting
f ALL however is the pleading Of the
dvocates.
We have all heard the one side-from |
ir MOtfet as well as the President Z