Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-16

"The Man of the Hour" George
Broadhurst's powerful comedy OF love
and politics, is a classic of its kind. As
picture of the battle now waging
for municipal purity throughout Amer
lea, it leaves an indellible impression
in the minds of those who witness It.
Probably the strongest thing when
may be said of the play itself, is that
it Is a powerful indictment against
machine politics, and grating poll
ticians. 1t lays bare the iniquity OF
bossism, shows the ramiticauons or
graft and teaches in the end that, al
though politics may be polluted, there
appears here and there a Moses to lead
the people out of the political wilder
ness and into the promised land OF
civic deCency.
"The Man of the Hour ras been
influential in many campaigns dur
ing the last several years. 1t may
be that the wave of reform which BILL
lowed rapidly over the United States
and engulfed many a ward heeler, boss,
dishonest magnate and some who had
always belonged to the 'eminently re-
spectacle" class was given added force
through "The Man of the Hour Ger
tain il is that reform and what 1t
means to the people, graft and its ram
ifications and machine politics, We're
shown to the people by this drama OF
present day life. 1t is another proof
of the rightness of the direct primary.
George Broadhurst, the author, sat
in the audience last night. 1t must
have been a great satisfaction to him
to hear the applause and to know that
through his work he had reused the
people to a greater degree than many
an orator on his stump. Mr. Broad
hurst has delivered a message to mil
lions, and he is hearing the answer
here in Los Angeles, where machine
rule has been brought to an end.
Unfortunately, the women in the
present cast are not up to the stand
ard of the men--that is, in ability. Miss
winthrop as Dallas Wainwright is too
elocutionary in delivery and too
"stagey" in action. Her saving grace
is that she Is thoroughly womanly
from the first to the last curtain. Miss
Mack as Mrs. Bennett looks rather
too young to be the mother of a
mayor. Had she no gray hair she
would easily be mistaken for the may
or's sister or sweetheart. Miss Reader
is the best of the women. She's not
quite the best ingenue ever seen, but
she seems to fit into her part-or make
the part ut her-extremely well. She
looks and acts the big-eyed, innocent,
trusting child. used to luxury once
and suddenly thrown upon her IrlenuS
and her own resources.
OF the men, the two who impress
one most are John Moore and Felix
Haney. One is the political boss-and
he's ideal, for he is a man big in voice,
big in stature and big In action. The
other is the alderman with the heart
and the smile. He makes his lasting
impression because he is met every
day in politics. There always is a
man who gives picnics in summer and
turkeys in winter to the poor and un-
fortunate. There's something about
Haney which makes you love him from
the moment he smiles and shows a row
of even, white teeth. He's the natural
born "fxer" with his blarney and his
"horse sense"
Arthur Maitland, 1.-The man Of the
hour" is good in spots He rises to
heights, but most of the time he is too
cold to have the entire sympathy of
the audience. His is a difficult role,
for he has more than one opportunity
of looking and acting heroic. This Mr..
Maitland does not do. Therefore he
should be commended for his portrayal
of Mayor Bennett.