The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-10-17
Special cOrpspondcnce The Warrington Herald.

naming them any OF the intellectual
heavy-weights whom ! caught gog-eyed.
gape-mouthed, and cock-eared at a young
Fellow singing to his sweetheart in The
Man Who Owns Broadway" that ne would
go the route" for her. They acted the
simple love ballad-a ditty close to dog
gerel-by the manly boy merely chasing
the shy grille around the stage; but the
tune was blithe. the dancing 1.-the. and
the blend Of sentiment and foolery so
pretty that It knocked dignity silly They
had TO do IL seven times over, although
the star comedian Of the show, Raymond
Hitchcock. was kept waiting on the
scene he got out Of his predieament by
joining in the pursuit Of the little maid
and catching her away from her ardent
IoVer; whereat pundit here a hnancier
there. and millionaire yonder pulled out
their laugh-stops and rosred merrily.
This is the Popularity" OF George NJ.
CohanA which by putting in an album
dance OF songs and dances. comedians,
and girls, has transformed into the big
extravaganza Of The Man Who Owns
Broadway" The wit and humor are OF
the Tenderloin. yet none is deplorable
The ballet-chorus is sirenic, yet the
shortest skirt is ankle length.
"PopuInrIty, Rewritten.
The Man Who Owns Broadway IN
tho sense that he is a rldlculously popu-
lar actor in that Great White Way"
was character serious as well as comic
In the original play. As changed for
Raymond Hitchcock. he IS a carIcature.
and gets chances to open and empty his
entire bag or funny tricks All that he
ever did Conan contrives 10 have him do
again He guys all that before was meant
10 be given and taken sedately He tells
the audience, like a modernized Greek
Tragedy chorus. what the action means
and what may be expected 10 come OF 81.
calls attention frequently TO the fact that
ne is the star actor. and insists on his
rights or dominance, and Is by spells all
tne KINDS OF joker that he ever was I'm
MS twenty years on the stage
"The Master Key"
The theatrical business would no n goo1
one 10 con1oln a prophet with prost
FTst to set the sure forecaster. The
money would come in overwhelmingly.
This writer never guesses at the future
G. the new plays he describes. A week
mas elapsed. though. since the birth OF
The Fourth Estate" and The Master
Key and one is dead already. while the
other lives vigorously. SO we NAV con-
slider them for their quiclcness OF defeat
AMI triumph. And both present Ameri-
can socialisuc problems seriously.
Out OF respect 20 the dead. 7 will write
first an obituary OF The Master Key"
The play gives the tip TO wage-earners
When they would lessen their DAVIS worj,
and Increase their pay. they should put
an irresistible working girl in the way Of
Ihe Doss and let nature take it's course.
To make the scheme potent as a factor
in the conflict OF capital and labor n
the case presented by Author Cosm1
Hamilton Is TO be taken for guidance,
the man should be impulsivelv sentl-
mental like Actor Orrin Johnson. and
the girl sweetly persuasive. like Actress
Frances Ring.
Have trades unionists considered tho
idea Of making walking delegates out OF
pretty girls? The leader in this strike
is an eloquent old man, enthusiastic ana
obdurate. and he makes no Roadway i'm
the fight A young schoolna' am. equally
resolute, but a contrast in personal
charms. unconsciously takes the affair
out OF his hands, enthralls the employer.
and makes the strike victorious That
Is to say. THE Master Key presents
the labor problem seriously, yet gives no
practical solution. except in a sporadic
case.
Boss Mixes with Strikers.
young mill owner. by inheritance. 1
comes from many years Of European abb
sence TO find HIS plant idle and his strik- !
ina oN ~
They don't know him by sight So he .
resolves 70 learn the ethics Of the con-
troversy by pretending TO be one OF his
new hired men and living a fortnight IN |
strikers home, where the schoolma'am 7.
and the labor leader are boarders. Thus.
you see. the antagonistic elements are
thrown together in a way sure to produce /
results Of one sort or another. Strongly
assertive Orrin Johnson and sweetly con- |
Trajectory Frances Ring couldn't hit to-
gether without striking FIRE, and the |
fame flares bright and hot for unionism i
in work and wedlock. Yet 1.-The Master /
Key falls 70 the ground with a thud
that is dull between its two stools OF |
love and labor
Why? The key OF mastery finds a key
hole through which 70 unlock a barrier
between capital and labor IN a particular
case. but manifestly 1t won't turn the
bolts generally. and the hearts Of the
lovers don't throb hard enough for a
satisfying romance. Oh, 20 long with
you. says the bulk OF the audience when
Miss Ring, enamored OF Mr. Johnson In
his disguise Of a workman. turns him
down, spanks him hard, and sends him
away upon learning that he is a million
alre employer and ready to grant the
strikers demands, not because she has
convinced him that they are reasonable,
but because he loves their advocate. The
scamp! lie shocks her with the disclo-
sure that he won't take her to a cottage
for brown bread, SKINNED milk cheese.
and poor husbands kisses, but to a
mansion, where the bread will be white
except when daintily toasted the cheese
made of cream In choice brands, and the
Kisses given by a doting millionaire hus-
band In lazy languor. The miscreant!
''The Fourth Estate" SeosationaI.
There is going to be a hot time in the !
Advance newspaper Office tonight. That
is sure before THE Fourth Estate" Is an
hour under way. The journal has been
denunciatory OF judges whose It AYERS
have made unfairly favorable decisions
for corporations against the people Edi-
tor Brand is earnestly sincere in attack
ing Judge Bartelmy. whose corruption is
fragrant Owner Nolan is appreclative OF
hts EDITORS course, especially as It has
made the paper prosperous, and has told
him to go ahead; but the Judge has {
brought influence to bear upon Nolan's '
ambitious wife and aspiring daughter,
letting them know that their way 10 So =
ciety's center will be cleared Of all OBJ
stacles if the Advance becomes kind TO