The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-11
FUTURE IF GREAT
 AMERICAN DRAMA British Actor Thinks There Is
 Hope for the Stage CHICAGO'S EXPERIMENT New Rule at Postofflce Regarding Mail at General Delivery Window
 Is Causing Trouble But
 Will Stick.

Chicago, October 10.--(special.) )-The day of the great American drama and dram atist lies just beyond the present-day in fatuation of the public here and in Eng land for sparkling theatrical froth, ac- cording to the English actor, John E. Dodson, now starring in Chicago. His study of the trend of things theatrical in England inspired the prediction that, when the business pace begins to slacken in the United States, true drama will again have consideration and develop ment. From the time of Babylon down it has been the history of every nation that art, including dramatic art, has not reached it's zenith until decadence of com mercial supremacy and absorption in business had begun People in the United States live so fast that mere entertain
 ment wins the public but certain 1t Is that this country will produce great drama and great dramatists. She is so young, so full of tremendous Vigor, So commanding in the field of invention and industry that attention has not yet turned to the drama as it has been known to other nations when they had reached that point of opulence and ease when art gained ascendancy in the public mind. In England the present fad for the light and sparkling entertainment began five years before it did in the United States, and probably its end is that much nearer at hand" MT Dodson talks of the future of the drama with hlstrionic earnestness, his features, his hands and his attitude reminding one of the character roles he has played for sensational runs in New York of "The House Next Door,"
 The experimental ban on mail at Chi cagos postoffiee general delivery win dows against girls who haven't their f1,r4.. husbands permission, and any who could not identify themselves under the names to which letters were addressed, con- tinues to cause consternation to thou sands of people-principally women-who call and are confronted with the new rule. Futile resentment has run high,
 and there has been much Reclamation | about infringement of rights" Over
 5000 women a day have been receiving | mail at the general delivery section. | Postofnce Inspector Stuart now Is con l Vinced that his experiment was needed, 1 for he says that evil has come to thou l sands of girls under age who have re- ! ceived mall surreptitiously. and that the safety of thousands of homes has been imperiled by mail which husbands and wives have received in general delivery boxes Now every person Is compelled to sign a card before mail is delivered and investigation Is made of the signer. Pa rents of girls are notified, and some rad teal changes in the domestic arrange Ynents of love affairs have been caused by the abrupt order from Inspector Stu art As usual thousands of innocent per sons are suffering needlessly from the at i tempt to discipline guilty folk Thou sands of girls and women whom circum- stances compel to live in cheap boarding houses, and hundreds of foreigners whose liyings are precariously got and who have trusted to the protection of Uncle Sam as a surety for@honest delivery of mail untampered with, find themselves en- tangled in red tape.
 The fortune at stake In the fete of John R. Walsh swll remain one of the most dramatic evidences of the poor boys chance in the United States, for while not of the Hawley or Hartman rank, 1t runs into many millions. The statement or securities taken by the associated banks of Chicago when they liquidated to de-' positors of the Chicago National and other Walsh banks proved to include s3 e0o. 900 of bonds of the Illinois Southern railway. nearly s10000Oo of bonds of the Chicago Southern railway, $4, 100000 of Illinois Southern railway, over 2,0O0,OO of those of the Southern Indiana railway. s4 100000 of Illinois Southern stock, the Bedford stone quarries and other items which bring the total to s1400o,oS6 Walsh began a the zenith of his bank career had such political influence, through the backing of Sullivan, Hopkins, Jamieson and Smith. that his bank held funds of the state. county, city and West South and Lincoln park boards, and finally the funds of the drainage district. The Chicago National had $16,0o00oo In deposits and the Home Savings bank s4,oooooo, the total liabilities of those banks and the Eouitable Trust company reaching total of $26,000 900. During his trial In the federal court for fraudulent banking MT. Walsh practically ignored his defense leaving it to his attorneys and his friends, while he devoted his tremendous energy to efforts to conserve his assets and gain become the figure of command ing importance in financial circles Of the west
 The requirements of today for libra rians of great public libraries like Chi cago's whence 2,100,000 people annually get reading matter, were liiumlneo py the prolonged hunt by the Chicago trus- tees before Henry F. Legler of Milwaukee was chosen Time was when librarian was not necessarily trained profession ally. Nowadays the head of big public library must combine the qualities of scholar, a diplomat, an executive and literateur. The experience of MT. Legler. who has been secretary of the Wiscon- sin free library commission for over five wears. shows that varied training and accomplishments are necessary. Born in Palermo, Italy, he was educated in Swift zerland and began work in Milwaukee newsuaper office as a printer. Later he was reporter and then editor and was elected a member of the Wisconsin legis- lature Now he is president of the pub fishing board, the executive board and the national council of the American Library association He belongs to the American Literary institute, he has been councillor of the Bibliographical society, chairman of the League of Library commissioners, and a member of the American Histori