Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-13
BY SHIRLEY OLYMPUS

each dealing with the develop
ment of the individual but each
widely variant, will be presented
in the theaters. | refer to "The
City, at Hamburger's Majestic,
and "The Fortune Hunter" at the
Mason opera house. If there are
any two plays which deal with
the same general theme but which
are as diametrically unlike, ex-
ist, really would like to know
In a word, "The City" tells of
those who are carried by the lure
of the city into its ruinous vortex !;
"The Fortune Hunter" tells of
the man who escapes the mael-
strom, seeks the quietude of the
small town and becomes sue
cess.
Clyde Fitch knew the city life.
He had lived it for so many, many
years, had studied it so closely,
had sneered and jeered at it, and
finally, as last resort in his sat-
irical disgust, dramatized it. |
am inclined to believe that Mr..
Fitch, after he had tired of all
those excitements which we call
pleasure, became innoculated
with the "back-to-the-farm" virus
and so wrote "Fhe City" that
those who run may read, and
reading may heed the cry of the
untitled acres.
On the other hand Winchell
Smith, from whose brain and pen
came "The Fortune Hunter" "
knows the city, but he knows bet
ter the higher humanity. 1t was
for this reason, no doubt, that
Mr.. Smith took his characters out
near the green fields and let them
grow into virility. Mr.. Fitch
was cynic, pessimist; Mr..
Smith is an optimist. Mr.. Fitch
teaches a negative lesson; Mr..
Smith a positive one. How we'll
the lessons are illustrated we
shall see later. I shall not at
tempt to discuss the dramatic
elements presented in either play
until after their presentations.
Rather shall / try to dissertate
briefly upon the general theme
involved in them.
OF the city and the city life
are many harsh words spoken
There are those-and they num-
Der hundreds of thousands.who
claim that the influx of country
youths to the city and the con-
stantly growing tendency of city
dwellers to remain so, are the
first steps toward the disintegra-
ton of our republic. The de-
cline of the Roman empire is ever
cited as an example. To the city
is laid the accusation of growing
immortality, political rottehness
and economic waste and decay.
Whether all the indictments
against city life are true bills is
largely matter of personal
opinion. But it is true that while
the city gives large scope for
endeavor and makes men strive
harder for the grand prize OF
success, it also gives greater
chances for failure and presents
more temptations. In this way
does the city take away from the
individual.
With all the arguments in favor
OF the "back-to-the-farm" move
ment, American youths continue
to yield to the lure of the city
Census Director Durand has
proved this in advance figures he
recently made public. Already
there have been added some six
ty cities to those having a popu-
lation of 25,00O or more. There
were 100 in that list ten years
ago; now there are 22O. And
about tWo-thirds of the newcom-
ers into the city class are to be
found in the great farming basin
of the Mississippi, north Of Ken
tueky. The farms are being de-
serted, the cities becoming
crowded. But why?
Economists have figured that
the average daily wage in the city
is $l.50 and that the average