New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-14
LONDON NOTES
A Deadly Parallel - Suffrage
PIay-The Academy.

London. April %
\ master OF the deadly parallel is the
pushful Postmaster General. Mr. Herbert
Samuel Mr. Balfour had chosen MIR.
Cave. Cnionist barrister with a solemn
manner. as the mover OF an amendment
to the Parliament bill embodying the
referendum. and that rising hope of the
stern. unbendng Tories had mastered
his brief and succeeded in forgetting that
he was ever a lawyer With studious
moderation and with the simple air 81
vandid friend who was disinterested and
free from partisan bias in his search
after truth. he discussed the referendum
principle as a constructive policy of in
estimable value in the evolution of dem
ocratic institutions. Who could have
suspected from his abnormal gravity and
persuasive exposition that his party had
ever caught at the referendum as con-
venient political device for dishng the
Radicals and Obstructing government
legislation He appeared in Parliame mt
not 81 a ld " TT VIII a l''ht ~ '+'N'f -N
as constitutional investigator. consci-
entious student Of worlds politics. who
knew how 70 improve and perfect the
NUMBERING mechanism OF state.
II the House was momentarily i'm
pressed with Mr.. Caves seriousness and
benevolence there was a sudden reaction
when the aggressive and cocksure Post
master General followed him with gleam-
ing eve and provocative gesture. \ year
before this fresh debate Mr.. Cave had
stumbled upon the referendum before IT
was adopted by Mr.. Balfour as Union
ist substitute for the veto measure.
Probably not dozen members had
heard the speech. and certainly Mr.. cave
had forgotten what ne said. but the
stenographers had taken il down SEN
t-nc- bv sentence ami ii had been pre-
served in the records. where Mr. Samuel
could lay his hands upon IT, The refer
endum. when the passages were quoted
with cruel emphasis and fire IRONY was
crude and impracticable device. incom-
patibe with the party system and repre-
sentative institutions, Its adoption
would nullify the constitutional practice
of generations. release interruptions MIN
listers from the necessity for resignation
when they might have misrepresented
the feeling Of the country and reduce
law abiding nation TO the yagarIes OF
topsv -turvydom' With what outlaws Of
laughter was this deadly parallel re-
ceived by the unmanageable Radicals
Mir. Balfour's modification was Intense
when the mover Of the amendment was
exposed to such merciless ridicule. and
Mr.. cave himself had the most serious
half hour Of his political career.
Mr.. Jerome's play az the loyalty Thea
ire THE Master Of Mrs. Chilvers." il
neither a convincing nor an entertaining
suffrage tract. nor is it an amusing COM
edy. although the studies OF low life =
The East End are trenchant and realistic.
NJ. Chilvers. VI. F.. and his wife agree
that women should vote, but they fall
ont on the subject Of seats In Parliament
for women. especially when they are
rival candidates IN a by-election rem
dered necessary by his promotion 10
ministerial responsibilities. Although she
loves him. she stands against him when
she is rendered eligible by strange
decision Of the House OF Lords. she IS
aided by his mother-in-l law and obtains
the support Of an anomalous body Of
social reformers befriendlng illegitimate
children after he has condemned It's pro-
uosals. and she comes out at the head Of
tie poll and then is frightened into
by the obligations % mother
hood The real master" of Mrs. Chilvers
is the candidate for the cradle in the
nursery. Neither the sophstries Of So
,i.I reformers nor the clamors Of SUI
fraecttes permit her 70 disregard old
fashioned duties Of maternitT Appar-
emily the moral Of the play is that while
women should have votes. Old maids and
childiess wives are alone eligible TO office.
This conclusion will not satisfy ardent
81. FRA gettes. who want votes and every
thing that goes with them. They viii
p-efer Miss Robinss stirring play re-
Gently enacted an the Court Theatre. with
the realistic crowd in Trafalgar Square
and with no compromises Of principle.
and II cannot be denied that hers is the
hotter drama. although II iacks the comic
tvp!ay Of low life portrayed by genuine
biimorists like Mi Gwenn. Miss sydney
Fairbrothei aud Miss BeTinger Mr.
Eade and Miss Ashwell act with sin
cerity aud power as husband and wife
and the suffrage agtators and the cleo