New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-20
THE QUESTION
Drink Play at Days Discovers
That Liquor Is Evil.
BOOZE IS DENOUNCED
Makes Devils of Us All-EdWin
Arden as the Clean
Saloon" Magnate.

The author of The Question has
found that evil turks i'm alcohol. The in
ference j. that he discovered the fact IN
a book by Forrest Halsey. since the play.
as explains the friendly programme. has
been made from one Of his stories.
Although the audience did not seem TO
have gathered i'm combative mood or
one aggressively friendly to intemper-
ance. the curtain was no sooner up than
the problem of the drink evil was antipa-
theticaliy and fiercely thrust upon them
slight tremolo Of surprise quaNered
through the auditorium. We thought the
stage had saved us from the rum hend
some years ago. There were Ten
Nights i'm a Bar Room" and Drink.
The general idea was that these plays
had settled the question. But there Il
was. rampant. at Days. again last night.
az course. there Is always. In these DAYS
the new possibility for an historic theme
Woman. And in q drink play nova
days the old line is changed 20 Where
is my wandering wife tonight
10 is NOT easy to say iu word what
the leading question was in Sherman
LIN : pay Id~i llSis- ! lIfif WIZ lilhiIf
questions The foremost fact among the
four distressing acts was that young wife
hood has craving for alcohol. a craving
OF which she disapproves. and therefore
she blamcs 10 ON father. And the promi-
rent situation OF the play is that she
becomes violently intoxicated by the wine
served TO her al dinner party-she being
accustomed to brandy and whiskey at
homeland goes of to Preston Warren's
rooms To spend the night
The question is. when she comes home
in the morning. Where has she bcen?'
Husband has been sitting up all night.
waiting. or is that the question? Per
haps the question Is. Should husband
give mp the liquor business Yet an
other guess on this important matter OF
finding what tine question really was
rs drink an Unbeatable vice." Naturally
this bibuous wife comes from one OF
those disreputable first families Of Viz
GINA Father drank. as did long line
Of fathers before him. The great problem
Of the Virginia town where the proud
Thorntons lived was drink.
The Question" is a trying play for a
thirsty audience TO watch. for there is an
uninterrupted procession OF gobicts pass
ing from $50 until II p. m. However.
there is no joy in them for the ones who
drink them so there may be some con
ISOLATION i'm that thought Father Thorn
ton is scdthinRly Tebuked by his teetJ-
talist son. who did not inherit the vice the
sclf-righteous. clean saloon magnate
sees the error of his business and gives
IL up in order 10 devote himself 10 the
business of saving his wifc's soul wife
herself makes no promises. but at final
curtain fan she has morniug-attcr
look that treasures the folk who rise
from their seats to 70 TO the nearest cafe
The better part OF kindness with regard
TO the players might be not to connect
their names with the piece At all \
word Of gratitude u.s. however. due 30
Olive May for providing q bright per
sonality ~ the part OF the sporting
Duchess OF scarborough As FOR Edwin
Arden. who can act when he has a suit
able part. why VIII hc display himself In
such q role as that OF the liquor man?
People will soon altogether forget that
be is. seriously speaking an actor.
The lie OF n.st nightcrs In this city is
for thc most part gloomy one
CAST or THE QUESTION
t..I,r.... t..IIUu H.rI.r TH,Irf,n q. "a fl.r.1r