Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-04-22
Panama Canal in the Making
and Balkan War Scenes at
Shubert Theatre.
INEFFECTIVE LIGHT
AND POOR COMMENT
KinemacoIor Photographs Ia
ken Under Direction of a
Great Correspondent Shown.

The making of the Panama canal
and actual scenes Of the Balkan war
In kinemacolor photography were
shown at the Shubert Theatre last
evening. A large audience, including
many Greeks, enjoyed the scenes pre-
scented as much as it was possible I'M
der the circumstances. The prospee-
tus bore the following legend, in caps,
"A competent lecturer will explain in
detail the entire program" This lee
turer, by no means poor reminder
of Mr.. Pickwick, was competent to
the extent that his enunciation was
model for those who have a fancy for
the stage. For the rest, there might
platform. Where the scene was obvir
Gus, nc explained. Where eXplana-
ton would have been welcome, he
was silent; doubtless believing that
the imagination of the audience was
of so brilliant a degree that it would
be a species of supererogation to sup
plement it by illuminative remarks
Where affairs of a strategic, scientific
or mechanical nature are concerned
such reticence has its inconvenient
side. The first part of the entertain
ment, also, the striking scenes of the
conflict in the Balkans, was wholly
married by a defect of the light which
permitted of but a dim realization of
pictures of the most intense interest
To the present writer, also, il seemed
dire pity that such wonderful pho
tographs, obtained under the direc-
ton of war correspondent renowned
throughout the world, and one whom
he once had the honor to know as the
attache- of great metropolitan jour-
nal, should be SO inadequately pre-
scented. Though they could well tell
their own story could they have been
seen through the mist of a blurred
spectrum, still, a few illustrative re-
marks from an intelligent commenta-
tor would not have been amiss.
Of the pictures of the Panama canal
in the making it is enough to say
that they were striking. 1t was also
fortunate that when their turn came
to be projected on the screen the light
had made up it's mind to emerge from
the obscuring mist superimposed by
an incompetent operator OF the
scenes not the least interesting was
the superb portrait of Colonel Goe-
| thals, who is, as well as a born
Achilles among men, one of the hand
soonest of mortals.
Again in this series the need of a
competent lecturer" one with some
| imagination, as, well as knowledge of
| the art of utterance, was only too APP
parent In the series were excellent
maps, designed to show in a graphic
manner the advantages of the great
canal in reducing the time between
| the maritime capitals of the world.
There were many children in the au-
dience at the very age when curiosity
and intelligence are at their height.
These alert young minds were left
without one guiding word to point
out the lesson presented by the maps.
Their parents, or friends, doubtless,
could supply this word, but far less
appositely than could a brilliant lee
turer with the chart before him and
trained mind to give him words.
What lesson for the young, also,
could have been taught by man
whose mental power could enable him
to grasp so impressive a fact as the
guidance Of an army of $4,000 men by
one master workman, servant of
the people, paid by the people, who
wears the uniform of the United
States army and yet whose rank
would place him far down In the line
at social functions. 1t is lamentable
thing that what should be so instruc-
tive an entertainment should be
merely a presentation of Quantity
of very beautiful photographs in
color.