New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-06
"A Character Actor.

Across the Border" dramatic invec-
tive against war by Beulah DiX-Flebbe,
which, 1t seems to be critically agreed,
is the most unusual and significant Of
fering In the history of Comstock's
little Princess Theatre, is the culmi-
nation Of decade of writing war
stories and war plays.
Mrs. Flebbe-who signs herself rig
orously "B. II. Dix" without prefix or
sufix-has been creating war stories
for diversion all her life, but in this
instance there is diversion plus pur-
pose. No woman writer in all prob
ability knows armies and militarism
and military policies so well. Her early
novels OF war in its eco tune period"
were "The Making Of Christopher Far
ringhnm," "Blount Of Breckenhow" and
similar works. Modern war stories
from Mrs. Flebbe's pen are THE Fight
ing Blade" and "Mother's Son." while
PLAYS which she has written entirely or
with a collaboration are "Rose of Plym-
outh Town" "The Breed OF the Tres
hams" "Boy O'Carroll," "The Road to
Yesterday" "Matt of Merrymount" and
"The Substitute" She has studied the
arms and military means of every coun-
try, She is a direct descendant of the
famous fighting irishmaD of the Amer
lean Revolution, jeremiah O'Brien, for
whom the United States navy has just
named one Of its newest torpedo boat
destroyers. Her sympathies are inter
national. She is born and resident
New Highlander, living at present at
Waban, a Boston suburb. Her hus-
band, G. II. Flebbe, Boston business
man, is Of German birth, though now a
naturalized American citizen.
"Across the Border" was written late
in September in forty-eight hours time
at Mrs. Flebbe's Waban home. IL was
her authorial protest against wars uni
versal destruction. Though Mrs. Flebbe
had never had any dealings with the
Princess Theatre, this play was written
with the Princess directly IN mind. 1t
came, through Mrs. Flebbe's agent, to
+. Ray Comstock, and was accepted per
contract exactly twelve hours after 1t
reached his hands.
Certain reviewers limited that her
ardent Junior Lieutenant in Across
the Border" was an enthusiastic Prus-
sion. Others thought him English.
His creator says he IS neither.
"Nor," says Mrs. Flebbe, do the
blame placers in the present world-war
carry the responsibility to proper
doors. Neither Prussianism, nor Eng
lish terrtorialism, nor Russian abso'
lutism, nor French revenge is to blame
ut is all the fault Of the 'ofheei
caste
"'Oficer caste is not a thing belong
ing exclusively to Germany or England
although il does reach flower in the
German army and the British navy. II
is French. IL is Russian, it is Italian, II
is American.
Humanity is humanity, everywhere
and always. Men never make things
which they do not intend TO use, from
flying machines 10 siege howitzers.
al declare that the officer caste in
America is less warlike only IN pro-
portion to is inferior numbers. Sol
dierine is q business. and the man
brought up 70 the business longs for
an exercise of it-no matter what his
nationality.
ave have no compulsory military
service, and we have a small standing
army, but the officers Of the United
States army--the professional soldiers
of the United States-long for business
activity. They may say they don't.
Perhaps they have deluded themselves
into thinking that they don't. But like
all the professional soldiers Of the
world they would welcome work.
Germany and England are the arch
sinners. They catch them young.
Babes, almost, they grow up with dis
torted visions; the barbarie glory Of
the army, or the navy, as the case may
be, IL the only ideal. Germany hurries
her boys into military training. Brit
ain makes little lads Of ten and twelve
embryonic naval officers.
"The material incidents Of Across
The Border are most OF them real,
though culled from various quarters Of
the theatre Of war.
"As 70 atrocities, belieye-from ex-
tensiye private correspondence from
Europe-that the statement OF New
York editor sums it up correctly: 10
per cent are real, 10 per cent have been
grossly exaggerated, and the remaining
20 per cent are merely imagination.
"The incident OF the child spiked
upon the iron fence - piece OF Cos
sack deyiltry perpetrated in East Prus-
sia less than sixty days ago, i have
proof.
sThe wounded choked with sawdust
7sxs French outrage.
"And - fpr Gsrmsny's toll Of sim