The Detroit times., 1914-12-15
GARRlcK.

GARRlcK.
I'm the Vanguard" Katrina Trask
drRmatization OF her much discussed
books OF that name, as staged oy tue
Cooperative Producing Co. (Jessie
Bonstelle and BeTtram Harrison), Is
the attraction In the Garrick theater
this week.
AS an argument for peace In the
Vanguard" is convincing. AS a play
il is not. II might almost be said
that the piece is not properly play
at all There Is too much talk ana
too little action, and many OF the
scenes do not ring true. For In
stance, II is difficult TO imagine a
dying soldier, who after refusing a
drink from the canteen OF an enemy
holds forth for 20 minutes on the
brotherhood OF man, then dies sud
denly. after having convinced his en-
envy OF the truth OF his views to such
an extent that the latter resigns his
commission and returns home, rather
than participate In further killing.
And IL this were not enough. the
sweetheart Of the resigned officer, the
daughter OF a general. who on her
lovers departure urged him TO dare
the utmost on the field Of battle, be-
comes converted through mental tele-
patty to the same hatred OF war in
spired In her former soldier by his
dying enemy.
Considered as q peace argument
and a moral lesson, however. the piece
Is deserving OF the highest praise.
Its logic Is incontrovertible. II pill.
tories war as the ultimate crime, and
strips the gold braid and tinsel from
military glory, barring the cruelty
and misery which lie beneath its out
ward pomp and circumstance. In the
words Of the dying soldier:
ITO die for my country do not
mind that, but IL Is not so easy to
sin for her. / am q murderer, for II
is the intent that makes the crime,
and every shot the army fred was
fred with direct intent To kill. AS
part and parcel Of the army, | am
responsible for every man who fell.
/ must face my mothers God with the
murder OF $4,000 men on my soul"
The play Is in three acts. the hrst
and last OF which are laid In the home
country, and the second In the en-
emy's country. In the first act the
young men OF the home town are seen
marching or to war amid the plaudits
of their friends. parents and sweet
hearts. The second act Is divided
into two scenes, the first OF which
depicts the young officers OF the In.
vading force, now in the enemy's
country, brutalized by war, roistering
and making merry In a house occu.
pied by the wife and daughter OF an
.t1 n nH
house, II develops, has been shot as
q sniper.
The second scene is on the battle
field, after the fight, where takes
place the monologue OF the dying
soldier.
The third act shows the return Of
the former young officer, to be hailed
as a coward by those who took pride
In him when he was engaged In the
trade OF killing. The mysterious con-
version Of his former Spartanlike
sweetheart brings In the conventional
happy ending.
II. Cooper Clifr, as Mr.. Greart, peace
advocate, who remains at home. al
though in a minor part is perhaps
the most able actor of the cast, Rock.
cliffe Fellows, as the dying soldier
reads his lines well. and Pedro de
Cardova as Philip Gordon, the con
verted lieutenant, does the best he
can In a difficult part. Enid Gray, as
Philip Gordon's sweetly Illogical
mother. does splendid bit of work.
and looks. In the language of one OF
the characters, like q fne old Flor
entine painting"
TEMPLE.
Walter O. Kelley. the funniest story
teller heard here In years. delighted a
capacity house with his one-man
sketch "The Virginia Judge" in the
Temple, yesterday. Kelley Is not only
tba 1n,,rt hut the hafltA aud nrfcnn ar