Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-08
ABOUT TWO NEW PLAYS


1t is almost as easy to read a play as, to
see one In fact. some prefer reading, be-
cause they don't have to go out of the house,
and can he sure Of comfortable chair. The
sentences and paragraphs are short The
reader is automatically guarded against
ture descriptions and mood analyses. And 1t
is usually the playwrght's ambition to,nske
something happen.
Shaw with characteristic perversity, con-
trives as usual to defeat convention by.'writ-
ing prose introduotons longer, and some
times cleverer, than the play itself But
these the reader averse to solid blocAts of
print may skip, Two OF the recent mag
azines print plays. one OF them a Shaw play
and one occasioned by the war.
Marion Craig Wentworth has written
tragic one-act play, war Brides" It's grim
sincerity should give pause to the war apol-
osists' The text Of the play is press clip
ping:
The war brides were cheered with enthu-
siasm and the churches were crowded when
tne large wedding parties spoke the cere-
mony In concert.
Scene: A room in peasants cottage in
war-ridden country. Amelia, a girl Of ~,
Is telling her old mother that she wants to
follow her four brothers to the FROM as a
Red Cross nurse. The mother bcEs her to
stay at home and help care for Hedwtg who
married the Oldest brother just before he left
siN months. Herr Hoffman a young lieu
tenant. enters, and in familiar overhearing
manner tries to bully Amelia into marrying
him. He is TO leave for the front in a day
or two Amelia who barely knows him, is
shocked and repelled. Mnna, a young war
bride, enters, flushed with excitement, and
describes the ceremony:
Mnna-There were ten of us. We all an
swered In chorus. II was fun-just like
theatre. Then the priest made a speech, and
the burgomaster and the captain. The peo-
pie oheered. and then our husbands had to
go TO drill for an hour oh! l never was so
thrilled! They told us we were the true
patriots
Lieutenant Hofman-Hurrah, and so you
are.
Mnna-our names will go down in history
honored by whole nation, they said. (They
are all carried away by Minna's enthusiasm;
even Amelia warns up)
Amelia-But whom did you marry, MnnR?
Mnna-Reinrich Berg.
Amelia (dublous)--That loafer
Minna-I probably wouldn't have picked
him out in peace times, but it is different now.
He only asked me last night. OF course he
may get killed They said we'd have a
widows pension fund-us and our children
forever and ever IL the boys didn't come
back SO you see, I won't be out anything
Anyway, it's for the country. Wen be IA
nous az war brides. Even the name sounds
glorious.
Hedwig enters and shows extreme contempt
for the war brides, angrily denying that she
is and explaining that she and Franz
were to have been married anyway
Lieutenant Hoffman Ito HedWig)1,r, tel ten
you It Is glory to be war br bride crhe1 rneTei o,l
draw back). Why not call it what it is?
Speak the naked truth for once.
Hoffman-Youll take that back tomorrow
when your sister stands up in the church
with me.
Hedwig Cstartlng upD-Amelia? Marry
you? No Amelia, is this true?
Amelia (hesitating)-They tell me | must
for the Fatherand
Hedwlg-Marry this man whom you
scarcely know, whom surely YOU cannot love!
lSp nf rily
Hoffman Ito Hedwig)-I command you to
be silent
Hedwig-Not when my sisters happiness
is at stake. If you come back she will have
to live with you the rest of her life.
Horman-That isn't the question now. We
are going away-the best of us-to be shot,
most likely. Don't you suppose we want to
send some part of ourselves into the future
since we can't live ourselves? There, that's
straight, and right, too.
Hedwg-What will happen to Amelia?
Have you thought of that? No, / warrant
you haven't Well look few kisses and
mony. the cheers of the crowd, some days
Of living together ] won't call IT marriage
Then what? An order TO march Amelia
wait with her. Think Of her anxiety il she
learns to love you What kind of child will
would I have do you think? I hardly
breathe for thinking Of my Franz. waiting,
never knowing from minute TO minute From
the way feel, should think my child would
be born mad I'm that wild with worrying.
And then for Amelia TO go through the agony
alone. No husband TO help her through the
terrible hour What solace can the state
give then? And after that, II you don't come |
back, who is going to earn the bread for her ,
child? Struggle and struggle to feed her
self and her child: and the hne-soundng |
name you trick us with-war bride! Humph, |
that will all be forgotten then! Only one |
thing can make it worth while. and do you |
know what it is? Love. Well struggle |
through fire and water for that-but with |
out it
Hoffman drawing Amelia TO hlmJ-Dont |
listen to her, Amelia,
Amelia (pushing Hoffman Violently from
her, runs from the room)-No' no. can't |
marry YOU! l won't, / won't! (She shuts |
the door in his face)
Hoffman leaves, promising that he will re- |
influencing the girls not TO marry. Shortly |
after the captain enters.
Captain Hertz (tO Hedwig)-l heard YOU |
/ declare you under arrest, Come with me-
You will be shot for treason,
Mother-Don't do that, sir. Wait. Oh no. |