The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-23

SDtc,o' Correspondence 10 The Sc>.
STTATIcEp-oN-AvoN. March 3o--"I
like to think that the spirit of Shake
spcare still lives in his native town: |
believe 1t does. The people here are
broush; up ~ feel that their duty Is to
give to their country. no; merely to get
what they can out of il, and they have
shown the effect of ,his upbringing ever
since the war began"
The speakcr wa The Mayor OF this
town. the world famous W~arwickshire
village where i,,cl William Shakespeare.
S:ra;ford's chief Magistrate is a r..
Flower. one Of the towns most suOstan-
tial citizens and scion OF a family whose
members have been among the mos;
bard. He referred, With true civic
pride. TO the part which Stratford is
taking in the war.
Had it not beca for the war it IL safe
TO say that Stra,ford next month, on the
occasion Of tho Shakespeare tercentcnary.
would have been the scene of one %. the
most remarkable ser'.s OF CONNIE ora-
tive ceremonies ever held in his country.
Every one Of the nations of the world
already has paid homage to Shakespeare
by presenting It's flag 20 Stratford TO he
unfurlcd in connection with the annual
@. celebration of the poet y birthday. and
every ono of them certainly would have
been represented ~ what WAS intended
Ia be the greatest festival ever attempted
l.. -. l-. a. 81. ntn1,. ala
ers probably would have been among
the actors appearing at the Memorial
THEATRE commented the Mayor some
what grimly.
Plans ON Foot for Years.
For several years preparations for
celebrating the Shakespeare tercentenary
have been going on mere. was shown
one Of the results yesterday at New
Place. the museum which nov stands
next to all that remains OF the founda-
tons of the house in which the bard
died. This consists OF IA beautiful col
lection of heraldic '~surcoats" and ban
ners. made entirely by women in the
district during the last few years.
Embroidered III silk on rich cloth. they
represent the arms OF every one of the
knights mentioned in Shakespeare's
! plays. thirty-two IN all. beginning with
81, George OF England and ending with
Eleanor Duchess of Somerset. the heir
| ess OF Richard Earl Of Warwick, and
were to have been worn and carried IN
the great pageant which was to have
been a feature of the terccntenary fes-
t~ivlties.
''The war has made hay of all our
plans said the Mayor. the last straw
being the calling up Of the first groups
Of married men on April u. exactly
three months earlier than had been ex-
pectcd. We have arranged with +. X,
| Henson for a cycle OF ShakesDearian
performances beginning on April rs, and
the ideal programme for thlsscommemo-
ration would have been "a series Of the
historical plays. done in chronological
order. But those plays, to have their
proper effect. should he acted ~largely'by
young men. and not only are young men
scarce now but no one likes to Sc them
doing anything else than shouider'hs
a rife. Moreover. now that the call Ia
the married men has come. no one knows
even what actors Mr.. BENSON Will be
able TO bring with him, ON May .. the
last day but one OF the festival. We are
IN have an 'all star performance, ~
which u. g.. Irving. Sir George Alex
ander, oscar AHche and others VIII ap-
pea, il. ,,snC" from IN" plays
I'VE ar. celebrating here on April ="
although i'm the remainder or the
churches OF Great Britain the birthday
will be kept on May j because
~ the fact that the birthday
and Easter Sunday fall on the same
J.,c Here. however. We shall hold our
h,r,hday ceremony at Holy Trinity,
where Shakespeare liz buried. on sun
day afternoon and shall have the Dear
Of Salisbury with W..
I've shei il have the usual procession
with flowers for the tomb from the b'rth.
Mace to the church." the Mayor wen'
on. but whether the usual
ing flag ceremony will be carried ou'
IL doubtful" ~ ..
In the market place 10 the beautifu