The Washington times., 1916-01-23


naive enthusiasm of the trite
speaker who refers to WASH
ington as the heart of the ma
tion2" Have you ever deplored the
lack Of unity In the Capital City?
II you haze, and still wish to think
yourself correct, by all means restrain
yourself from attending The Battle
Cry of Peace the war film which is
being shown at the Strand Theater
this eek.
For. startlingly displayed opposite the
film is the heart of the nation, throb-
hing and pulsating in the tense faces
OF 2.400 persons, who are experiencing,
Gome perhaps for the first time, the
heart-rending feelings of a patriotism
of which they were totally unaware;
and outside, four abreast, feet shuffl-
ing. untirins, Is a constantly renewed
army Of men, women and children
which stretches for two blocks. and
which has but one thought. one pur-
pose, one common Goal-the picture.
For exactly one week Washington has
laid tribute from 1880 IN the morn
ing until il at night to the film which
arouses them to an agony of patriot
ism, and which has exacted os them
the arduous task Of waiting in line
for hours.
The Indifference which might have
arisen from an intimate association with
the vital affairs OF government is only
skin deep. after ALL and down beneath,
besting steadily and strongly. Is the
heart of the nation.
Police Preserve Order.
Not for one moment would the crowds
down in front of the theater at this
very moment wait patiently. -four
abreast. IL there were not five policemen
to help them spiritually and materially
They would. II allowed mob the theateI
in their zeal. But wisely and far
siEhtedly. a valiant corps was chosen
foremost among them being the un'
Identified monster who has especial
;ts an SyTS t5s eRtTanse m5Jy%ep,
this blue-coated figure (who NAV not bt
the biggest man in the world. but whC
certainly looks III plucks the adventur
Gus soul who would slip ahead. from hi:
very moorings. casts him into outel
darkness, and, amid the plaudits Of the
patiently waiting crowds, invites hin
to take a place at the end of the linz
somewhere around the corner In the
vicinity of Eighth street.
And the funny part of It is. that tht
person usually goes. hot foot whether
through fear OF the large party. or from
haunting desire to flee from the scorI
to break the rules of the game. it Il
hard to say.
Hold that line Can't YOU act ;
little less in a hurry? No, son. ! won
let anyone take your place. No. no
Get ahead of you. Don't / look able t,
keep ANYBODY back" and one blue arm
swoopinG out, catches rule breaker b,
the collar the other makes an air spac
for little child in the line. while tn
cold. tireless blue eyes peerinE out frou
underneath the visor of the cap watcl
for signs Of trouble of which the aver
9gs pedestrian does not think.
SLOWLY tine line moves forward, unit
the house Is virtually emptied for an
other performance, when ii squirt
ahead to make another thcater-full ant
then returns to its slow, steudy progress
On the h street side, at IN" wide exit
The same conditions are reversed. On
Ly one the patrons sift oTt in a con
tinual stream, While the performauc
ID going on, but as Il ends, they pnu
out in d horde, several hundred strong.
As they near the doorway the lessi
tude Of waiting seems to lift from TN
shoulders of the newcomers and, n
splred by some electric thrill whicl