New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-15

parent, half-witted hero, and inc,.,s,
wicked villain-who was roundlv !;
by the poilus.
1t was the last night of leave for -.
Of the audience. Early the nes, 80
ing most Of those men would be ON -
way back to the front line. sor.
them would never come back. Va
one would have guessed il. They ,h,..
and sang, applauded, stamped, xbi,s
as unconcernedly as if the va, :,
meter existed. Beyond the arched -
ceiling Of the hall and the MUDDY u
uniforms Of the men there was noss' |
TO remind one Of war at all. saw. q
row and then, between verses Of
perhaps, one could feel rather than
a dim, muffled thud-the French J.
teries firing in the night.
Now that we, too, are in the Va,
must not be too solemn about il g,,.I
of us have been demanding war f0s.
past year, the past two years. Nov \.
war has come. 1t is too late "a !. |
solemn. Does it sound fippant 70 .,
that we must not take it too seriouslr |
| do not mean it that way. | mean N, /
we must not assume an artificial g.
BUSINESS that we do not feel. ItbwI
no crime to laugh. War is a serious b.,
mess, and we shall all have to take \.
seriously as far as action is concern
1t will call for every effort we as az
ton can put forth. Ii we allow it to o /
press and paralyze our minds, il We b
cur sense of humOr, we shall sim
cripple our power to do efficient work
Early in the war the French sOldsI
used to be Scandalized by what tAsl
considered the frivolous behavior Of IN
English. For when the men came Ia,
for a brief rest from the trenche, "A
Tommies used to play cricket and to0l
ball. while their officers organized hwI
ing parties. The French sat around al
discussed the war. The consequent
was that when the time came for d
men to 90 back the Tommies were &C.
timely refreshed and rested, while I'd
poiIus were still under an undimini&E
nervous strain. The French are ma
vellously quick-minded, and they so
realized that the English way was rlsi
No one blames a soldier for being inv
lous, nowadays, in France.
Already certain earnest souls are uTI
ing us to give up our amusemens I'd
recreations, on the ground that thgs
not befit people in a state OF warm
doubtedIy there will be people to atVi
cate the closing Of our theatres bet1|
long. Why? If stopping any Of the
things would help the nation to pros
cute the war any more efficiently /
would be different matter. But tOs
them merely because they are anus
ments is silly. AS regards the Susp
sion of any activity there are but Y
questions to ask ourselves:
VIII continuing it hurt the countr
VIII stopping it help the country
Unless the answer 70 both those cue
tons is Yes, by al means let It 60 On
Not at ALL" say the earnest SOU
I'VE must be serious. We must not
merry at time like this Thank q
there is still something to be msr|
about Act Seriously, Speak ChS1
fully, should be Americas motto ri
To refuse to be cheerful because We
at war is the height Of frivollty. ~
playing at war. For it is a sign VI
we do not yet realize the war. When
realization is complete, when The veg
Of this world tragedy does cone
weigh fully upon us, we shall neeo
one to tell us to be solemn. We shaa
o.ro+ofuI ouou0h for q chance TO A41