Evening star., 1917-11-04

rHE life work Of the late
Charles Frohman developed
few achievements of more
benefit to the theater's public
than the establishment OF
James Barrie and Maude Adams in their
rrssant artistic Relationship. The IN
tsrpretation of the Sardou drama by
Sarah Bernhardt was hardly less an sx-
smpfe Of efncient cooperation than the
expression Of the Barrie drama by Miss
xsHma There Is always fascination In
the study Of q child's mental processes
ysarrie does not forget the pathos and
the sympathy that hover about child
r,aturs under circumstances OF poverty.
CT thoughtlsss repression These rouno
cioqusnt expression in such plays as
'rhs Poor Little Rich Girl" and The
GOOD Little Devil" In the Cinderella
paaS, childhood laughs at misfortune
xnd sounds the buoyant note OF yousn
70 clearly that it rings we'll above the
sorrow. It 10 sentiment delteateiy tenn
rNrsd with o dash Of cyntcisni that re-
Vsals itself As the little heroine views
- much Of the big world as rortnne
ylaces within her range of notice with
the remor.eless logic which only tne
child brain can command. Greater
yAsys than "A Kiss for Cinderena
inve failed to secure SO much cri.icai
Discussion; n, s,r.sr. or to e0aosmens eohgsy nt "
d =
ruf the critic who holds toward the
world beyond the footfights something
atf the same modest but enerEettc rela-
tionship that Vox Popuii and rertas
Hold toward political event ana eco
iAto the big brotherhood of protest and
sdbscribss himself Taxpayer Managers
.Save long oontended that Qualtty ana
isot pxics Is the great and difficult con-
liberation In public ~entertainmehs ~
cheap show. Tho fact that 1t is cheap
if,oves little inducement to the people
..&ho desire to Be amused and VINO
tseead being submitted to the possibility
Cf 4 tedious evening. The increase OF
lricas for an entertainment OF ex-
ftaordinar5 drawing power, however 1t
iaay be resented as a matter OF prin-
Glple by regular playgoers. proves no
sdscouragement to patronage. Ine ley
yang of q tax has not proved IN the
siightest degree q check on the ticket
isurchaser when the entertainment suits
tAm. It may soothe the feelings or any
sattxen inclined to nurse reluctant
dent of the United States himself paid
tSe war tax on the seats occupied By
fdmself and his party.
q q q
tat all the theaters the tax has been
rhid with hearty good humor. Even
the already overhurdened treasurers
Rave no word of complaint because
they are now required. in addition to
their former duties. to collect and
keep books for Uncle Sam. as well as
to manifest patient wisdom In ex-
pnunding the law. The new system.
which declares the government
PARTNER in the oountry's entire show
business, so far as it's profits are con-
cerned. suddenly creates a new ana
peculiarly intimate relationship be-
entirely remote from each other: 1t
"a quite possible that such a relation
ship will develop on lines which.
though they cannot now be foreseen,
MAY have important influence on pub
Like all other Institutions prominent
Ire public attention, Tho Star Spangled
Eanner" has been the subject of critical
attack. That song writers and music
expected. Every one Of them has few
nA4ional anthems piGeonholed within
Npsy reach which he believes could be
ifamortalized II The Star Spangled
cs1mpstition. /, is Irritating to find this
fs3liahle. best-sslier Of songs holding Its
p3aee without 4 hope on the part of any
publisher to rnonopolixe the rights OF
sals: es on the part p Q, any song ,e,, pro.
basis Il has become smuGiy fashion
able. tn classical circles, to protest that
the Star Spangled Banner" is an un-
sssnt. The assertion that 1t does not
o1ag smoothly has been Q source Of
0fsat comfort to people whose capaei-
tfse for naemorizing melody found their
@s !:is: Il: poetry ass IN. ss sasn a.aass
AAd yet Il has bean recitsd many times
With brilliant ana convincing effect by
Ane greatest exponents of dramatic art
70 the popular imagination the call
e. behold the nag of new world in the
dawn Of . new civilization has a poetic
strength that no technical eaviler
can overcome. And AZ the old con-
vtvial melody. reformed to patri-
trumpet. the simplest OF all melodies
AID set that on which all melodies are
b.9ilt, there 10 a thrill which appeals TO
primal human sense and def1es the
oraobbishness that art too often permits
eiasaicists who resent 'The Star Span
gied Banner" call attention to a very
ei.abby showing In the development of
tkis countrys music Dvorak's Sym
vsry few examples Of sincere and COM
patent ambition to develop . music that
would be this nations own. The op-
pSrtunity has existed for years. No
0no mas S6lxeQ II. Inc aOll1ty 10 create
O. national anthem should precede the
right to slur the song which has estab-
HAhed itself as embleMatical of the
cSuntry'a deepest and most sacred emo
ton A nations music can perform no
higher function than to lend itself de-
voutiy to the expression Of those sen
ttments which its people hold dear. 1t
~ the art Of arts: its suficiency can
be measured by no other standard than
the love and respect Of the people
themselves. PHILANDER JOHNSON.