The sun., 1917-08-26
THERE is nothing American

"HERE Is nothing American in
"The Deluge" but tho Missis-
hppi River. Hennins Berger
conceived a. tho indispensable element
Of his play some catastrophe which
should continue long enough to isolate
q group Of men in confinement. They
we're then to be released by some sim
liar action Of nature. The overflow of
the river as II rolled by a town boast
ing the possession Of a barroom sew
eral steps below the street level seemed
to furnish site well suited to the
revelation Of such a situation. Pos
ably the barroom survived as
reminiscence Of Mr.. Berger's days
here But II was not In the least in
dispensable. A cafe In the authors
native town would have served as we'll
for tho place as any other site. But
the river seems really to have been
needed.
30 fAr a. the conduct OF tho men
marooned in supposed peril goes in
demonstrating any national traits It is
altogether unlike the demeanor Of our
0vn people Men Of this country are
- . rule too self-conscious to give
wv 70 he declarations Of Bruder-
schaft-hollow word nowadays-the
marching and singing and the drink
ing Of toasts that Is characteristic
Of tho group immured in this sup
posedly perilous cellar. Under the
stimulating influence Of politics or at
graduate reunions. those under the
shadow Of university walls, then the
American citizen is likely to unbend.
But his relapse from the usual rig!dity
OF department Is not IN association
With four or five persons but as many
hundreds. A handful of men who
went through these gyrations would
never recover from their modification.
A. Tho Deluge" marches through
ths evening on its direct way there is
q question that runs again and again
70 tho consciousness Of the spectator:
why is not this thing. with all its
concentration on one theme, its orig
inality and its onward drive to evil
dsntly unavoidable tragedy-why Is
not this thing moro engrosss.ng than
II 1T" A. a matter Of fact there are
few minutes in which tho spectator
10 completely absorbed Tho play
never bites. Its most intense interest
comes with the fall Of tho curtain on
the second act The tragedy-or as
It turns out pseudo-tragedy-ap-
proaches moro nearly then than at any
othertims IN tho play.
The strongest flavor Of nationality
b found In tho character Of the law
yer. 6poutins alternately Shakespeare
and tho Bible or what might be taken
for these texts. sentimental and vola-
tia. To Is an unmistakable compatriot
Of the euthor. The rest are negligible
% Tar as race enters the play, and
they might we'll be labelled Avarice.
Discomfort, Frailty and so through
out the pack. 30 obviously are they the
peyvonified traits Of the morality. Luck
ffy none OF the actors Is afflicted with
the duty Of speaking such outbursts
Of idiocy as fall to Mr.. Dixey. Rarely
has an actor been submerged in such
inane speech. Only his natural vi
vacfty and cars kept him afioat He
was surely the victim Of a deluge.
A. 20 tfe shift IN tho authors pur-
pose which made tho play a symbolic
faroe rather than the tragedy with
which the spectators had suffered. its
effect must be disturbing in the ma
1ority OF cases. It may be that hu-
man nature Is so cheap as to be
brought back to all It's old evil once
tho inspiration to good has been re-
moved. But even to crafty the cynic
tho change is rapid. 1t seems rather
intended to provide the happy ending
dear to tho Ptilistine heart. It's effects.
however. reach far into the retrospect
OF tho evening. Every thrill Of