New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-03
By Haywood Broun


Carter has built IA play around three
big' mechanical effects. The story is
distinctly secondary TO these stunts
Two Of them are startling and the
other, while somewhat crude. com
mands attention because it concerns
the most dramatic phase of modern
warfare Even somewhat bungled
battle in the clouds is sure to thrill
an audience OF to-day. Most success
fui of the stunts was an American
offensive Just at the zero hour With
the assistance of Al Woods, the author
succeeded IN massing more cannon and
machine guns and powder than have
ever before been concentrated in any
play IN this city. The batteries Of
AN American Ace" would have no
Getting Together" which until last
night held the record for the noisiest
act seen on the American stage
Folk in the front row felt as if they
were under a barrage, and even those
further back IN the house were all bu-
deafened and blinded by the flashes
and reports. 1t might not be amlss 10
nave dugout under each seat. Nor
novel, and just as effective, was an ar
raid, with bombs dropping every few
seconds and ceilings and walls crum-
bling. The biggest effect of all should
have followed he raid For tha hn,ar,
can are Goes nm affor +h,ea Cern,o,
bon,hinp 9acbinas and downs thop, ma
Germans less efficient than usual noe
lected TO guard their bombers with
battle planes. The BEGINNING Of the
aerial battle, with the whir Of the
American machine going higher and
higher. until it seemed to be directly
above the heads OF the audience, was
:. f.
Of a tiny aeroplane and d rolling plain
below, which satisfied the Imagination
After that the fighting fiiers ran int
clouds which were much too gross II
texture. and the planes failed to work
smoothly. Most of the action took
place in small circle bounded by pal
pablo canvas. which gave mucf
more compelling suggestion of a ifs.
pond than BIT Of SKY.
The story OF the play IS Jerky II
movement ana not particularly co
hereH0. ~ tens no" an american aNi
ator saved a regiment from German
gas attack by hrst thWartng peau(l
ful female py and then by pitching
bombs on the heads OF the Huns IRON
a high church tower.
The play contains little accurate OBJ
servation of the war. 1t might be
pointed out that the hero must have
been a fearful liar or owned d rotter
engine, for he told the heroine that he
could hear the church chimes when hi
few above the village at a height Of
one mile. The fact that the bells were
PLAYED by her own fair hands shouiC
excuse him for this flight of fancy
AGAIN. Il NAV be noted that American
soldiers do not carry flags while en-
1egad IN : surprise attack nor was the
se~o,s +r,n ~ a firs+-tine trench IN ar
a+.o-11o,,a of4oro.bo. ba,1nv t,ougbt
eIi7 a. .t h,,o fa,f,1j ia,d
hN9n an acc
my an lop u pdi o,g -.
&e;Hs tisn.ne9 uili.O ~. pa ..
as ne palo ms HlsIt d. hist1. ne sl heI
used 10 siniulaIe 'he "n5SI-e u az s iie!.
m m nlgh1 was ALSO seNeiaI "oses y" 10y
ne most JafriHg lou1n 81 d. IN,
"neh an onlcet eNc'a ,i'ieu 49,
afler an eHnloiI oy me @Yia'ol ~ ~
io!KS al nome wiz ieau dOouI ."Ia IL
me papers. we wondered II ne knew
the censor.
however, nleiooI en- i'as "eFsr ~ =
tended to mirror HE on the plans IL
+ Chinatown, or Russia, or any p-ac
Else very closely, so there IS no par
rlcular reason WY pam s. gah' l1 &c
curacy aDouI the war sno"Io De uG
named IRON me paw Sn' /. eop ~.
VINO mn Dls .-dkt 80 ~ S'lN 4Tb