The Washington times., 1918-12-19
BOOST RED CROSS
XMAS ROLL CALL

Mother. where is he gone
Our father. Peace. who was with rs
Yesterday? Why IN the dawn
DID he walk in sleep. and bequeath Us
Only a dream-his dreaming
Of men in their noble seeming
To heal the horrible scar
OF men as they really are2"
These are the questionings of THE
Young Woman" in Percy Mackaye's
masque of the Red Cross, The Roll
Call" 1t is being presented in hun
dreds of communities during this
great Roll Call" week of the Red
Cross. And from these cities comes
the news:
Amateur actors all over the coun-
try are wearing masks. but not to
avoid the FLU"
They are participating in the mas
que written by Percy Mackaye to pro-
mote the Red Cross Christmas rolt
call. beginning Monday and contin-
uing until December %, during
which time it is planned to enroll the
entire American people as members of
the worlds greatest relief organI-
zation.
Mr.. Mackaye named his masque,
or pageant, THE Roll Call" Tho par
Elephants wear masks and costumes to
depict the characters and the pur-
pose is to drive home. through dra-
matte symbolism. the spirit of the
Red Cross and the need at this time
of universal membership.
1.-THE Roll Call" can be staged on
an elaborate scale in the large cities
or on a restricted scale in the small
err towns. Women's clubs, boy and
girl scouts, local dramatic clubs and
other organizations are assisting the
"a Ok T.
ton OF the masQue.
Red Cross Represents Right.
4 prelude. ten actions, or tabIeaux
and an epilogue are required to give
the message OF "The Roll Call" No
professional actors are used as !.
was Mr.. Mackaye's object to utilize
home" talent and to foster the In
creasing interest in community
drama The principal characters are
the Mother, the Daughters, the Sons.
All Hearts, and the Despoiler, all OF
whom have their followers. such az
Love, Mercy. Hope. Reason, Courage.
and Hate, Terror, Pestilence, Rapine,
etc.
AS the characters pass across the
stage in their appointed roles the
spectators see all the forces OF evil.
turned loose by war. .subdued by the
better impulses of mankind, with the
complete triumph of Right. typified
by the Red Cross. The characters are
masked and costumed in keeping
with their natures, the designing of
the costumes being the work of Rob-
ert Edmond Jones.
A feature of the masque is the
adaptation OF music by Chopin for the
choruses. In other respects the
masque was written originally and
exclusively for the Red Cross. which
has assisted the chapters by furnish
ing certain materials for the produS-
tion and a complete printed book of
the masque with stage directions.
In the epilogue. the spectators are
summoned to the roll call and given
an opportunity to join the Red Cross.
The Christmas roll call is not only
for the present membership of o.
COO. 900 but to add treble or quadruple
that number to the membership, so
that on Christmas Eve a message can
be cabled to our fighting forces and
the whole world that the American
people are solidly behind the Red
Cross. President Wilson will be
among the most eager to receive such
a message.
One Membership Each.
Only one membership. costing 81.
is desired from each man or woman,
and no one will be bothered by re
peated solicitation If the button is
obtained the opening day. Monday,
and worn throughout roll call week
There will be a large united chorus.
joining in the words OF Percy Mac
kRye's chorus of "AlI Hearts" who
carol:
Sing, o Voice OF All Hearts,
Choral in one cry,
Sing above the battle
Where your peoples lie!
In that might paean
Ioan OF pain shall cease:
Onward call us!
Onward call US.
To the worlds release,