The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-06-25
Close of Chautauoua


, The session of the Mount Holly
Chautalqua closed Thursday evening,
: leaving everybody talking about tn,
event of that evening, together with
those which preceded it. The larges
entertainment features were 1.-THE Old
Homestead" and robin Hood" and
they were highly enjoyed by the large
audiences which were present to wit
ness them. The Pietro- Mordelia Com
pany was highly entertaining. Pro-
fessor Mordelia delighted the audience
with his performance on his piano
accordion. lie also amused his hear
ers by playing the piano with his feet,
and with his hands while standing on
his head.
The crowning event was the closing
lecture by Frank Dixon, of BROOKLYN.
Mr.. Dixon was sent to France to look
into the work of the American Red
Cross. He devoted few moments to
a description of the good work this as
ISOLATION is doing and then.went into
talk on conditions in this country.
He wanted to know why we are just
doing things that should have been
done twelve months ago. He insisted
that we should have had fleet of air
planes across the sea which would have
aided in finishing the war. Italy has
invented and built the most powerful
air machines in the war, but that
country has run out of material. With
thousands of skilled workmen able to
turn out airplanes in large numbers,
Italy must lie idle because of lack of
material. Why does not this country
send aid /? Mr. Dixon claimed that this
war mnst be won in the air.
He touched upon politics and did
not agree that politics has been ad-
lourned." 1t is as active today as ever.
He wanted to know why this country
should send its young men to the war,
to risk their lives and shed their blood
at $50 per month, while labor is en-
ployed in various places at $50 to $50 a
week. He thought there should be
draft which should put every man, re-
CARELESS of age, into some occupation
that would benefit the country. He
could not see why farmer should rent
his farm and live in idleness. The !
country should demand that if the |
farmer raised 100 bushels of wheat last |
year, and has the ground for raising
2o0 bushels this year, he should be
made to make the extra production.
The probabilities are that there will be
shortage of coal this year, and that
will be because miners go to work for
big pay and loaf whenever they
want to. The government should
make regulations which would require
miners to work all the time and at (
wages that compare with the price that
the boys in the trenches are getting.
Too much politics aud playing for the
labor vote were quoted as very injur-
iuus.
Mr.. Dixon did not heap criticism upon
any particular class or individuals, but
he did not hesitate to speak his mind
in unmistakable terms. 1t would take
much space to give the many valuable
points he presented. He has son in
the army and when he was in France
he saw the young man, spending two
days with him. When he left he took
his son in his arms and kissed him on
the lips as he used to when the man
was boy and he said: My son, you
are just where Iwant you to be. IF
you come home shall be very glad,
but if you cannot be spared to me
shall meet you in the great beyond
and again take you in my arms and
thank God that you did your duty"
The fact that Mr.. Dixon could give
this to6ching experience without
breaking down was one of the strong
est features of his lecture.
Chautauqua will come again next
year unless something unforeseen
occurs. The fifty guarantors have
been secured and the soliciting for the
sale of tickets will begin at future
date. 1t may be early to talk on this
point but it looks as if many people do
not understand the way in which this
entertainment is conducted. The
guarantors must sell tickets to the
amount of 81, 500 or else they must paw
the deficieny. Many think that the
receipts at the box office go into
the guarantors' treasury. This is not
correct. On the evening that Robin
Hood was presented there was very
large audience but the guarantors did /
not profit by the extra sale of tickets.
The price of admission to that perform
ance was rs cents. Next year the sea-
son tickets will be $3.50, but just look
what you will get There will be
twelve performance at an average of a |
little over 20 cents each. Where can you !
get the same amount of entertainment |
at that price? Think it over.