The sun., 1919-04-14
CIRCUS GOES OVER
TOP FOR DOUGHBOYS
Ringing Brothers Provide
Great Show for $500 Con-
valescent Men.
JOY REIGNS THREE HOURS
Performers, Put on Their
Mettle, Guido Themselves
in Brilliant Feats.

in Brilliant Feats.
Yee-ee-ee-yip! and a flock OF VOWS
The best circus performances in the his
tory Of the world was given in Madison
Square Garden yesterday afternoon. The
statement is simply not open to contra
diction. Every mothers son OF the $500
wounded or convalescent gobs and
doughboys who we're entertained by the
Ringing brothers-John, Charles and
All T.--would back up the assertion at
the top of his lungs and in his fighting
clothes. oh. boy we're you there?
Everybody who isn't old at heart, who
isn't a natural born crab, enjoys the cir
Gus. but no crowd that was ever got to-
sether in the fragrance OF the sawdust
had such good time as these lads that
are trying to get their health back in
New York's military hospitals. Their
wells of happiness were rolling barrases
which shook the venerable walls Of the
Garden and quivered the steel Orders.
Wriggling and squ!rming like the kids
that they are, whooping and holering,
bIhDDIB fnOCOlHte DdTH ana cigarettes
and chewing gum from the indefatiga BILE
Caseys and "I" men, singing out in
dividual favorites for stentorlan salutes,
the veterans from France put in three
gorgeous hours of fun that lifted them
out OF themselves
1t was good medicine. none better. As
the three Ringlings watched the olive
dra5 throng swarm out OF the Garden at
the close OF the merry afternoon these
colossi OF the circus world had the fine
thrill of having done big thing for the
folks that needed 1t most of having con-
tributed the best entertainment for
wounded American fighting men that
New York or the whole country has
known since the fight against illness
and disease and depression succeeded the
fight against the Germans.
where Credit Belongs.
When men enjoy themselves so much
that they can actually forget for n few
hours that they mus: get along with one
leg or one arm instead OF two for the
rest OF their days; when they can be
jollied out of the mental WEAKNESS OF a
long hospital Incarceration when they
can put pain and worry and exercise all
Of tho thousand devils that the doctors
know. a lot of credit il coming TO some
body. and in this case 1t goes 10 the
brothers Ringlng. to the Red Cross to
the knight of Columbus. the "Caseys":
to the "Y' workers and to the Motor
Corps girls.
The Rlnglings provided $500 seats; the
Red Cross made all OF the arrangements.
In which there was not one hitch the
"Csseys" and the "Ys" distributed
mountains OF chocolate and cigarettes
and chewing gum. and the Motor Corps
girls. with lot OF volunteer help. col
lected the soldier and sailor boys from
the various base and debarkation hos
pitfalls. drove Them 10 the Garden in an
astonishing variety OF cars. which in
cluded every make. from the lordly
twelve cylinders as big as Il revenue cut
ter to the humble but useful henrys, and
drove them back again.
1t was a perfectly arranged enter
tainment in all Of its aspects and with
out a disagreeable feature. Would one
think. perhaps, that It would be depress-
ing TO see so many wounded-badl y
wounded men. men without arms or legs
young boys still wearing their bandages
and hobbling upon clutches? Well. It
wasn't There was nothing gloomy about
the whole spectacle, although more lads
that mad been gravely injured and who
will wear their honorable scars to the
end OF their days We're present in the
Garden yesterday afternoon than have
been got together in one place in this
country. perhaps. since Papa Foch put
an end to the Kaisers party.
Clever Seating Arrangement.
You see. they were so happy, so thor
oughly pleased with the show and with
themselves, so ready TO shout and
laugh at the slightest incentive, so Vi
brantly intent on having a good time.
that one forgot for the time being about
the ugly price they paid for their glory.
Moreover. the disposition and seating OF
the wounded men were so cleverly ar
ranged that sights and incidents which
might have been depressing We're skill
fully relegated to the background. There
was more common sense and delicacy
mixed with the big circus psTty yester-
day afternoon than one ordinarily per-
ceives in such affairs.
The entertainment had been under
arrangement for week. The field offi-
ceZs Of the Red Cross. under Capt
Philip La Montague. went TO the Ring
lings and asked il the circus performers
would be willing to give up their one day
of rest for the cake OF wounded and con-
valescent soldiers and sailors. You bet
they would. said John Ringing, but TO
make sure he asked Fred Bradna. gem
eral equestrian director OF the Ringing
Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Com
bined Shows TO put it up 10 the crowd
and the answer vas an instant yell OF
approval,
The next job was to figure on the
number OF guests The Red Cross peo-
pie said they could ind at least $500
wounded or convalesCept boys so when
TIE tickets were issued they took a CEN
sus OF the hospitals and distributed the
tickets In such IA way that nobody was
overlooked and confusion was made i'm
possible Then the Motor Corps girls
got on the job and rounded up whole
fleets OF automobiles. The side streets
near Madison Square Garden were
damned with cars all aftcrnoon-evely
kind OF car from the massive limousine,
whipcord upholstered and orchid deco
rated town car to the numbering army
lorry equipped with raw yellow planks
for seats Then the service organizations
made themselves responsible for satisfy
ing the demand for smokes and gum
and chocolate bars, and did themselves
proud in executing the task. That about
tells the story OF how the party was
organized and administered.
ManruvrIng for space.
lima tha hly halI ~ tba NIe,r,,