davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20

land. and official and other efforts to
stimulate this growth have not awaited
TO stem the tide. The same is true OF
France, where, in spite OF temporary
spurts. the general tendency is to-
ward a decrease; in Austria Hungary,
Belgium and the Netherlands tho cul-
tivation Of fax for fibre is barely more
than holding its own. Other countries
Of Europe have found II difficult to
produce at a price to compete with the
Government stimulated cheap labor of
Russia, and that country is obtaining
more and more the monopoly OF the
flax fibre production Of the world"
Every Advantage Ours.
True. Russia's demoralized state has
robbed her OF her prominence in this
field. and this makes It all the more
essential that other countries go in for
fiax fiofe growing. especially where
climatic conditions favor 1t and where
mechanical facilities and chemical dis
coveries are available which make de-
dendence upon handicraft and a plenty
Of cheap labor no longer essential to
commercial success. Happily for us
these helpful factors are ours to COM
mahd. Before dealing with our own
favoring circumstances ii might be just
as well to give the man in the street
an idea Of the way flax is cultivated
and the straw is subsequently dealt
with to make II fit for the spind,es.
The Minister of Agriculture OF the
Dominion of Canada explained quite
lucidly the various operations in
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20
Busy All Times Stage Many and Heavy Responsibilities
%..%%s and Must Be Ready to Meet Any Emergency

gers that people back stage should
wear rubber heels-and then he takes
his place at the first entrance, that is
in the wings nearest the audience.
He watches the acting as well as he
can from there and listens carefully
tor every line. on he goes again to
silence some waiting actors who talk
above a whisper. Suddenly there is a
silence on the stage, a silence that his
practised ear knows should not come
Just that moment He dashes down to
the nearest entrance to see what is
wrong. And to his great relief he finds
it is only one OF the actors in the scene
taking a longer pause before speaking.
stiIl Another Job.
But the suspense serves to call at
tention to another responsibility OF
this busy man. He must know the
play so thoroughly that he can throw
In line any time it is needed-he or
his assistant Is always near the wings
with complete manuscript of the
play open-and II necessary he must
be- ready to go on at a minutes notice
y play the part of some one taken
sick whose understudy does not hap
pen TO be present. The account in
these columns recently of unusual ac-
ci6ents on the stage carried frequent
refer ances to stage managers, just an
other evidence OF how much he is de-
pended upon in emergencies. And
whenever there Is an occurrence out
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20

Of the ordinary, that too is duly noted
by the conscientious stage manager
In his log book" which contains
memoranda such as actors late for
entrances, breakages in the scenery,
in short anything he wants to keep
for record.
All this work has merely to do with
the actual running time OF the per-
Torrance. A good stage manager ar
rlvss early and makes sure that the
scenery is being set properly. II thor
o1ghly conscientious he will be on the
stage while each act is being set
and then he will check up, not only
to find each bit OF property necessary
IN the "business"-even to the point
with some stage managers OF hand
ling each 'prop"-but he will also
make sure that each actor has an
swered the call boy promptly and is
The stage manager, of course, has in
dicated the minute at which the call
should be given, such as those for the
rise and fall Of the curtain.
From the very moment a play goes
into rehearsal, as has been limited. the
stage manager is important. He is al
ways at rehearsal before any member
OF the company, and he is always the
last one to leave rehearsal. He acts
az first assistant to the man who Ia
directing the production. and should
the director be absent he carries on
1t might be remarked in passing that
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20

with the fax by chemical engineering
operations but likewise practicable to
obtain a really superior fibre for the
spinner in a remarkably short while
after the straw Is obtained from the
farmer Our War Industries Board
has looked into the whole field of en-
couraging the upbuilding OF domestic
linen industry. and as the fruit Of the
labors of native. scientists 1t Is no
longer necessary to resort to the long
drawn out. foul smelling retting prac-
tees so commonly IN vogue for hum
dreds and hundreds of years What
we now have at our disposal has been
described within the past months in a
report issued by the board.
To quote:
After long and painstaking- re-
search a new synthetic process has
been discovered. This procegs dis
rsolyed the gum from the fax straw In
less than one hour, without any injury
TO the fibre, and produces a strong
clean, beautiful fibre ready for the
spinner when dried and prepared. This
process can be operated IN either sum-
mer or winter. has no disagreeable
features, and costs 20 per cent. less in
labor. time and expense. and makes
bleaching. except to secure extremely
white linen, unnecessary. In n test
OF the comparative strength of water
rctted fibre and the chemically retted
fibre by the United States Bureau OF
| Standards, the water retted fax broke
at tensile strain of lis, while the
! chemically retted fax fibre stood {
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20

through the first week until an ideal
time or schedule Is fixed. Not only is
this set, but II must be lived up to,
and a stage manager must turn In what
is called a time sheet" TO the pro-
Queer showing the tiraes for each per-
Torrance during the last week.
sample Showing.
Taking the figures for East Is
West" last Monday night for example,
Mr.. Maxwell's time sheet submitted to
William Harris, Jr.r the producer,
shows that the curtain went up on the
prologue at $3.50 +. NJ. and came down
at S:49: the prologue ran nineteen
minutes: there were four curtain calls.
and the wait between scenes was eight
minutes. Curtain went up on Act at
1857, down at 9:45; act ran forty-eight
minutes; curtain calls Ave and walt
OF twelve minutes. Curtain went up
on Act at 1851, came down at 1874 /;
act ran forty-four minutes; curtain
calls nine and wait of nine minutes.
Curtain went up on Act 3 at 1880;
down at 1907: act ran seventeen min
utes, and there were three curtain
calls. Time of the performance was
two hours and thirty-seven minutes.
and total of time for entractes was
twenty mine minutes. Seven minutes
were lost In the time of performance,
three OF these minutes being extra
wait bet ween Acts / and because of
the speech against excess taxation and
the time allowed for members of the
audience to sign petitions. The other
extra time was used in Acts l and
because the comedy lines of Miss Fay
BANTER and other members OF the cast
were going particularly well that
night, so even II the audience did not
get out Of the theatre exactly at IL
o'clock, as they should have done
they probably did not mind. because
they had taken the extra minutes for
laughs.
But the stage manager cannot allow
| any delays that might come from
faults OF the company He must be
| es pecially concerned II the play Is a
| comedy to prevent any slowing up OF
Ito action. A good stage manager is
a tremendously active person from the
minute the first curtain goes up until
the last comes down. He darts here
there. everywhere on his rubber heels
1t is an obsession with stage mana
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20
What the Man Who Makes the Show Go Has to Do

began his selection of understudies'
and for the past month he has put
them through their parts both morning
and afternoon. incidentally trying out
other actors who might be considered
If more than one company were to go
on the road next season. II has hap
pened in productions that understudies
could be drawn from only persons
playing very small parts, or merely
walking on. AS might be expected.
these persons were sometimes mere
novices. So that to all intents and
purposes a stage manager finds him
self conducting a school OF acting.
Sometimes Acts Himself.
And it must not be forgotten that
the stage manager. in addition to tell
ing others how to act, quite often takes a
part himself. This part may be OF greater
or less length. Occasionally the pro-
Queer allows him TO choose a part, but
whatever its length, and whatever
changes OF costume il requires, he
must never allow his other work to
lapse. Even while on the stage he
keeps busy at more than his actual
lines, for he watches the scene at close
range and keeps check on tn actors
This combination OF acting and stage
managing surely has complications al
times, as in the case OF Mr.. Maxwell
again. for he has several lines in
East is West" which are Chinese
andihe has found It necessary TO learn
bits OF the language-in odd times--tc
make sure that he and others give
these Chinese lines in the correct dia-
lect
Just how much a man needs to know
TO perform all these duties. just how
much experience he requires, may be
guessed from the fact that Mr.. Max
we'll has been twenty-three years or
the stage. has produced or stage man
aged in regular productions and stock
companies over 400 plays and has
himself played over 500 parts.
A man OF some such sort will be
found in every production now or
Broadway, something OF a director
something OF a manager, something Of
an actor, and serving also as buffer
between the producer and company
II he leaves the actors alone, maintain
ing no discipline he is to their mind {
fine fellow. but to the manager he II
no good And exactly the reverse Il
true; so that to fill this part Of his jol
a man needs personality as well al
ability. Is there paragon OF III,
virtues? Rumors OF such person ar,
heard now and then, but meantime W,
have the humble stage managers, ant
they do very well.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20
Opportunity Results From War for
People of the United States to
Revive Business That Once $50
ST. Was Nationwide

the parvenu cotton products Ac-
cordfng to that authoritative expert
Although the cost Of fax and OF
raw cotton does not differ very much,
cotton has a great advantage over
fax in the ease and cheapness with
which It is manufactured. In the frst
place the hard and inelastic nature OF
the fax fibre makes a much more ex-
pensive type Of machinery necessary
for its spinning. Then the great
variations produced in any one field OF
fax necessitate elaborate and costly
hacking and sorting, in which about
30 per cent. Of 1t becomes tow of
comparatively low value, raising the
cost of dressed fax fully 50 per cent.
above that OF raw fax. Cotton, on the
other hand, Is very uniform in quality
and is cheaply carded with little loss
OF material or Of weight.
Yet Linen Survives.
Its elasticity allows Of the en-
ployment Of machinery SO largely
automatic that the number of workers
in a cotton mill would be about one
quarter Of those In a fax mill Of the
same number OF spindles, while at the
same time the turn Off Of a cotton
spindle is considerably greater than
that of a fax spindle The advantage
in favor OF cotton does not end with
its conversion into yarn, for 1t is
more easily woven than iipen., and
finally 1t is bleached more quickly
with less risk OF damage and
with less loss Of weight. Nothing but
the inherent beauty and excellence OF
the fax fibre have permitted its sur
vival OF competition so formidable"
Even so. linen has its own Ghtues
and directions in which 1t can be used
with better results or to the pro-
ducing of effects which are beyond
the possibilities OF cotton fibre. Linen
has been considered distinctly superior
as a fabric for airplane wings. Fur
Their, linen for wearing apparel espe-
cially for comfort in warm weather, is
much to be desired over garments of
cotton, and most of us know how in
differently our collars ard our shirts
have survived the stress OF laundering
since the exigencies of war made us
so much more dependent upon cotton.
Linen thread is notably very strong
which explains why the shoe manu- l.
facturers rely upon it even though 1t
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20

these two words are the expression OF
what a stage manager must always do.
At rehearsals, among other things, he
keeps the manuscript constantly be-
fore him and makes notes in il OF
every change OF dialogue or business,
until by the time a play is actually
produced 1t looks as If the manager
had written it. at least in his hand
writing. He also is responsible for the
correct preparation of carpenters,
electricians and property mans
plots" so that adequate prepare
tons will be made IN the theatre where
the play will go.
Just before the opening night, further
more, the stage manager has a Job
which seems minor from the outsiders
point of view, but which really causes
as much trouble or more than any
thing else the stage manager has to
do. This is the assignment OF dress
ing rooms, He has the job Of a hotel
clerk without any OF that gentieman's
opportunities for excuses. There are
just as many rooms, Just as many peo-
pie to At into them. and every one can
see what every one else is getting, the
stage manager included. Every one
wants a room 10 himself, every one
wants a room with big windows, every
one wants a room on the ground floor.
And. strangely enough, even more
troublesome than the question Of
rooms is the list where the names OF
the company are posted and their as
signments. This list Is regarded as
the official statement OF each persons
relative position in the company. and
there Is the awful hour OF jealousy.
From the very moment this goessup all
through the season the stage manager
Is constantly beset by actors and
actresses who want either their posi-
lions on the list or their rooms changed.
But II the stage manager has given the
matter careful attention and Is sure Of
himself, he changes not, and the end
OF the season finds the company In the
same rooms as where they started.
Another phase of his work that re-
quires good Judgment is the stage
managers assignment OF understudies.
! These are from the lesser lights OF the
company and trained in parts OF the
principals practically AS soon as the
play has settled In a theatre. When
East is West" settled down for a run
at the Aston Mr.. Maxwell promptly
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20

strain Of 1873. Flax under these con-
ditions can be produced as cheaply as
cotton"
It has been demonstrated that 1t is
possible to treat fax from the straw
to the tow and line stage successfully
on a factory basis in this country. The
climate and the soil in several Of the
States are admirably adapted to fax
culture.
Michigan's Opportunity.
The farmers in the Michigan section
and in some Of the other fax growing
regions here know how to grow fibre
fax, and the acreage is capable Of
great extension. There seems to be no
good reason. so We are authoritatively
informed, why fax should not be
grown widely in the South throughout
those States, especially where cotton
is now the staple fibre crop. The boil
weevil which is so destructive TO cot
ton, will not attack flax. and by adopt
ing rotational planting the Southern
agriculturist can thus deal witt the
pest and make money the while.
The American linen thread industry
is run on a very large scale, and at
least one concern has successfully
manufactured linen fabrics. The pull
ing of fax In the field because OF the
care that must be exercised lest the
stalks be broken still offers difficulties
This work now must be done by hand
But American manufacturers feel that
this problem is one that can be ma
by the adaptation Of mechanical facili-
tics. They are confident that the mel
that have given US our wonderful har-
Nsaaing machines will be equally in
Et'nfous in producing apparatus that
viii. be able TO do we'll and speedily
tie necessary pulling OF the growing
flax
Five years ago, according to the In
ternational Federation of Flax anC
Tow Spinners. the distribution of far
spinning and weaving was as follows
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20
The Rice Birds Free Ride

IZE and strength are popularity
associated with victory, esps-
cially among the lower animals,
but in many cases this Is far from
being the case, particularly in the bird
world Among the rice flats OF the
Carolinas there abound at some sea-
sons tiny rice birds. birds so small that
1t takes two dozen for a good meal,
even though bones and all are eaten.
The great buzzard is found circling
over the fats at all times. He breads
the time for the rice bird to come, for
he is then nearly pestered to death. 1t
is a common sight to see one of these
tiny creatures ny up to buzzard, and.
after lodging this way and that
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20

has been necessary to import this
material from across the Atlantic.
Prior to the world war more than
IS per cent. Of all the fax fibre pro-
duced was grown in Russia, but as
matters stand to-day it will be years
before that unhappy region RECEIVERS
anything like its erstwhile agricultural
activity. The following table, compiled
from figures furnished by the United
States Bureau OF the Census, gives a
correct idea Of the distribution OF the
industry ten years ago--a state of
affairs that was not altered in a rela-
tive sense until the recent titanic con-
fiict turned Europe topsy-turvy.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20
N every theatre programme just
before the credits" which tell
who made that green thing the

~ every theare programme JUST
before the credits" which tell
who made that green thing the
leading woman wears and who sup
plies soap for the actors is a list Of
the staff with the company. That staff
includes the business manager. the
technical director and the stage man
ager, or perhaps the frst two titles
may be less politely expressed as press
agent and head carpenter, but always
there is the stage manager, just that,
no more or no less. Who is this per-
son? What does he do?
Strangely enough, important as he
is to a production. the stage manager
Is never mentioned in the theatrical
world except on the aforesaid pro-
gramme, and the general public has
only the very vaguest idea of him.
The writer has discovered this by in.
quiries. Hence this account OF what
the stage manager has to do, his re-
sponsibilities and worries. which begin
the very moment play goes into re-
hearsal and increase through days and
nights all through the plays life until
it gives up the ghost years later at
some one night stand, Poor stage
management means a poor perform
ance, with a consequent loss to the
audience. but good stage management
means a smooth performance, so
smooth that the audience forgets some
one must have been responsible. 1t is
very much the same as In travelling
so long as the train takes you to your
destination without incident you are
oblivious OF the engineer; but II the
train loses time or you have an acct
dent you become acutely conscious OF
him. The stage manager is your en-
gineer in the theatre.
The analogy holds even further. II
Is as essential for the stage perfor-
nance to keep schedule as II is for a rail-
road. This means much more than that
the curtain should go up at a stated
tina, usually a time different from
what Is advertised. 1t must reach GER
tain points at certain times. The
stage manager has constantly before
him the time at which the curtain
must go up on the first act, the time
II must come down on the act, the
time at which II must go up on the
second act. and so on to the Anal cur
tain. These figures are arrived at BY
taking those on the first nighs de-
Quoting for unnecessary delays. and
then checking with other performance
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20

around the awkward bulk. finally
alight well forward between the buzz
Yards wings on the back. Here the
little passenger grabs a few feathers
in his beak and holds on for grim
life. After enjoying a ride for as
long as he desires. the little fellow
hops of and is gone
The peculiar feature of the whole
performance is that apparently the
only purpose the rice bird has in get
ting on the back OF the buzzard is TO
lake free ride II puzzles every one
who chances to see the little play TO
find any other reason; yet the fact
remains that IL is frequent occur
renee, and the little birds seem to
enjoy II hugely.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20

Total.......... l,l42,4S2oo' 1S72,is7coo 100 %
The foregoing figures make it clear
what a trivial part the United States
has played in the total output. The
latest data do not show that we have
materially improved. Three years ago
the Bureau OF Foreign and Domestic
Commerce summed up the trend OF
fax fibre yields in this way:
I'm the United Kingdom especially
the production of fax fibre has been
declining; its production in that coun-
try is now confined almost exclusively
to the Province OF Ulster in north Ire
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1919-11-20
ADMINISTRATION is RESPON-
SIBLE FOR COAL CRISIS
Senator France Charges To Incompe-
tency Much of Present Condition,


Speaking in the course of Senate
discussion of the coal strike situation
Senator France of Maryland called
attention to the fact that the existing
situation has not been created entire
ly by the miners but has been created
in part at least ''by lack of admins
trative capacity on part of certain
agencies of the Government" Sena-
tor France referred especially to the
shortcomings of the railroad admin
iStration which for months has failed
to furnish enough cars to the mines
and thus has seriously curtailed the
production of coal The obvious eff
feet of the lack of cars has been both
a coal shortage and reduced work and
reduced pay for the miners.
After putting the record data to
show that not enough coal cars had
been provided by the railroad admin
istration and to show that mines were
unable to operate owing to a shortage
of cars, Senator France pointed out
that this was not the fault Of the min
ers. He declared the mines had been
stopped from working to capacity ''be-
cause of the incompetence of a rail-
road administration which had not
furnished the cars"
Senator France made it plain that
ne believed any impartial view of the
coal situation could not overlook the
fact that much blame was to be at
tached to the failure of the railroad
administration to keep coal cars in re-
pair and to supply the mines through
last spring and this summer with suf-
ficient cars.
Certainly, so far as the supply of
coal cars to the mines is concerned,
the Administration has failed" said
Senator France.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1919-11-20
A Correction.

Last week The Republican inadver-
tently did the senior class of the Gar
rett County High School an injustice
when it stated that that class had
gone on strike because of the fact that
the school authorities would not grant
its members a holiday on Armistice
Day, whereas the fact is that only two
or three of the STRIKERS" were men,
bers of the senior class, the rest be-
longing to other classes of the school,
In justice to the senior class, or at
least majority of the membership of
that division of the High School this
explanation is made, and also in jus
tice to the school authorities The Re-
publican desires to state that Armis-
tice Day was not declared school
holiday by the Governor in his procla-
nation, hence the educational board
of the county had no authority to
grant the students a holiday. The
spirit of strikes, whether of labor or
of student bodies, is all wrong; is I'M
American, and tends to set at naught
good citizenship and all that that rep
resents. As a punishment to the
student strikers" the school authori-
ties have ordained that the offenders
make UP the lost hours of study by re-
naming in their class rooms forty
minutes each day for a prescribed
number of days after the other stu
dents have been dismissed.