New-York tribune., 1919-10-20
Books
By Haywood Brou,

nope that when it reaches his roal ,a'' n
we will be elsewhere. To onr u;- "as
theatre is the place where Art S sh, 'a'
beam upon the multitude and crv sS's Issa
ly. Find out what everybodvn 'Su'' wv
and don't forget the boys in tha 10 Sae
room!" Mr.. Crais's theatre +, ,,a .'s
too special for our taste. It w;m S'a
away with everything that is bo;s.a !"
and vulgar and broadly human ~" c
sider' for instance, Mr.. Craie's shs
chapter entitled "A Note on Apn,.n.. '.
set down in the form of dialo,u. s
tween the Reader and the Writer. W.
"ln the Moscow Art Theatre anr,..
plays a very minor role. In sensr.,s
play can live without it. In Mo,m"
no actor takes a call before the curt,;..
hence, there is no applause.
Reader: Isn't that very d,r.
Writer: You think so: No.
doesn't. 1t is all matter of the NV; s'
OF view. When the acting is Door a' ~
enthusiastic, roaring and thuna.,,s
audience is necessary to keen IN % ~
spirits; but when the acting is abso,,
ing app ause is not needed, and Il d,
actor won't come and bow. or the 49,.
tain rise after it has once fallen-w.r
then, applause becomes futile,
Reader: Who ever heard Of .,.
an idea?'
Writer: My dear Reader, i. ,s ~.
an idea, it is an established fact D.
move the reason for applause and "a.
prevent the applause itself, and in 4,
ing so prevent vulgarity'
Reader: But it is the natural desi,.
to want to applaud when you see sou.
thing good
Writer: Rather it is an onnstu,.
habit. You do not applaud a tb,.,
only man or wcman. Applause i,
the fiattery of the strong by the veal
"'d the conductor and musicians II,
an orchestra were not seen we sbonld
never applaud music. We do not ~.
plaud architecture, painting, sculptun
or literature. We should not appla {,
hidden musicians
Concerning the last statement VI,
have reason 20 doubt the accuracy o,
Mr.. Craig's surmise in so far as il re-.
fers to American audiences. Eyery
movie fan has heard audiences at som.
time or another break into wild an.
plause for the shadows on the screen
and we were even more forcibly r..
minded of the strength of the per.
| sonal illusion, no matter how inanimss
the symbol, during the world sere..
The players on the scoreboard which
we watched were no more than wooden
disks with collins" jackson =
"Cicotte" and the other names written
upon them. When the Dutch Ruethet
disk was suddenly moved from the
plate around to third base to indicate
triple there were wild cheers from
the crowd and they began to how! for
change in pitchers, appealing loudly
"Take him out!" to a manager who did
not even have disk to represent him
There was some more mad scurryinF
about the bases by the red disks,
and then suddenly large hand, sym.
bolizing Fate or God or Pat Moran,
we don't know which, was thruu
through a hole in the scoreboard and
fastened upon the little round Ccotp
to bear him away from his fling d
reality back into his accustoms
wooden private life.
We don't know how it went with Ii,
Cicotte who left the diamond in Gin.
cinnati. Not very well. we supposs
But for the wooden disk in Time'
Square it was a moment Of triumph
For f1eeting second he was a MAJ
and the direct object of popular seer
and hatred. The rooter behind nj
shook fist at him. You got what VS.
coming to you, you big stiff" b.
shouted.
We looked around, and the mas
seemed little shamefaced at his eI'
hibtion of hostility to a wooden disk
He felt that he owed the crowd an eI-
planation, and he came through HAND
somely. "He was shining up the bal
with emery" he said.
"We do not applaud the Atlarn
Ocean," continues Craig, "or the poeri
of the ocean, but. catching sight Of til
man who can swim furthest in ths'
ocean. We utter birdlike and beastlln
cries"
And yet we rather think that theF'
! have been times when men cheered 'o'
the sea After that first silent momeS'