New-York tribune., 1919-01-19
By Haywood Broun

toasress purposes to double the war
lax on theatre tickets. Ii the Finance
Committee has its way the public will
ie asked to pay forty cents on each
- ticket instead of -wenty cents, as at
preseut. Naturally. the managers are
anxious TO state their case against the
advisabiity o. the increased burden
1hcE believe that the theatre business
viii pe harmed so materially that the
increased tax viii Yield less revenue
than ihe old one They point out thai
ihe theatre he'd NO share in war profits
tut. on t0e contrary. has suffered So
toroly. rot only through the decrease
Of patronage. hut also because Of the
vastly inesoa scd pr'ce Of all the ma
,er.als vi.ch 20 nto the building OF a
rro luctioa.
The case If The managers also rests
on tae 1act that the theatre has been
ii considerable factor in winning the
var. The theatre has provided enter
rainmout ior solAicrs abroad and at
home. and f, has proved an extremely
asetul field in carrying on the Liberty
Ioaa campaigns and all the war drives.
But the case IS nor primarily one be
-ween the theatrical managers and
Congress IL is rather between Con-
gress and the public After all, it is
not the managers but the theatre
going public which viii have to pay
the tax. The argument Of Congress is
nat the theatre is luxury. This car
rs the implication that the only thing
80 be considered is revenue.
The ultimate fate of luxury is not
Important if only il can be made useful
ia carrying the financial programme Of
,Ae government. This is where tfe in
forest Of the public is touched The
public cannot afford to let the theatre
5e taxed out Of existence or even
placed in danger Of such disaster
After all, the drama is a necessary
Iorm Of expression 1t IS the most
popular Of all the arts, and if it is I'M
paired the country viii be so much
poorer that the result cannot possibly
be estimated in dollars and cents We
cannot subscribe 70 the point Of view
hlch holds that parsnips and boiled
aeef and tripc arc things by which men
.Fc and tho theatre mere plaything.
II IS true that neither this generation
lor posterty would be apprcciablv
poorer If any number Of play were TO
Ire taxed OUT Of existence. but oovi-
elsly no discrimination can be made by
ne law As matter Of fact q tax as
'aerous as the one suggested encour.
ares the production of sure fire. PLAYS.
Inc only production which has a
chance 20 live under the 70 Der cent
ehcdale the play which ss certain
ot huge popular appeal. Such plaq
rot very likely 20 be ono Or the hiea-
e. order j. wil be impossible for
managers 20 attempt anything new
iaey mus play a. safe al ttcy can
tnlie the tax lasts.
1tc icgi4lauon would be .nqalar,.
unfortunate jast nom. when ,here is Il
possibility of definite awakening .n
American drama Tho nation has been
profoundly stirred and aoalcn up BIZ
'he crisis through which j. has passed
nat j. see's far 50 prcdic. tina, some
fac e<pfcssion Of all this cnotionalism
mus cofae ~ the drama only Con
9fess vii refrain from sa~dns the
head of The theatre. Even if this pre-
o'ction Of porsibie golden age in
American drama fails ~ make good
fnare can be no question that our dag
- among the richest which tho Eng
i:n drarna nas ever known. r. We mere
'ae< n The days Of the "Ladg III Lyonsp