Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-06-23
By chas. ]. Lisle.

~ NHds, v. ldSle.
Slang is the boiled-down pep of tb,
language, the eoneertated vigor of al
that we think or feel, put into pietur
esque, idiomatie words. But slang soor
loses lts force because it is used SO in.
discriminatory for every use-like usine
an elephant 5 trunk to carry bes 10 4
sawmiil, to mind the baby, 10 crack
nuts for the boss, to drive the COWS
nome from pasture. 1t soon becomes nm
Old story, and nobody pays any atten.
tion to what really is a wonder.
just SO, in describing pla, like tho
recent willamette pageant, Tie ardi.
nary descriptive words that exnress
satisfaction do not at all tell what the
play really is; the words are not aoc.
quatc, after they have been used 50
freely on soaps, new berry.pieking un.
lonettes, Charlie Chaplin extrava ranzas
and thousand common things that
work our few words to death. Ii would
be worth while, perhaps, to study this
willamette pageant from the stand.
point of what ii stands for and how IL
produces its effects. All agree that it
was a powerful, gripping story, but we
haven't all figured out just how the eff.
feet is produced.
1t should be realized that the author.
Della Crowder Miller, had to
build the whole play without a model
like it has been produced any.
where, since the real actors took their
parts In the original forests ana plains
md fhomos. Their traditions are still
lllve, and there are men and womeu
'till living who knew these pioneers in.
their facial and other necu.
larltles can be recalled, and were care.
uiiy studied to make the play a reality.
'or instance, when "Governor lanai
ode across the field on his splendid
orse, some of the old dtimers in the
udlence started to their feet, saving
Governor Lanel" He was So real 70
hem, in his makeup according 10 the
tady given his characteristics, that
hey forgot IL was a play, and saw ON.
nc real governor who came as a soldier
bring the power of the United
tates to the people Of the Pacific.
ust Anderson the college boy became
ne heroic governor through careful
Judy and assimilation of the character {
here was no model for the play as I
hole-but the incidents themselves O
Ie still alive in the memory of those
no helped give the story its living t
gnifieance.
a skiilful alienation cf all the emo. =
ons that make human life-beroism
'thos' love, atriotism-makes ye
ay interesting enough to keen an =
ldienee for almost five hours, and re. !,
etful that 1t should end SO soon even =
that 1t could not be all tragedy; a :
hole play like the tragedy of the part : !,
the messages, episodes 10 and 13 =
luid narrow the soul and leave no =
pc for recovery. The Indian school = 7.
almost an interlude apart from The u
'ry Of winning Oregon to the onion.
i II was the Indian missionary spirit ;.
at brought the Willamette pioneers; q
py came to bring education and the g
spel to the Indians, and some Of their y
'ry ought to be introduced
This matter of what is and is not es.
'tial to play is the great bone Of a,
ltention between writer's aud pro. N
GERS. The writer must feel that the
ny needs amplifieation BY putting IN
details that carry the action along
her directly OF indirectly. The pro.
'ef 5 experience may be that side. y
hts that are not absolutely esscntinl. =
e TIE action and ruin the continuity -.
thought and action. The story Of
'gon might 90 ahead without the In. Il
n school, without the Indian dances; w
from the spectator point Of view, III,
story would lose much Of its pieturs IN
ne value. Il should be borne Ia ele
d that this is real historical story; tie
ing to give in vivid words and eF,
ncs the actual history Of Oregon:
# the Indians are an essential
Of the early history Of the state.
T belong there. ]
rofcsscr Miller is putting the whole ne'
ma into book form, to be preserved wii
2 guide for future productions. II ma
I'd be far easier task for the fa- lea
producer 10 stage the PLAY. with da1
tuEraphs ef the costumes, of fhe pre-
IS, of the stage settings as desribsd das
The cid timers who actually saw the At
iual actors Of thu life drama and iioE
shaied to make this initial presenta bro
a success. It Is planned 70 make {
pageant regular feature for the The
re years; and nothing that has gat
] gathered for this first rendition i
= lost after having been acquired "a
50 much effort. A historical mu-
= proposed. 70 preserve zAal car =
eeured 81 the ela.time stage vroner- 1T