Evening star., 1920-03-14
CHARIOT AND MOTORS
AS TT1EATER ADJUNCTS
Some Reflections Inspired by Remarkable
Success Attending Revival of
''Ben-Hur."
UToMoBILEs and theateI

n UTOMOBILES and theaters
did not establish friendly re-
lations in the early develop
II ment of the internal COM
bustion engine. 1t has been
Nhus with the theater for many CEN
furies. The poet of the early Greek
Girama found rigorous competition in
the athletic games, and the chariot
was then a rival as the flivver is to-
day Yet the theater has eventually
triumphed over it's more or less ma
1erialistic competitors. Shakespeare
theater managed to run when the
honored sport of bear-ba iting threat
ened to gain so much social and even
political influence as to put more deli
cate forms of entertainment in jeop-
s>erdy for their very lives. Yet the
2hilosopher will tell you that in the
.Course of time the ruder rivals OF the
Doet's art must become reconciled and
Sessert themselves as dignified though
seubordinate contributors. Today Ben
: Hur" tours. the country. literary
'~irama OF the highest type, with the
: old Roman chariot a property wagon
: hitched to its transcendent star. so
! the automobile. whose careering over
level roads and through leafy avenues
was expected to afford pleasure that
would keep people from going TO the
theater. has proved itself not only
. help to the play people, but an in
l spiration to every attache OF the
+; thespian temple, from the manaserial
high priest to the terpsichorean neo-
. phyte. AS the ancient sybarite was
{ measured in large degree for popular
/ admiration by his chariot. and as the
more modern man Of worldly sho"
! vas estimated by his coach and pos
, tillions, so the producing mShager OF
.the present displays his prosperity
land reflnements Of mood by the ele-
.Nxance Of his automobile. To the pro-
ducing manager the automobile is
'ipet, as much pet as the Pom or the
Pekinese Of the young woman in the
chorus. who hopes one day to attain
o status in art which will entitle her
to q motor car Of her own. A moving
picture star is entitled to as many
autos as her salary can maintain. and
that, in some notable and cherished
instances. means assery great many
~ r.
Tbs irAct,lxl side OF the automo-
Nilss6 assiGfence to art II more impor-
tant than its function Is stimulus
90 ip6sstrS snd tdaAlism. Not Only
tses It slssie the plsy psttsn to defy
sUawAneans0 sn&Fsiiaa1se'sss-eeessa ssas
Son6es&teA lns IL AG6fdt bAfemetef
- . the nsfits Asa pot1lSrity Of the
entsrtaissasnt currently offered No
ssviewf Aswsvsr5 Afapassionate1y ac-
eusats. eaa conway the. infefmation
riySa in precise mathemaucai terms
~ the vehicles palheA in front OF the
th4ater. Il great many Means . a.good
ehcw. A very few signi0es neglect
which no smiling suavity on the part
Of the 1sx once fRee can conceal.
AnoAg its many other functions. the
: eutemobile has taken on the one most
Aincult and ,srhost important. It 10
yopr eaiy ssprs,sd,cea and infaiiiole
ofSthe ATTRACTIONS which came to
1EAshington this winter only two have
survived the automobile test with
lSay great felicity, -Ahraham Lneeln"
A,d the elassic above mentioned, Ben
Aur." ''oeofgs Washington" did not
Hm.. sGeosgp Waahinston" did not con-
Ranve its lGsnAay nigAt fuFure throughout
SAe ssaasa. ard IN New York was re-
Sfsved in terms which did not imply
Snasimops enthusiasm. Mr.. Drink
&sser ssys he has moro plays to fol-
1ov aAHrsham Lneoln." but the an
Aodneepent should not arouse over
6nAaeut expectancy. Charles Ram
keansdy said the same thing when
Ais mine Of imagination had produced
chat solitary gem Of surprising lus-
ssr. '.TAe Servant in the House" One
really great play Is a SUFFICIENT re-
Sard for the ambitions Of lifetime.
NSv Yssk synpAsay IN EursDe-
The entire New York symphony Or
, Shestra Of ninety-three musicians. un-
Asr$ Dr.. walter Damrosch, will sail
kr0m< New York April z2 on the
Rochambeau OF tho French line for
Raffs-the first European tour ever
0.ads by an American symphonic or
RaniSAtion.
Or. Damrosch has invited two dis
SdAguished nattve musicians to ap-
bear with the orchestra A. soloists on
vhe tour. These are Albert Spalding,
Riolinist. and John Powell. composer
Dianist.
George Engles. manager Of the or
ehestra. who has just returned from
france, Belgium and England. made
linal arrangements for the tour. and
speaks in enthusiastic terms Of the
|, tnterest shown by the allied govern
ments and music lovers in the visit
Of the American orchestra
For the opening concerts. May 4, 6
eAd 9. the French government has put
et Or. Damrosch's disposal the Paris
Opera House, while the Belgian gov
ernment has given the Theater Royal
- Ia Monnaie for the concert in
Brussels.
Paris has formed q great commit
tee of Welcome. headed by tho min
lister OF me arts, the American am
bassador, every distinguished COM
poser and conductor of France and
bumeeous persons prominent in the
Artistic and social life Of Paris.
In Belgium q similar committee 10
Beaded by the minister OF dne arts
and American AMBASSADOR, while in
Staly the entire tour Will be under the
patronage of the ministers del
tstruxione and the Royal Accademia
Musicale di s. Cecilia in Roma.
In London the British committee
tas planned concerts for June II. Is,
&c. - and 20. the first four at Queens
Hall and the last at the great Royal
Albert Hall. Sir Ernest Palmer is
chairman Of the committee which is