New-York tribune., 1920-09-26
AS We We're Saying
By Haywood Broun

playwrights have joined the
@@0 Actors Equity and thus be-
come members of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor. We advise
Mr. Gompers to attend their next first
nights and Judge whether they seem
to bore from within.
1t is only fair TO say for William
Hodge's-tot play, "The Guest of Honor"
that some of the scenes between the
struggling author and the child have
elements OF charm. And yet it is lust
to add that this charm is usually dissi-
pated by the seeming determination of
Mr Hodge the playwright not to go
on until the last drop has been squeezed
cut
Mr.. Hodge the actor possesses ease
in such abundance that it is a pity he
cannot make over little of it to Mr..
Hodge the playwright.
In speaking scoffingly Of Mr.. Hodges
dramatic use of child's pro-
pensity for asking questions we had
no intention of implying that we
thought this overdrawn. Perhaps our
objection was rather too personal, but
after struggling all day with H. 3d's
How does the train go?" How does
the house go?" "How does the rabbit
got" "How does Mr.. Best go?" there
was no relaxation for US in a play in
which the tiny tot was forever in
quiring Daddy. what does God do with
the old moon?"
AS matter OF fact, q. Sd never
entirely stumped Ms until he asked,
how does Caruso got" and we did not
feel equal to it, even though he added,
You can do it, daddy" We felt safe
in saying that the house went "Cluck,
eiuck" and the rabbit "Woof, woof,"
(, but Il Sd has heard Caruso.
Reviewers are not quite fair in OBJ
9eetlng every now and again to some
simeworn and tritely theatrical line on
tae ground that people in real life
aoat say such things" AS matter of
aacs, when the theater has hammered
long enough on a line life takes notice
and begins 70 initiate. We haven't O.
eouot that bedroom farce has actually
induced a.. persons recovering from
1ains 20 ask, where am II" and it is
entirely possible that melodrama has
put over into actuality "Unhand me,
Ell, though we must admit that the
latter is mere hearsay 30 us.
Certainly, all the persistent jokes
eventually come true. The dentist last
week stuffed us with wedges, cotton, pipe
aHes and snaffles and then, standing
BACK like man In comic strip, In
CURED, who do you think will win the
worlds seriesf Fortunately, we were
aeis TO work one arm loose and point
ssross the bridge, but when he followed
with What's the best play in town"
we knew there was no use in trying to
say Enter Madame"
The difficulty Of applying the "peo-
pis don't say that in life" test 70 the
Sasatsr il that the rule doesn't apply
70 hss, either. Coming upon two po-
heernsn In Nassau Street yesterday, we
overheard one remark: well, when
you're in Rome do as the Romans"
Das, after all, no ahrewd person ever
oAsss truth upon anything 20 casual
~ fnsse happening.
y We once saw q Dlay in which the
sgsd inventors various contriysnces
asnsa out 70 be just 40 useless IN the
4ssy set 90 they were In the irst. We
ssss ss.s forgotten the name. 1t was not
Welcome Stranger" which returns 10
Sse traditional vindication.
-
- Ugten VIC asplass immortality In the
ssasas, hus the suggestion made In
ess Tbs Gusss of ASneg," thss
q -