The Washington herald., 1922-11-19


atrocious. And while many doors
opened to me are going to be
closed, I'm going to speak right
out at meeting. I've been bored
for the last time discussing topics
that l know nothing about with
people that know less.
REALLY LIKES NEGRO ACTOR.
I have never seen a play that
interested me at the Theater Guild
or the Providence Players-with
the one exception of Emperor
Jones'" The work of the negro
actor in that was splendid. Eugene
O'Neill doesn't excite me any more
than Lincoln ]. Carter would were
he producing plays today. I don't
imagine he excites so many other
people either, II they were truthful.
l prefer the poeV of Edgar
Guest to John Dos Hssos. and I
think DIR. Frank Crane now and
then Is inspirational.
1t has become anathema to dis
like "Jurgen," because a group Of
Anticipated columnists are defend
ing the works of James Branch
Cabell. There are passages In the
book that are shameful-disgust-
ingly obscene, in my opinion. No
one doubts Cabell is a fellow Of
infinite art.
But art needs to get nearer the
people. The breach now is too
wide between art and life.
FRIEND PROVES FOUR FLUSH
At luncheon a few days ago I
sat next to a man who used to
grubstake with me on Park Row.
We We're always about one jump
ahead Of the sheriff. We smoked
each others cigarettes and ey-
changed neckties for certain
functions. He has written sew
eral plays-two are hits.
He was talking with a bob
haired girl who wore hoot-owl
glasses. She is one who insists.
though married. on preserving
her maiden name. No one knows
her anyway. 1t doesn't matter.
My friend Of the old days was
saying: "The influence OF
Cezanne and the experiments of
Picasso-"
He got no further: asked
and then reminded him of the time
we got put out of Beefsteak Dolan's
for being disorderly. ! know our
friendship is smashed. But
nailed a four-flush.
And the crudity of the films
there is a high topic for intellec.
tual browsing. One would think
that a person who goes to the
-, l,oI oI,
quarter cultivated.
IGNORANT OF PORCELaINS.
Chinese porcelains are beauti-
full l knew as much about them
as the puzzle editor of the Sand
pit UowD Star. The Kang-She
or the Sam Lee periods may
mean a lot to some folks. but
they are less than nothing in my
life. Because l am not versed
in Chinese porcelains there is no
reason why l should he the oh
ject OF stony stares. Certainly il
is no disgrace.
can do match trick that one
of the greatest patrons of modern
art cannot fathom. But am no.
at all puffed about il. In fact.
I'm democratic and very easy to
meet.
Expressionism in the theater,
too, is something that is way over
my head. l have never left the
impulse to reach beyond the limits
Of realism. A stage Irishman in
green whiskers who slaps his flap
ping pantalooned partner over the
head with a bladder always ex7
tracts the gurgle hilarious.
PREFERS DON MARQUIS.
II is more real to me than
Ethel Barrymore talking as if she
has a mOuthful of oysters. | pre-
fer the plays of Don Marquis,
Sammy Shipman and Gene Buck
to those Of Ibsen. Strindberg,
Tchekov and Wedekin. 1 can make
nothing Of the symbol. And the
horrifically actual dramas with
their sexual smut leave me cold.
All Of these things. appall the
New Yorker. And, of course, I'm
quite hopeless. But at least I'm
honest in my convictions.
1t would be difficult to con-
vince me that a neighborly home