The New York herald., 1922-11-12
Between The Fools Lines

HktCNgtSL IOllONS INC NouuL SASA Ss ihoAA -
determination not 10 have big house
and furs and jewels while all about
people are hungry, occupies half page
OF the authors attention. There IS
nothing uncommon about her" he says.
Edith Warton was her mother when
She was called Lily Bart. I was her
father when she was named OliUtd Shof--
l0ood in Clothes. She was brought up
TO believe that money flowed out OF
machine and was never told OF the tired
arms that turned the wheels. She knew
that thousands of people didn't have
enough TO eat or enough 70 wear, but
Il she ever thought of the matter at all
she believed that they were quite a diff
ferent species. not nearly so capable OF
feeling. And in a measure she was right.
BY the time she had reached 20 the
every day routine of more human crea-
lures would have been series Of trage-
dies 10 her. A ride in a taxi instead OF In
her own car would have been q trying
experience. A ride In the subway would
have been a catastrophe. To wear the
same frock twice or to be less well
dressed than another woman would have
given her a bad half hour II not a sleep
less night. At the age of 20 she was
quite capable OF echoing Marie Antoi-
nette's inquiry. II they have no bread
why don't they eat cake"
Five or six years after this her
father died. The machine that made the
money had worn out producing the
quantity required, and there was nothing
TO take its place. Here was disaster.
Credit anc private pinching kept claire
going for some time, with fear ana
rancor in her heart but she had begun
to suspect that 1t could not keep her
going forever. She had no trade, and II
he "a
practicng it as degradation. She had
one profession.-marriage. But, as
Je1Tv is about to tell her, You will be
80 in October mad at 20 there are
diminishing chances of success, In that
one profession. GuclriSt Is the way out.
because she really cares for him, but
still a way not to be thought of but for
the fact that he promises solution TO
all her problems"
Charlie Benfeld, a rich and vulgar
warden who insists upon the dismissal OF
Gilch1-ist, is described as $50 and rough
diamond. He is self-made, and proud
of it, though nothing really good-noth-
ing of education or refinement, or knowl-
edge and appreciation of fine things
has gone into the making. He is arro-
giant, domineering, used to having his
own way and to sweeping aside OBJ
stacles. He comes in with his hat on
his head. and It is a minute later. when
Dr.. TVddhdm's glance makes him aware
of the fact. that he removes IT,"
BY the time Benfield leaves the stage
in running through Mr. Pollock's manu-
script, we haze come to the portrait OF
his principal character, the man who
wanted TO try the experiment of living
like Christ "GNchriSt is 33. He was q
football hero ut college, and shows II.
He was "a gentleman before he went to
college and he has been one ever since,
and he shows that too. What he doesn't
show is what one expects In 'reformer'
-narrowness, hardness, something for
bidding. An ascetic, beyond doubt, self
denial has only made him trim and fit
The goodness that shines in his face is
partly good humor He has honest eyes,
with fire in them, and there is strength
and zeal back of that-strength and zeal
that will leave their mark later. AS yet
his exaltntion is chiefly in his smile. His
great gift is charm--and sympathy. At
this moment he wears no overcoat and IL
glowing from the cold.''
The play proceeds to the moment at
which the Poor Man concludes MIS-
efforts 70 inspire and encourage DANIEL,
and answers the question 'ln Gods
name, who are you?" by saying II am a
Jew" Mr.. Pollock says: "As h4
speaks. slowly the tree and everything
beneath II is illumIned by the Star Of
Bethlehem. The light, dim at first,
grows stronger and stronger, its rays
revealing sanctuary and picking out the
points OF the cross on the altar. But
where the Poor Man stood Is nothing
The vision--if vision II was--has gono.
Daniel gives a cry. and as he does go,
the light is extinguished, and suddenly.
TO the music that has been heard falntly
~
the full choir sings HarlS, the Herald
Angels Sing In black darkness the
curtain falls"
When parts are copies from a manu-
script OF play the name OF the char
acter Is replaced by the pronoun ''you."
10 must have been a little disconcerting
for the actor who assumed the role OF
NQ1 Stedtmdr. the labor conciliator to
have read: You are a wiry little fell
low with the face OF ferret and the
furtiveness OF a rat. Your nervousness
does not indicate lack OF self-confidence.
That quality has made you the man y01
are to-day" But the two other per-
sons of the labor delegation are llmned
with kinder pen. "UmGnski is q giant
Pole or Russian. Whatever flesh he
ever had has been starved off; he Is all
bone and Drawn. In his face IS some
thing strangely like poetry something
born OF silence and suffering. lie is IN
his best, which does not oblitcrate 'he
picture OF the man in working clothes
his sleeves rolled up over his muscular
arms HenHinJ is stocly man OF i5--
a 'grouser.' His tone has one OF the
courage, the dignity. the independence
OF Umdnskis: he busters, emptily, an
echo, without much 10 say, and one
guesses he might be made TO buster
either way"
Mr.. Polloclt's manuscript betrays a
desire to stick drama I'm the smallest of
his stage directions. For example. when
UmGnski has told OF a little daughter
who had gold hair and blue eyes and
died crying FOR a pretty pink dress, we
read:
'"The music stops. In the same short
instant there is a patter OF applause
more music--lively this time-and, burst
ing into the room from L. Duly runs
into Umdnsia. She has gold hair; she
has blue eyes and what Is more-she
dress too. and its owner wears Jewels
worth the ransom OF a dozen Umdn8kis.
Di1y Cas- she enters--"Now, look here.
Jerrv. you're not going to---oh, I'm sorry.
Umdrskt looks at her; then covers his
face and. with a great sob, drops into
chair, II. G. Stedtmdn puts his arm
about the mans shoulders. Goodkird, O.,
stares AZ him sympatheucally." And then
we find how much DiHy's "Oh, I'm sorry"
really meant, for we are told that "a
moment after she is heard TO laugh mer-
rily IN the next room"