Evening star., 1923-11-11
j. D. c. FIND FAULTS
in PLAY ABOUT LEE
Veterans, However, Yell and
Weep With Approval at !
Richmond Premiere.l
Special Dispatch to The Star.

RICHMOND, Va, November 1o:-1;-
Armistice day finds John Tink
waters drama, Robert f. Lee aeaa-
ed north with Confederate woman
hood indignant. But William Harris.
jr.. the producer. will not serlVs
diligently to appease this angel lot
his production has the lnoorseahe..
Of Confederate mannoou' |s
Drinkwater's Lee" was played
first in London. 1t had its American
premiere in the capital OF the Ion
federacy this week, before auulfhces
of Virginia people who fought-or
whose relatives fought-under Lee In
the army Of northern virginia. . To-:
morrow it opens in washington:
Thence 1T goes to Ne" foIk scity ;;
And it leaves behind controversy
greater than any Virginia has .Seeh
since AppomattoX.
Call Play Inaccurate.
1T is woefully inaccurate his
torically," assert the women, wives or
descendants of Confederate soldiers
But the veterans themselves greet
ed it differently-and with tears:
One thing, however, is admitted by
all: That of all brave northerners.
none was braver than Mr.. Harris.
who brought an Englishman's concep-
tion of southern idol right ,into
the south for a premiere. Hats gen
orally are doffed to him for shat.
AS matter of fact, his show
seemed to be doing very well at prst.
Then the women met.
Fear Wrong Impression.
Mrs. Norman v. Randolph name
of names is Randolph in Virginia.
several members of the United
Daughters of the Confederacy. These
daughters. along with members. or
several Confederate memorial organi-
Preservation of Virginia Antiquities,
adopted resolutions declaring tnat
the play would give the world
wrong Idea of what the south sn-
dured and why the south endured 1t
They wished the lines of Jefferson
Davis changed to make him a hero tn-
stead Of cringing quitter--as they
interpreted the stage Davis. Tf,ey
wish~d the lines in which Lee Slg4l-
fies = distaste for the John Brown
episode eliminated. No southern boy
would say I'm for soldier, thsy
declared. and Lee never would haFe
said MY man Jackson" And way
did the play have Jen stuart tha on M
one of Lees generals not thers!
What was Mr.. Harris going to go
about it?
Ladies'" replied Mr.. Harris. speak
ing to committee, lit IS not n:y
play. 1 can make some changes, bat
l cannot change Mr.. Drlnk"aeets
lines"
Makes Some Corrections.
Already he had made a number tf
corrections on suggestion or Rlc4-
mond students Of Lee, he continued,
and he would make as many more Ss
possible without changing the sense
of the drama. AS a historian, DrlnE-
water might have proven hlmsei1 Iaf-
tible, but the play must stand or 1aii on
his ability as dramatist and poet.
The womens condemnation stood
But Mr.. Harris had another caro- up
his sleeve. He held 'veteran@
night" and filled the theater with
Confederate soldiers in uniform. Dr.
]. w. Eggleston, who fought under
Lee at Monterey, at CooSa datchle,
and in the army of northern Virginia
was in command of the party. the
men in gray cheered frequently
Many times-when Lee heard OF
Jackson's death and later of Stuarts S;
death, for instance-they broke down
and wept. Then I'M group they
went to the stage and had their pic
lures taken with Burton ChurchllI'
who plays the leading role.
DR.. Eggleston. who knew. Lee per-
haps better than any other living
man, "Drinkwater's Lee Is highly
creditable-a wonderful play"
So Mr.. Harris is not wholly dis
tressed as he heads toward Yankee
land with his Robert Z. Lee"
II am grieved that l cannot go
north with the wholehearted COM
mendation of the southland he says
But that must bel see 1t now-im-
possible"