The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-12-24
PASSION PLAYS
STAR DRAWS
THOUSANDS
Throngs at New York Exhibit
All Want to Shake Hand
of Anton Lang.

OF Anton Lang.
By JOSEPH r.. FLIESLER.
Cosmopolitan News Service Staff
Correspondents.
NEW YORK, Dec. 24.-There is
an altar in Grand Central Palace,
where the exhibition OF the crafts
OF oberammergau villagers is under
way.
There are little canvas houses,
built to look like those in the
little Bavarian village, where every
ten years the Passion Play Is pro-
duced.
There is a huge scenic drop.
showing the vivid mountains In
which Oberammergau, nestles; in
HaAed-in spaces about the floor
wood carvers were at work, with
chise1 and mallet.
But the thousands who come to
the exhibit rallied around none Of
these.
Lang Main Attraction.
They had come to see and shake
the hand of Anton Lang, who
thrice played Christus in the Pas.
; sion Play. Not merely those curl
9 S00 OA4G0 WIN "C1C utAA5OCA ~
: his spiritual bearing, his kindly eyes
and wistful smile; but many bold,
aggressive spirits who pumped his
tired arm vigorously and said:
, Don't You remember me?
: stopped at your house In 19O0."
IT must get Andreas (who por-
fayed the role of Peter to carve
a wooden hand for me" Lang
whispered after nearly 400 women
/, had passed. Only three men were
IN the long queue waiting for
word with Lang.
! II wrote you as friend to friend,
the sturdy little woman said, shak-
ing finger at him, mot to come
They'll try to commercialize you.
; Don't act the Passion Play here.
Don't pose for the movies.
If you feel homesick, come to
!. our home" she added, as she was
gently urged away.
Make Him HOmesick.
Her place was taken by one Of
the Ben Greet Players. who showed
Lang an album OF snapshots of his
home, Mrs. Lang and the six chill
! dren.
They make me little homesick,"
he said. but he fingered over them.
And so the line Of old and young
women passed before the picturesque
dgure who so resembles Da Vinci's
picture of Christ. In one corner of
the building a tenor voice rose in
hymn song, but the women talked
on.
"I'm not going to shake your
hand" tail, thin woman who
brought a child said sweetIy. Her
dress was neat if not ornate. Al
plain wedding ring was the only
Jewel she wore. Lang seemed re.
freshed to see her.
Il only want to say I'm. glad you
are. here, since we can't all comeI
to Oberamnergau to see you Thank
you for coming, and here is a dol |
ar the children want to give for |
the children of your village"
Do you like American" gushed a |
Matronly lady Of advanced age,
then before Lang could answer,
added with rising infection, That's
good"
Procession Of Women.
"Of course you wouldn't remem-
ber me-" began another woman. at
stopped at your house in 1910. II
was Miss Tompkins then; I'm Mrs.
Smith now. Meet Mr.. Smith. Shake
hands with Mr.. Lang, Henry" Al
tall. gray-haired man patiently ex-
tended a flabby hand to the
potter.
The procession Of women who
prefaced their bejeweled hand
shakes with the information that
they had stopped at the Lang home
in OberEnmergau prompted the
question of Lang:
'You must have a house bigger
than the Woolworth building TO
have accommodated them alp"
Lang leaned back on the gray
hand-carved bench and laughed.
NO." he said, cit is a lovely
house, but modest one. We can
take In forty persons at a time
But they come and go, you know"
A belligerent little woman pressed
forward.
"Why, Mr.. Lang" she said, "you
remember me, Of course. I've done
more for Oberammergau in New
York than anybody. I've got all
your pictures and made a Bib
lical study OF them. Did you get
my letter."
Patiently Lang shook his head,
MAINLY puzzled. But he smiled