Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-11-13
VIRGINIA WOMEN DISAPPROVE
NEW PLAY, ROBERT E. LEE"
Vital Points Missed in Lead
er's Personalities, They
Say. and Errors Made in
Historical Facts
ri 'cs. g,S
BY JAMES G.. ARCHER
Ueased Wire Service to, The Journal.)
Copyright, 1929


RICHMOND, Va, Nov. 10.-Ar-
m.stice day will find John Drink
waters drama, Robert E. Lee"
headed toward Yankee land with
Confederate womanhood's criticisms
leavy upon IT. But William Harris,
Jr., the producer, will not strive
diligently to lift this curse, for his
production stirred Confederate man
hood to long drawn rebel yells.
Drinkwater's Lee" won high &C
claim last summer in London. 1t
had it's American premiere in the
capital of the Confederacy this week,
before audiences Of Virginia people
who fought-or whose relatives
fought-under Lee in the army of
northern Virginia. Now it is headed
northward Monday it opens in
Washington. Thence it goes to New
York and it leaves behind contro-
versy greater than any Virginia has
seen since Appomatox.
cit is woefully inaccurate histori-
caliy," the women assert.
But the veterans themselves greet
ed it with rebel yells-and with
tears.
Producer Has Nerve
One thing, however, is admitted
by all: That of all brave northerners'
ncne was drawer than Mr.. Harris,
who brought an Englishman's con-
ception of a southern idol right into
the south for a premiere. Hats gen
orally are DOTTED to him for that.
AS matter of fact, his show
seemed to be doing very well at
first. Then the women met, and
Mr.. Harris was raped.
Mrs. Norman Randolph name
OF names is Randolph in Virginia.
called the meeting at the request
of several members of the United
Daughters of the Confederacy. These
daughters, along with members OF
several Confederate memorial or
CARNATIONS and of the Association
for the Preservation of Virginia
Antiquities, adopted resolutions de-
claring the play would give the
world wrong idea of what the south
endured and why the south endured
it.
They wished the lines of Jeffer-
son Davis changed to make him
nero instead of a cringing GUTTER
rs they Interpreted the stage DAVIS.
They wished the lines in which Lee
signifies a distaste for the John
Brown episode eliminated. No south
ern boy would say I'm for a SOL
der" they declared, and Lee never
would have said, My man, Jack
SON. And why did the play have
I."Jeb' Stuart at Malvern Hill, when
he was the only one of Lees gem
erals not there? What was Mr..
Harris going to do about it?
Play Stands, AS Is
Ladies'" Mr.. Harris replied,
speaking to a committee, lit is not
my play. | can make some changes
but l can not change Mr.. Drink
waters lines"
Already he has made number OF
corrections OIL suggestion of Rich
mend students Of Lee, he continued,
and he would make as many more as
pr ssible without changing the sense
of the drama. AS a historian, Drink
water might have proven himself
fine osteopath, but the play must
stand or fall on his ability as dram
atist and poet.
The womens condemnation stood.
But Mr.. Harris had another card up
| his sleeve. He held veterans
night and filled the theater with
Confederate soldiers in uniform. DR..
j. w. Eggleston, who fought under
Lee at Monterey, at Coosa Hatchle,
and in the army of northern Vir-
ginia, was in command of the party.
/ a. Veterans Cheer and Weep
The men in gray cheered frequent
= ly. Many times-when Lee heard
| of Jackson's death and later OF
Stuart's death, for instance-they
broke down and wept. Then in a
group they went to the stage and
had their pictures taken with Bur
ton Churchill. who plays the leading
role.
Under the circumstances" said
] DR.. Eggleston, who knew Lee per-
haps better than any other living
man, "Drinkwaters Lee is highly
creditable-a wonderful play"
So Mr.. Harris is not wholly dis
tressed as he heads toward Yankee
land with his Robert E. Lee"
Il am grieved that [ cannot go
north with the whole hearted com
mendation of the southlapd,' he
says, But that must bel see it
now-impossible."