Evening star., 1923-04-10
NATIONAL-"It Is the Law"

1T Is the Law" a melodrama by
Elmer S. Rice, taken from Hayden
Talbot's story and presented by Sam
uel Wallach, opened at the National
Theater last night. The play, in four
acts, is presented by Lester Lonergan
As the curtain lowered at the end
of the narrowing second act last
night the bediamoned lady in the
fifth row turned to her escort and
| remarked coldly: william, you know
/ if 1 had known it was going to be
anything like this / wouldn't have
come" She was still shivering.
William smiled knowingly and an
swered. Yes. you would. my dear
| that is why 1 brough you" Then
they both smiled. William was right
He knew what to expect and so did
Mrs. William. Goth of them saw what
the both expected to see and both OF
them liked it,
BY the end of the second act 1T Is
the Law" had fully earned it's right
to be called a melodrama. Blood had
been spilled. The hero was in a des-
perate hole. A bride was left without
her groom, and the villain was at large
One more act and the villain was
not quite so much at large as he hat
been before. The hero wasn't ir
quite such a deep and hopeless hole
as he had been. The bride was a wee
bit nearer regaining her love an6
things We're beginning to perk up 9
bit. By the end of the fourth anC
last act the villain had gotten what
was coming to him. More blood ha6
| the tolls and happy reunion with his
| bride was imminent. Everything
ended well. SO everything was well:
1T Is the Law" as every melo'
drama which has touch of mystery
about it, spoils in the telling, es-
pecially for those who have before
them the pleasure of trying to out
guess the author in bringing the
thing to a successful climax: IT i:
a play which develops an interesl
over the early climax for two lone
acts before the somewhat disappoint-
ing and doubtful anti-climax is
reached. 1t has all the merits OF a
first-rate thriller and an action well
sustained by a good cast.
Arthur Hohl, who is known in
Washington for his past appearance
in Martinique" and Green Jade" Is
given role in sit Is the Law tt
whet the bloody appetite ,snE Of any up. up
part admirably. His depletion of
mentally depraved and disappointed
lover who concocts cold-bloodec
murder plan to do away with MS pes,
friend and rival leaves little rooli
for improvement.
ANY one who fails to respond to the
blood-curdling characterization of MT
HohI is a hard-boiled individual indeed
Mr.. Hohl is well supported by CalVlr
Thomas. who makes convincing ano
satisfying hero, and by Miss Dorothy
Shoemaker. who gets through some
highly emotional situations with credit
Miss Rose Burdick is charming as LII
liam, while Alexander Onslow, IN ms
brief and nerve-racking appearance as
Sniffer Evans. the dope fiend, Is as
gruesomely natural as possible.
This critic waited expectantly through
four acts for the appearance or the
newspaper reporter, who has become
an inevitable character in modern melo,
drama. This much-maligned individual
finally entered and a mental note OF
appreciation was recorded when 1t be-
came evident that he was not going tc
flash a notebook and pencil to establish
his identity. He was our old friend and
fellow townsman, Hans Roberts. 1t is
fair to state he made good newspaper
reporter until-after witnessing muir
der in cold blood. getting the names OF
the murderer and the murdered man
he stood idly by and waited for the dis
trict attorney to make a statement in
stead of knocking everybody in mis- path
down on his way to the nearest tele-
phone booth. True, he got better
story by waiting, but reporters don't
wait We hope his city editor fired him