Evening star., 1924-02-10

terest flows on i'll accus-
L toned channels regardless
OF the outside world. from
which it is a place OF mental refuge
The realm OF artificial lights but
seldom yields to the shadows which
fall across the paths OF workaday
existence. Yet sometimes the shad-
ows penetrate even where laughter
or passing emotion hold their sway,
and when they do the solennity OF
the moment is complete. Few ex-
periences are more strange and
memorable than the message from
the outer world so big that it can
shatter the illusion OF the stage
scene.
More impressive than the hours
of demonstration offered at the the
aters was the short interval OF
darkness and silence which brought
reminder OF time OF mourning for
the world on Wednesday afternoon.
At the appointed moment the or
chestra ceased suddenly in the midst
of a CAV melody. The lights faded,
and irr the stiffness the people re-
mained motionlesS in reverent
thought. The seconds passed slow
". The measurements OF time by
inner consciousness are strange. A
lifetime seems SO brief; a minute
seems SO long! The lights slowly
returned. Soon the house was
bright again and filled with music.
The interval OF silent tribute, more
= eloquent than words could frame,
was but a memory; but one that
will remain when the play itself has
been forgotten. Among all the elab-
crate devices to enthrall attention
that the American theater had to OF
fer this simple, voiceless expression
of homage and regret was the great,
surprising incident.
* X X x
The theater is not abandoned by
the people amid their sorrows. They
turn to it not in frivolity, but for
relief. The players, however serious
and often heartbreaking their tasks
may really be, are regarded by the
public not as sharers in the grim re-
sponsibilities of life, but as playfel-
lows, who retain, somehow, the
childhood charm that underlles all
thought of pleasant moments, and
whose familiar home is in the en-
chanted empire of imagination. To
them we turn for so1ace in our hours
of sadness, asking not erudjtion, but
companionship. The words they
have learned to speak we cherish as
if they were their very own, and
mark the progress of our time by
the themes of interest their spon-
sors venture to bid them touch
upon. :. =.
The theaters of Washington have
been honored with the most distin-
guished patronage the nation could
call forth. Presidents have loved
the playhouse we'll; none better
than Woodrow Wilson. And it may
be doubted whether any man who
attained distinction in public life was
so wei! beloved by the theater. Play
ers idolized him. Differences there
might be as to eminence among
themselves, but regarding him there
was but one opinion. He was truly
great man and their friend.
x X x *
He seemed to esteem the stage
chiefly as a reflection of the passing
hour. He studied most what the
people seemed most to enjoy and
made no strict demands on lines OF
scholarship Perhaps he thought
colleges and not theaters should at
tend to this. Such a Viewpoint
would awaken protest among those
who remember the literature the
theater developed in the past; but
this development has not been a
modern feature of the footlights
Candid taste could not do better
than accept the best that can be
offered in transient lightsoneness
apart from the most artificial thing
in all art, insincere and initiative
pedantry.
Yet he was alert to large idea, and
on one occasion was bolder than
player, author or manager in facing
criticism. The occasion was the
presentation of play called
"Friendly Enemies" by no means OF
nigh poetic polish, but a quaint
blending of dialect fun with a SEN
timent of conciliation regarding an