San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-04
LARGE AUDIENCE:
APPL AU D s
ARMY PLAY
Scottish Rite Cathedral is
Packed as Colonel Bucks
Production Staged.

Before an enthusiastic audience that
filled the auditorium of the Scottish
Rite cathedral, the play, The Spirit
of the Army, written by Colonel
Beaumont 3. Buck, was presented by
a local cast Thursday night. Preced-
ing the presentation, banquet 10
members of Alzafar Temple and their
invited guests was held in the banquet
hall, with Colonel Buck presiding. Ma
jor General John l.. Glen and Major
General Ernest Kinds, the guests OF
honor. were absent, due to official du-
ties calling them out of the city.
The play carried as its theme the
spirit Of the American army, as epic.
mized and symbolized in the national
colors from its conception by Wash
ington and Franklin and its creation
by Betsy Ross.
DISCUSS FLAG.
The play opened with George Wash
ington and Benjamin Franklin discuss
ing the design of the flag authorized
by Congress. Congress had ordered an
emblem for the new nation but lett
the design up to Washington. Finally
they agreed on the first flag. thirteen
alternate stripes, red and white, and
circle of thirteen stars on blue field
The scene then shifts to the home
of Betsy Ross, where Washington and
Franklin explain the design Of the new
standard and Betsy Ross agrees TO
make it. ~ !.
The third scene depicts the hero OF
the Mexican war, General Winfield
Scott, viewing the battle of scissors
during the World War. The command
ing general Of the American army OF
1915 thrills with pride TO see again
that uncomfortable spirit Of the army
that assaulted the rugged heights OF
Chapultepec, animating the sons OF
their fathers as they crash through
the Hindenberg line and sweep to VIC
tory.
SCENE SHIFTS.
Again the scene shifts to the Civil
War. General Robert L. Lee and
General u. S. Grant, former school
mates and enemies, are seen sitting
together, reminiscing. The two great
Americans demonstrate that spirit OF
the army, noble generosity.
General Fred Funston and Colonel
Theodore Roosevelt next appear and
talk over campaigns of the Spanish
American war. They recall that spirit
of the army which bore uncomplaln-
ingly the horrors Of the feyer-stricken
tronical jungles OF Cuba and the Phil
ippines. and swept the power OF
Spain from two continents.
DISCUSS DEEDS.
A duCout on the Western front
with General John J. Pershing ant
Major General J. G. Harbord, is mex
shown. Here the commander-in-chlel
| and his chief of staff are seen discuss
ling the deeds Of the American Ell
Evolutionary Forces during the. World
War. Here again is told that IN
domitable spirit of the army, heroic
deeds and kindly acts, without hate
rancor or animosity toward taller
foes.
The play closes with all the heroes
of the army gathered in Valhalla, tina
mystic realm beyond the Styx. Here
over the gathering Of the immorta
dead. waves the Stars and Stripes
lsymbol of all that men have dare'
land died for. that imperishable "Spiri
. of the Army" Tears for The Los
: Cause" and those who have passe'
beyond mingle with the inspiring
, strains of the National anthem and al
c Join in salute-to the flag.
CAST OF CHARACTERS. &
> The cast follows:
!, George Washington, Arthur Storms
i BENJAMIN Franklin, Colonel Z. J.
Ruffner; Betsy Ross, Miss Lucy Ham
ilton Buck; Winfield Scott, Colone
). Charles B. Clark; Robert 2. Lee, ID
4 II. Philip Hill; Ulysses Grant, Ma
i ior Earl l.. Parmenter; Theodor
'. Roosevelt, Horace kelton; Frederic
/ Funston. Captain William B. Gill
+ John ]. Pershing, Colonel James y
Y Heidi: James G.. Harborad. Capital
James D. Hahn; A Southern matro
d of 1865, Mrs. S. ]. Wright.
!; >@