Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-04-29
VIEWS AND REVIEWS
by MARTIN GoLDE
TIE DISCOvERER or THE AMERICAN DRAMA


! TIE DI>COvERER or THE AMERICAN DRAMA
Representative Plays by American Dramatiss Vol H.
/ Edited by Montrose ]. Moses. W. p Dutton & Coz
American dramatic critics would Infinitely rather dis
course on the comedies OF Henri Lavedan the dramas
Max Dreyer or the o-romantcsm of John Mlllngton
Syngc than spend hour going through the dramatic
literature Of America. Our authoritative aud con
senous and readable critics have been swayed by the
eNotcism OF the foreign such an extent that
one often wonders whether dramatic piece
ten In America before the present houses Broadway
were built From the paucy OF attention paid to tho
subject would not dare speculate that American
soil gave birth 10 dramatic entertainment early TCS
1t may he said quite brazenly that it a who
brought the above facts TO the attention of American
readers limited though their numbers be- and o special
bent Of mind. Although Thomas II Dickinson in his
The Case of American Drama" devoted himself to On
exposition Of that subject Montrose J. Noses published
his rhc American pramatis in 1911 four years earlier
than Dckinson's effort Undoubtedly Mr. Moses may be
characterized "the discovcrer OF the American
He more than else to the present day
into the history of the drama dscove its
methods OF development and its outstanding peronagcS
Not that he has neglected other dramatic eraurcs Hr
Representative British Dramas" his "Twenty-oue Plays
from Bulvcrytton TO Lord Dunsany his Representative
| Continental Dramas" testify that fact.
Perhaps his most noteworthy undertaking however
In field Of which he remains the undisputcd is
his monumental riogy Representative Plays by American
Dramatists which the American drama in three
]
emily strange Is the second volume which has
published hs the last Of the series The seems have
interfrrcd with the continuity of publication.
one would hardly describe Montrose Moses as dra.
matte critic despite the fact that he time
dramatic critic of the Independent When occasion de-
mands he may be able to dash off a column or two n
criticism equal the rstnght scrbbngs of the best Of
them But Moses has established himself primarily
dramatic author As such he mpresses staid
cumsucct nice and For pioneer he displays un.
Gt y
Moses is one who he relied upon convey
accounting Of every year in American history, far
its drama concerned hut the tale would hardly be
crossing, except insofar the subjects
intriguing
:, Moses Is always reliable He displays an unusually
accurate of proportion He has the of the
hunter for his prey, and accordingly enabled 10 find
more than others in the dramatic field chosen.
He is the scholar and not the dcttante, however What
he labels authentic American dramatic literature needs
no further Investigation.
/ In the last the volume of the trilogy which
Dutton has just issued Moses has included plays pre-
facing with short historical sketch Of its author and
note on the background of the play itself The resusca
tion Of early American dramas inrnscally interesting
and Mr. Moses has uncovered sufficient material add
that interest. 1t is often amusing the imitation
which marked these products Of the comparatively
country and yet most Of them reflect the micu which
they inspired. With every additional volume that
come, from the editorial pen of Moses he establishes him
self further the outstanding Judge the American
drama.
THE FASCINATING HISTORY OF PAUL EHRIICH
(Acrohc Hunters Ey Paul dc kruif Harcourt, Brace
Coz
1 II is only rarely that scientific hooks published after
THE lmanizng Of knowledge" have paid attention
to the plcndngs of James Harvey Robinson The sccn-
lists felt that their knowledge esocrc TO strip
their facts of technical Vcrhage these facts OF
inner mcnnng The popular writer's who attain
scientific Standing volumes that repulsyc than
the former If there is any book published
in America since early in 1923 that completely fulfs
every detail mentioned in Robnson'S slight volume not
one equals Paul dc Kruifs "Mcrobc Hunters" There
has been attempt nveglc scientific knowledge
der the gusc Of popular language Only sincere densl
on the part Of the author dssuadc from believing
imprcSsionsc fashoneach chapter being phase, srv-
ing toward final unity
For this particular column dc kruifs story Of Pau,
Ehrlich is Of utmost interest. "Microbc Hunters is
series of dramatic biographies great scientists ot tho
world who through their microscopic Investigations have
enrolled themselves among humauy'S greatest hene
factors Each Of these biographies is tensclv alive,
brcathalnc. The author has combined truth of detail
with vivlncSS Of effect The statistical aspects of tho
mems lives missing but the each chapter fuds
memorable niche for the subject in the mind Of tho
reader
Writing Of Paul Ehrlich the last Of Tho mighty and
human scientific explorers do Kruif gives ndc-craby
c"lofu portrayal of the life of that German jew whose
discovery of "606" salvarsun-will cutitc him to