The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-12-15

| COMPARED to the average play
v "Wings Over Europe" showing
at the Martin Beck, is a master
piece. The dramatic quality of the
play and the acting are of the high
est quality from a technical view
point. The theme, which deals with
the character Of imperialist govern
ment leaders and the destructive
possibilities of modern inventions, is
handled in a purely pacifist manner
and tends to deceive the audience
by giving the impression that the
mind of man and "good will" are
able to defeat Imperialism and to
bring about "justice" and peace,
Also, while much of the vanity and
greed of imperialist leaders are
brought out, the play actually flat
ters them by giving some undue
credit for idealism. When facing
death, the INSCRIPTIONS ministers
of imperialism to whom religion is
actually an instrument only for en-
shaving the masses, are shown as
having faith in their god and are
praying as they face "the end"
At a time when impar.alist coun-
tries are busy with war prepare
tions, this play is very significant,
but it can only be regarded as a
part of a general pacifist propa-
ganda and with the exception Of a
few scenes, such as the appearance
of a Marxist at a cabinet meeting,
there is little of revolutionary ma
ture. The whole theme tends to
show the helplessness of the masses
and that idealism is the only force
against the brutal character of an
imperialist government. The word,
imperialism, however, is at no time
mentioned in the play.
1t is of some significance that
the British cabinet is selected as the
scene for the play. 1t would be inn
possible to present such play.
which would hold up to inspection
the American government as the
British government is shown in this
play. 1t would have teen impossible
to produce this play in bourgeois
theatre a few years ago, but at the
present time, indirect attacks upon
Great Britain are the order of the
day.
The story has it origin, to a GER
tain extent, in the present scien-
tific controversy between Professor
Milliken and other scientists regard |
ing the origin Of energy and the
possibility of releasing atomic |
force. A young inventor who has
always lived in seclusion, discovers .
a method of freeing the atomic
energy and creating unlimited pow
sr, or even destroying the earth at
will. He is a pure idealist. APP
pearing before the British cabinet,
he tells of his invention and the
possibilities and asks for their pro-
gram for using this in the inter-
ests of humanity. The Lord Chan
cellor is shocked by the discovery
that the invention would mean an
end to law and the minister of fl
nance is worried about budget under
a new system. The minister of war
to use the invention for .
Great Britain supreme over
the world, but the young idealist is
shocked by the suggestion. When /
they finally decide that the invcn-
ton should be destroyed. he informs
them that if they do not accept his |
that he will blow up the
world at a certain time. Some as
poets of the truH character of i'm
perialist rulers are revealed during
the Is minutes before the end of
the world, but OH the whole, even
this scene does not approach reality.
ONLY at one Mace. when the cabinet