Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-11

! address Ia still Socialist" but he finds
a capitalist. world very comfortable one
to live in, and is not prepared TO par
ticipate in practical politics in order to
hasten the advent Of the socialist state.
He was 80 when he met william
Archer distinguished English critic
now dead and forgotten. and was per-
suaded to turn from negligible novel
writing to Journalism. He wrote for an
weekly review. on music and the
theater, signing his weekly music arti-
cles' ".Cornodi Bassetti" Pretty soon he
was making an income at Journalism
he has never since dropped that side Of
his activities-and writing plays in his
leisure time. Dramas and tragedies,
comedies and farces-he experimental
with them all. Ten years later he had
got seven plays done, He published the
bunch as Plays Pleasant and I'm
pleasant"
Ferociously Independent.
Ferociously independent and self
sufficient he was no easy man for the
commercial managers to tackle. Dis
grunt]ed with the way things were 60
ing with play he had written for the
fashionable actor-n1anager, Cyril Maude,
and rehearsed with Maude's company at
X, u
Maude said his attitude toward the ac-
tors who did not please him by their
Interpretation Of the Shavian characters
was satanic"
II was around 1902 that he began 10
make his mark at last Brandes. the
great German critic and nationalist, be-
gan to boast for Shaw in Germany and
Austria. The younger German gener-
etion was attracted by the peculiar
ruthlessness of the Shavian outlook
New York took Its cue from Berlin and
married, and with a body Of faithful
followers in the Fabians "a society Of
social reformers he helped TO found
got Man and Superman" produced, by
the aid Of his wtfe's money, at the
Court, one Of London's little theaters.
It was an immense success. In one
year that play brought him royalties
Of $4,000 from America and Eng
land
Failed TO Appreciate This Satire.
The following year Shaw. now two
| years short of 50. took the town by
storm with John Bulls Other Island"
which the dramatic critic Of the august
| Times described as an amusing far
rago," but which attracted the world of
society and politics. and about which
there was so much talk in high places
that II came 10 the ears Of King Edward
| VII. who comma nded a performance. II
! was q play showing up" ireland. while
T. lighter 50, at least, British audiences
! thought.
Shaw presently pointed out that he
meant things to be Just the other way
about, and the British public could not
appreciate his satire. But that is by
! the way.
| A character sketch Of him In this
period? Here you are: He had the
freedom from Illusions, the power Of
sharpened wits, the sensitive pride Of
the ina ginative man who has fought
his way up through persecution and
poverty"
That is shaw's description of Doyle
In John Bulls Other Island" Shaw
could not have described Shaw better.
II Is not complete portrait but 1t is
a good impressionism, q Rodinesque
outline.
. Kept Hold on Public.
Once he had firmly gripped a public.
Shaw did not let 60 his hold. He had
developed by long practice a consum-
mate technique. A sociologist, writing
plays instead Of textbooks and using
the theater as his lecture hall, he
coaxed IN the public to hear his mes
sage by wrapping that message in what
he terms Hight qualities the
barbed shaft In a cartridge full of
whtstling small shot.
He wrote quickly. His pen few. In
his early days he would write only five
pages day In order TO perfect a style
but he soon dropped that laborious
method. When he acquired a secretary
he took TO debating. and for years now
he has dictated the bulk OF his work.
striding up and down his work room,
talking his head of: But In the coun-
and there he sits. turning round with
the sun, banging away on a little type
writer. stove glowing beside him in
Winter.
He is at his best when he Is spon-
taneous, and he is generally spon-
taneous. He is not sparing Of wit; he
Is even inclined to say too much. He
concentrates with ease. He finished
one play in studio during sittings
for his portrait Another he wrote
In little notebooks, day by day, sitting
on public chair in row. in Lon
don park.
The chief urge behind his mental
activity Is the need be feels to show UP
somebody or something. Contact his
mind with popular Illusion and 1t in
stantly begins 70 spark furiously and
to pour out a terrific stream Of intel
leetual energy. To change the meta
phor. he is like an oyster To get
pearls out Of him you have to throw
in bit Of grit.
Hates Many Things.
He hates so many things. 50 many
things make him furious. Personally,
he is kindly; impersonally. he is
ferocious, iron. He would have letfal
chambers for the unemployable. He
is a humanitarian, Puritan and
vegetarian. Robespierre was the first
two. and probably had tendencies to
the latter.
Still, fundamentally, Shaw is a happy
man. Hard won success and the loss
Of all illusions embitter some persons;
they have made Shaw positively
joyous.
When Theodore Dresser was passing
through London on his way home from
Russia. Otto Kyllmann. the publisher
tof German extraction) of the works of
both men, brought them together
Dresser talked and Shaw drew him out
! When Dresser had explained himself
and his philosophy Shaw sat back, his
blue eyes sparkling, and said to the
heavy-faced prophet of tears. death and
doom: You know, If I believed what
you believe, I'd cut my throat"
Can BE Violently Rude.
He can be violently rude But no man
is better versed in the arts of pleasing
when he wants to please. He never
alienates an audience. No one can meet
him and dislike him. He Is an Irish.
man and he can charm.
He hates sport and sportsmen. won't
allow the local fox hunters to cross his
land In Hartford and doesn't mix with
local society. He has his own friends
down and entertains them in the eve