Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-19
Summer Song of Stageland
Gathering in the Sheaves
Making Harvest Salutary
Warm Weather Efforts In the Theater, Provoke
Argument-Sa Contends Stage Is Immortal.
Other Remedies Suggested Hope Not Lost.
By w. H. Landvoigt.

~ ECAUSE drama is the re-
x f1ex of the conflicts of hui
man life, all the world loves
the theater. Even the
countless thousands, vino
oft forget to think, know it is fine
entertainment for the cool eve
ningS that follow the autumnal
equinox. But it is Summer now.
Warm, at times, and in spots, 1t
is true, but nevertheless, the time
of year when dreams gather about
the mountains and the SeaShore,
or the green lanes and the rolling
hills of the countryside. Folks at
this particular period are inter
ested more in the automobile and
its possibilities than in the Won
derful creation of old AeSchyluS,
500 years before Christ. 1t is
equally true, however, that the
theatrical press agents of America
are stirring up what they hope
will be more than a frothy TO-
ment And it is all about the
theater.
Dependable news of what the
next season may bring in the way
of legitimate drama isn't eXactlng
much space at present for eX-
ploitation. Frankly. the theatrical
producing managers of America
do not seem unduly to be agitated
with reinforcing energy in a con-
tributory form. Here and there
may be found lone loyalty
shouting with the mob and hail
ing the coming of "the great day"
But by and large, as say the lit
craft, the wise cuStodianS of the
drama appear to be manifeSting
q deep desire to ''let George do
it." which completely accounts for
the bits of information that drift
In, like the mutteringS of the
sleeper in nightmare. And
dreams do not always come true.
A CYNICAL spirit given to say
ing sad things when othe'
folks want to be joyful emitted a
sour comeback at the urbane eff
fort of this column a week ago
breathing hopes for the future.
why all this clatter about saw
ing the stage" it crabbedly groWlS.
Don't you know, if, indeed, you
know anything about the matter
at ali. that the theater is i'm
mortal, SinleSS, and doesn't need
saving half as much as the clut-
tering crabf1Sh who SO long have
done little mere than try to de-
base it? If your desire is to save
the stage as it has been diSporting
itself for, oh, Lord, how long,it
isn't worth saving, at least, until
you first get rid of the idiots who
imagine they have been keeping
it alive"
Shades of the immortal Handy
Andy Was ever such a crack
hurled at an innocent head at a
sine when its sole desire was to
help posterity?
THANK heaven, the Holy Scrip
ture provides Succor for the
distressed, and gives the assur-
ance that ITO everything there is
a season, and time to every pur-
pose under the heaven" Duty
must not be dismayed by cynical
humans, even when they mix their
criticism with their constructive
effort. The stage must be saved
at any cost.
But on gurgles our croaking
raven, you've been flashing your
typewriter so fiercely over sex IN
drama you make the birds weary.
If you bar sex, pray tell me, what
is to become of your drama?"
Now imagine a problem like that
fired at shy ability when the
breezes are blowing their balm
lest, when the blue skies are Smil
ing with their loveliest blue and
the entire world of the out-of-
doors is reckoning the tired mind
and the weary body to rest and
recreation! Something has to be
done about it. But what? Is a