The Washington times., 1933-10-09

both take odd FORMS the first leading us to cry
proudly that the largest fatest nation in the
world the second the astonishing attitude that have
still to come
Prize-Winning Raspberries
Razzing America by Americans was enormously popular
zen and fifteen ago. but the sport has lost its excite
men although "Of Thee Sing so we'll taken that it
won the Pulitzer Prize. 1t was in fact the popularity of
"Main Street Main Street, and Babbitt Among the
Rabbits, that took the edge off the game, that
Menckens magazine changed its advertising address
Hhe civilized minority but the civilized majority.
Last year Trying Berlin and Moss Hart sarzed local cor
fupon and the habits of Americans depression in their
charmlng musical show Face the Music This year they
have done we'll in Gas Thousands Cheer" which ought
to have been called OTan Bites Dog In place of the
usual hodgepodge of musical they have gone through
newspaper chosen the headlines features which needed
comment, and played them out with words music and
dances.
The words music are delightful Mr. Berlin being so
lavish with lovely melodies that he throws
one at the end, to show that he has plenty in the
locker from which hundreds have come since the days Of
"Alexander's Ragtime Band" His music is witty and
delicate and as sngable and endearng
In the Of SATIRE the sketches make fun chiefly of
notable individuals the Hoovers moving out of the White
SON John D., jr giving Radio City to his father as
birthday gift (and getting his hand slapped Joan
ford and the young Fairbanks divorcing "a nice, clean
divorce, there's in it, the of their indus
try), and Noel Coward returning to England (The last
Is very funny SKETCH with superb touch of satire
other desired virtues of 'Cavacade" again.)
Wild Ideas
By making fun Of Individuals Berlin and Hart escape
making fun of And they manage to throw in wildly
Fantastic IDEAS that Ogden Mills is writing letters the
papers signed "Frend of the American Indian
ambassadors abroad bore royalty by discussing
Eighth Avenue subway, and that the you give
Roxy a concrete mixer he becomes as quiet as child
In international affairs they offer the thought that Europe
off her debts wooden and that
Gandh and Aimee Mcpherson going together
It's all very fine and fast and funnyand good humored
O'NeiII's Comedy
Among the philosophical critics of America was
Eugene ONeil, whose great distinction always was
that he didnt make the mistake of thinking that Amer
unique in their bestal stupde His Americans
were human beings and got dignity and grandeur when
they did get hem from the they conducted themselves
in tragic circumstances His latest play "Ah Wilderness
gets dignity only from the supremey fine performance of
George NJ Cohan In itself it strikes grained
its comedy little pawky it's ideas many half
baked plays but here left in the stov burn cnders
Mr. Cohan presents complete human being on the stage
The rounded complex genuine character in the play
rendered with flaWess accuracy by great actor If the
part played by Marjorie Marquis had been interesting
she might have done well by it. The rest of the
people in the play say nothing to me- the ideas even
less should that the unanimous opinion of critical
and intelligent New York to be quite the contrary
play vehicle for Mr. Cohan and not the best one he
has had. His "Song and Dance Man.
much better piece