Evening star., 1935-11-03

pose an evil, changed their minds and
put their tongues in their cheeks. My
impression is that in the consideration
of their subject they became so in
dignant about it that they were moved
to violence. Either that OF they feared
that the truth was not sufficiently ex-
citing. What they do to the palladium
of liberty at the Biltmore Theater is
too cruel and unusual to be anything
but bad drama. When a playwright
tells you that IL comic jurors, angered
by a stubborn twelfth. solemnly decide
to execute him, you suspect that he has
lost control of himself as well as his
muse That is what happens in Good
Men and True" along with numerous
other extravagances that make what
might have been a valuable play a
sometimes funny and sometimes ridicu-
lous show. The scene is in the suite CT
hotel where jury is housed during
murder case, and Eliot Cabot acts the
honest man whose death is sought oy
his riff-raff associates.
7 ANGSTON HUGHES. who is one of
the colored races most eloquent
bards. sings with bitterness Of mis-
cegenation in the State of Georgia. In
| "Mulatto" he emphasizes the plight OF
children born to white planters by their
Negress dependents. and stresses paiu-
fully the tragedy of the situation. But
In his anxiety thoroughly to expose the
bad habit the dramatist is lost in the
crusade and "Mulatto" becomes lop-
| sided sounding board Mr.. Hughes
would have US Yankees know that mis-
| ceeenation is an accepted establish
ment among the respectable planta.
tions Of the South. prevalent, acknowl-
edged and condoned. Nevertheless.
when Col. Norwood, father of family
of half-breeds, runs for the Legislature
his neighbors reject him because of mis-
intimacy with his housekeeper. Thus
Mr.. Hughes would seem to contradict
himself. 1t is said that a poet is one
who feels great truths and tells them
Mr. Hughes is better at feeling than al
telling. and so 'Mulatto' is merely an
other special plea, with its characters
all repeating. not words that seem tc
be their own, but those put on their
lips by the author. 1t is not without
its theatrical punches, however. 1t VIII
probably cure no ills and provoke no
1 race riots.
Nov that there are two major prizes
for excellence in playwriting dram
atists can no longer excuse their i'm
projections on the ground of insuffl-
cient reward. With the Pulitzer purse
and the palm of the Critics Circle
both available. rich is the promise to
those who pant for glory. The prob
ability of winning the double escutch-
con. added to the more material
emoluments of the art. will no doubt
spur the authors to their finest ef-
forts. and a crop of nonpariels may
be expected to bloom henceforward.
It is hinted in the studios that the
Drama Critics Circle was prompted to
establish its new decoration by motives
described as ulterior. The rumor is
that the critics, disgruntled by the
Pulitzer jury's indifference to their
findings, determined to expose the
weaknesses of the older chancery.
They thought, presumptuously, the re-
port has it, that the sun of their ver-
dict would outshine the Pulitzer can
die and the greater glory dim the less.
This, I am able unofdcially to report,
is not the truth. Never have heard
the critics discuss q Pulitzer award