Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-12-11

plONc tlldt ~ OH ClllACl A4lC VI
terrible. This brings me to my own
opinion, which is that there are
several butts" attached to the play,
but . mean, but it's good show.
It not only has good statements
in it, but 1t was, to me, continually
gratifying and almost continually
moving. 1t is not particularly pro-
found in its thinking, but it is
profound in its emotion. 1t has and
conveys the passionately decent
emotions involved in the American
way Of life, and such evenings are
rare enough in the theater.
The American way of life is
complex thing. but democracy comes
as close to summing it up as any,
thing. Democracy is much more
than a rule by a majority, as the
great seal Of the United States
makes clear with its phrase e
Pluribus Unum" A catch-phrase,
but great one that can still catch
the throat. And when the many are
made one. they must be prepared to
make sacrifices to preserve their
unity Mr.. Rice thought to clarity
the point dramatically by ranging
the idealists among those who
fought the American wars in which
ideals were involved-the Revolu-
tionary War, the War Between the
States, the World War-against
those who are reluctant. in this
tortured day, to sacrifice their pref
udices, their pride, their private
hates or a portion of their money to
preserve the American system. It's
effective-in fact, it seemed to me
smashing-to see men who gave up
their lives stacked up against men
reluctant to give up infinitely less.
The scheme of presentation in
wolves fantasy and, as with comedy,
there are no two ways about fantasy
you either believe 1t or you don't.
If you don't and have to stay for
the duration, you're in for a pretty
awful experience. AS it happened,
I believed it, and came away con-
fldent that Mr.. Rice can write
fantasy with all the lightness and
surety the technique requires. And
perhaps more important, knows how
to prepare his audience for the in
credible.
His ghosts are rudy and tough
folk, entertaining and reasonably
decorous. They are inclined te
argument, but they can be shouted
down. They are ancestors Of the
Dale family, In one way or another
and, as is their habit, they come
back singly from wherever they
have gone to help the family
through a troubled time. It's NJ
novelty to see them. Every mar
conducting an inherited enterprise
one with tradition to 1t, whether
it be a business, an institution o.
a government, must be prepared tt
debate his problems with his an
cestors. That's what tradition
means, and tradition is not a deae
thing, If it has endured. It is
frame of reference, serving the same
purpose as information does TO-
thought, or fiction for fact, or mar
rage for living.
The inherited enterprise II
American Landscape" is a sho
factory In a small town. The tow
lives OF the shoe factory and, thus
of the Dales who own it. Their
is the last of the Dales on the stag
and his daughter and widowe'
daughter -in-law, both of whom hav
given him grandchildren. Cap
Frank Dale Is old and tired an
has q grievance against the me
who work for him. Their decision
to join. trade union has odende
him. He accepts 1t as an indication
of their lack Of trust.
In any case, the factory-founde
by a Dale during the Revolution
is not making too much money an
the house in which the Dales hav
lived since before there was
United States is too big for famil
that is scattered half in HOLLYWOOD
and half in New York. He has q
offer for the factory from q CON
petitor who wants to close it and
handsome offer for the house fro
German NAZis who want to turn
into kultrr camp.
It's the right of every free Anne
lean to dispose Of his property
he sees fit, but the ghosts con
down and give this idea . tossil
around. They argue that 1t Is
lpF1ne duty Of Americans these d