The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1944-10-21
OPINIONS OPINIONATED
THE 90 coIumn)
THE PLAY, "HARRIET"
BY JAMES ECERT ALLEN

NEW YORK-The Borough of Brooklyn New York
is known the Getty of Churches. Few people versed
in the history of nation will fail to the noted
gious institution called The Plymouth Church and
pastored by the great pupteer and orator. Henry Ward
Beecher. 1t in this historic edfice that five slaves
auconed from the pulpit by Beecher and bought by
the parishoners under the spell of oratoca pro-
fusely dispensed by the minister The Reverend Henry
Ward Beecher has always been of my religious idols
The conceivng of his church agency for correcting
the social and moral evils of slavery stamped him
of the plumed knights of the Abolitionist era.
The pedestal holding the idol crashed decenty. The
occasion performance of the play Harriet starring
the mitable Helen Hayes AS historical epic this
ing drama catches the spirit of its times. The dogmatc
father stepped in the religious traditions of his day. the
pedanc sister Catherine, and the trio of brothers, all
ministers, composed household that filled with in
cessant quarres pickering and socorelgou discussions
that reached solution. The marriage of Harriet
to the absenmnded professor Calvin Stowe only served
to increase her responsibilities with the addition of four
children and the professors completing his
search before publication of his proposed book This
short background leads to the visit of Henry his
sister Harriet after he had become famous pupteer
Beecher dressed with exquisite taste He has sat with
crowned heads His voice is heard and respected far and
wide. The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 is in effect. A
runaway slave woman of middle age is brought to the
home of Mrs Stowe for and protection While sitting
in this home the Yankee, Joshua Pantry and southern
slave marshal enter and forcby eject the frightened
away. In her moment of fear Harriet appeals to her
brother to request his church purchase the
freedom of the unfortunate Beecher refuses his
sister and in her anger the full story of why slave auctions
held at Plymouth rushed from her lips when she
claimed that this middeaged slave not young
and pretty the five who had been purchased very
interesting commentary from the lips of Miss Hayes.
The peroration given by Harriet to group of
weary citizens after her sacrificed in the
struggle rings out with the facts confronting the world
to-day. 1t is eternal quest for freedom May this
gigantic conflict find it.
A WAR STORY
Madgaret Hasey has written one of the spiciest
stories about the the form of series of letters
her brother stationed in southern army camp The title
Some of Ny Best Friends Are Soldiers clue to the
rich wisdom and practical realism emanatng from the
honest mouth of canteen worker who meets every issue
in humane fashion The matter of coored soldiers and
white hosesses is discussed canddly and without
You can split your sides with her qup expressions and at
the time drink deep of genuine democratic phio-
sophy that needs wide spreading The Jewish question
for her barbs and she does not fail to send each
dart home In her home she sraightens out father
who has carried certain notions about coored
people all his life. To her brother in Dixie she unfolds
her way of approach to any DXie-te The ethargy and
indifference of Northeners overlooked and CEN
sure is applied in heavy coats to them 1t is such delight
Reading until hope that Simon and Schuser will run out
of several editions.
CoLoRED SENATOR
colored man in South Carolina is running in the
coming election for Senator from that and the amaz
ing thing about is that lots of southern white folks are
supporting him. Many citizens in that commonwealth
could not conscientiously support On Johnson who in
may as bad Cotton Ed Smith. This trend is
an indication of the determination of black citizens
that state to exercise their rights under the Constitution
of the land 1t is vindicaton of Freedom Road The
lesson should strike home to coored citizens in the North
who privileged to vote by just registering Don't fail
to do that.
lT~m1 A,,Iw~~ H~u~II