davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-01-09
THE PASSING SHOW
VidoI's The Best Man.
Jolly and Shocking
BY JAY CARMODY
Drama Critic Of The star

Washngtonians who will be abandoning their nominal
political innocence 1864 should be okng to the National
Theater during the next fortnight
There they are being offered Gore vdas accelerated
course in political chcancery amusing onc
and highly successful 1.-THE Best Man"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-01-09

NEW YORK.-Sydney Chap
lin, star of "Subways Are fol-
Sleeping" is a close friend OF
julie Styne, the composer. They
had only one disagreement dur
ing the rehearsals. 1t was wher
Chaplin refused to speak a line
referring to himself as charm
ing and attractive. Styne be-
came insistent, and Chaplin
stubborn.
The composer finally
shouted: why won't you say
that line?" And Chaplin
whose trust fund, established
by his father, just matured-
replied: Because I have hall
a million dollars, that's why
"You mean" asked Styne
"if you didn't have money
you'd say that line?" "O1
course" Chaplin said. If
didn't have money, I'd say any,
thing to work."
THEATER NOTE: The audi
ence at "Subways Are for
Sleeping" enjoy themselves at
every performance particularly
with the comedy routines OF
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-01-09
The Cast
choice Of the best man before
everything is settled.


choice Of the best man before
everything is settled.
4 \ \
Although the whole conflict
is infused with the playwright's
Sardonic jollity. its dramatic
point Is that the best man Is
almost surely to be chosen by
the dirtiest possible tactics.
In the case of Mr.. Smiths
man. his vulnerability lies in
the fact that for all his high
moral code and his amused sur
prise to find himself in politics,
he once achieved a mental
breakdown. Worse, this neu-
rotic instability wrought havoc
with his supremely promising
marriage.
If Mr.. Lovejoy's bad guy, q
diabolically talented politician,
is not to fling this into the
faces Of the convention dele
gates, something equally nasty
has to be discovered in his past.
Mr.. Vidal can be trusted to find
just the right thing, evidence
Of a homosexual lapse while Mr..
Lovejoy's man was an Army
captain in the Aleutians in
World War II.
=
In the course of choosing If,
and when. to ignite these ex-
plosive conformation elements,
"The Best Man" seizeS upon a
number Of brief stop-offs at
some Of the classic political
sideshows. Among these are
the joint press conference of
the major candidate wives,
meetings with a Southern
Women's leader, a couple of
trade talks with a bargaining
Midwestern Senator, and the
like.
These are treated with vast
good humor by Mr.. Vidal who
cleverly sees them as ideal con-
trast to the shock of the key
theme Of his play. Both are
directed knowingly by Joseph
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-01-09
WHERE
ANDWHEN
Current Theater Attractions
and Times Of Showing

Stage
National Theater-"The Best
Man; $3.50 pm.
Arena-"The Madwoman of
Chaillot";; $3.50 pm.
Screen
AmbassadOr-"Babes in Toy
land; 1880. $3.50. 5:35. 7:35
and $40 pm.
Apex - Purple Moon; l,
sos, Sis, 7:30 and $40 pm.
Capitol - Flower Drum
Song; 1885 am, 2:05, ABS,
7:05. and $40 pm.
DupOnt-"One, Two, Three;
100, 1925, $50, 7:35, $40 pm.
Keith's-"Pocketful Of Mira
cles";; 11:45 am, 2:15, 4:45,
tbs and 9:45 pm.
MacArthur-"Call Me Cen
ius"; 6:10, 1855 and 9:55 pm.
Metropolitan - "B abes in
Toyland"; 1880 am, 1925,
1925, sos, TAO and 9:40 pm.
Ontario - rs u m m err and
Smoke; l, sos, $40, 7:25 and
9:45 pm.
Palace - 1.-THE Second Time
Around; 1850 am. 1850, $50,
5:45, 7:45 and $40 pm.
Playhouse - LES Liaisons
Dangereuses";; IL, 2, 4, 6, 8 and
1855 pm.
Plaza - 1.-THE Green Mare;
11:45 am, Ills, $3.50, AIS, 6,
1850 and $40 pm.
Stanton - Pagan Island;
6:15 and 1885 pm. isle of Le-
want; 7:25 and GAS pm.
Town-'The Roman Spring
Of Mrs. Stone; IL, 2, 4, 6, 8
and 10 pm.
Trans Lux 1.-THE limo
cents; II am, 1880, 2:40,
4:30, 500, $40 and 9:55 pm.
UptOwn-"West Side Story;
$3.50 pm.
Warner - King of Kings;
$3.50 pm.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-01-09
THE LYONS DEN
1t Makes q Difference
By LEONARD LYONS

Phyllis Newman and Orson
Bean. The producer, David
Merrick, found a way to over
come a plot weakness-why
such attractive people should
have to sleep in subways. Mer-
rick simply made a loudspeaker
announcement: "This is just a
fantasy"
MUSIC NOTE: Leonard
Bernstein was asked if he
wasn't weary of that phrase,
pianist composer conduct
or" by which he usually is
described. Actually, it's most
useful designation" said Bern
stein. Suppose one night I
conduct performance that Is
not considered really fine. Well,
they'll think, for a pianist it
was not a bad effort. Or, if
I should do a piano solo that's
not top-standard, they'll think
that for a composer he doesn't
play badly"
4 4
CRIME NOTE: Jerry Giles
Ter, the famed California GRIM
inal lawyer who died last week,
used to refer to himself as 1.-THE
Sam LeibOwitZ of the West"
When Leibowitz retired from
his criminal law practice to be-
come a judge, Giesler said it
was because he already had ex-
perienced every courtroom
thrill. mo-" Judge 1eibowitz
told him. II was like a ballplay-
err who discovers his legs are
going back on him, and must
decide either to manage or be-
come an umpire"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-01-09

THE BEST MAN" q drama In
three acts by Gore Vidal, presented
by Roger L. Stevens, directed By
Joseph Anthony, settinga and light
ing BY 10 Mielziner.. costumes by
Theater.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-01-09

Among its several dramatic
qualities. Mr.. Vidal's play rep
resents a sort of price tag on
this community's right to par
ticipate henceforth in presi-
dental elections. Naturally, no
one will shrink from his duty
to pay it. Nevertheless, it is
just possible that some will re-
member Wistfully the old, sweet
privilege of looking at all this
as just another tumultous tele-
vision show.
The Best Man" clearly has
caught the spirit of this politi-
cal revel. More, Mr.. Vidal has
captured at least allusively,
just enough of the latter in
Guiding many familiar names,
to quicken the realism of his
estimate of how the political
process works. He is mainly
concerned, and ever so cleverly,
with the men produced by this
quest for the one best qualified
to lead the befuddled rest of us
to bliss.
Having lived with so many
of these over the last 16l years,
Washington can only be ex-
cited to be taken through the
process by a guide as Sophisti-
Gated, fastidious, and articulate
as Mr.. Vidal. And to see the
candidates played with such
moral or amoral vigor by a cast
which includes Kent Smith,
Frank Lovejoy, James Wester-
fields, and Edith Atwater.
Il Il Il
Although Mr.. Vidal tactfully
avoids a party label on his con-
jectural convention and blurS
the identities of his characters
even more now than in the
original-every spectator will
find his own set Of resem-
blances.
The two at the center Of his
Darkroom conflict are Mr..
Smiths good guy and Mr.. Love-
joys bad one. Involved with
them over the three crisp, fast
moving acts Of 1.-THE Best Man"
are their equally dissimilar
wives, one cool. gracious and
civilized, the other a natural
for the rough and tumble of
politics. Terribly familiar all
of them, and the more exciting
for it, as are. the so different
managers of the two major
candidates.
All of the action Of the play
takes place in the hotel suites
of these two principals. LARS
these are. to which the press is
admitted only on invitation,
but the run of which is given
by the plays third major poll
tician, an ex-PreSident who
may personally make the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-01-09

Anthony, Broadway's top man
Of the moment in ironic comedy.
y Il y
There is no reason to miss
such absentees of the New
York company Of the play as
Melvyn Douglas and Lee Tracy.
Mr.. Smith is an utterly charm
ing replacement for the former
as the plays morally best man /;
and Mr.. Westerfield equally for
Mr.. Tracy as the curmudgeon-
GUS ex-President. With Mr..
Lovejoy Of the original cast as
the villain, the central trio is
all anyone could ask.
Miss Atwater's restrained wife
to Mr.. Smith is clearly first
lady quality as she was in New
York to Mr.. Douglas, Kathleen
Mcguire is earthly right as her
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-01-09

opposite number, and Carl Low
and Philip Robinson are ideal
managers of the respective
candidates.
10 Mielziner's hotel suites
are luxuriously Serviceable and
Theoni V. Aldredge's costumes
quiet worthy of this richest
democracy.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-01-09
Films of More Than Routine Merit

Films OF More Than Routine Merit
"THE ENEMY BELOW"-Robert Mchum VS.. Curt Jurgens
in SuSpenseful duel between a DE and a Nazi sub
THE GREAT IMPOSTOR"-TOny Curtis Fred Demara in
the fabulous story of his life several people.
GUNS OF NAVARONE"-GregOry Peck, Anthony Quinn and
others in an exciting World War II adventure yarn.
'THE HUSTLER"-POOl sharks Jackie Gleason and Paul
Newman duel realistically for Director Robert ROssen
THE KING AND T-Deborah Kerr and Yu Brynner in a
sumptuOuS movie Of the Broadway musical hit.
NEVER ON SUNDAY'-VOlate Melina MercOuri in lively
account of how life is (fOr some) in Greece today
PICNIC" - William Holden unhinges Kim NOvak a
Kansas town in the William Inge drama on film.
SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING"-Albert
Fnney in frs-rate portrait of angry young Brton
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-17

military use. He was especially qualified
for the vital, top-secret Job because Of
his eminence in radiation research. He
had won a Nobel prize for his work in
exploring the mystery of the atom with
the aid of X-rays. Out of the studies and
tests at the University of Chicago by
the Compton committee came the first
atomic bombs, one Of which, exploding
over Hiroshima, signaled the opening
of an ominous and challenging new era
in war and peace.
A philosopher as well as scientist,
DR.. Compton envisioned continuing
evolution Of mans intellect and ad-
vancement of his welfare in the years
ahead-provided he used his brains in
trying to improve his lot instead of
seeking more horrible ways of ending
civilization. AS DR.. Compton commented
IN number Of lectures, mans future is
in his own hands, for good or bad.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-17
DR.. Arthur H. Compton

The world of science has lost an
outstanding and respected physicist with
the death at SO of DR.. Arthur H. Comp
ton. And the world at large has lost a
man whose genius contributed to the
splitting of the atom but whose char
acter led him to shrink from the use
of atomic energy for anything but con-
structive purposes. He devoted much
of his efforts after the Hiroshima holo-
caust to promoting the use of atomic
energy for the Improvement Of mankind,
while hoping that way would be found
to end the deadly nuclear race in the
weapons field.
DR.. Compton was head of the de-
partment of physics at the University of
Chicago when he was named chairman
of committee Of scientists assigned
the task and responsibility of devising
means of controlling and making use of
the explosive power Of atomic fission for
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-17

Premier Cyrille Adoula Of the CEN
trail CongoleSe government did an ILL
advised thing in suddenly leaving Leo
poldville on the very day of President
Noise Tshombe'S arrival there to nego-
tiate with him on the question of reunit-
ing secessionist Katanga with the Con-
go's other provinces. For this can hardly
beinterpreted as anything but deliber-
ate snub, and it obviously is not going
to be helpful to the impending talks,
which promise to be difficult and deli
cate at best.
In and out Of the Congo, of course,
certain sources, including anonymous
United Nations Spokesman" or "offi-
Gals" have long subjected Mr.. TShombe
to a lot Of snide criticism. The criticism
has suggested, among other things, that
he acted in bad faith in agreeing to
meet with Mr.. Adoula and that he
therefore probably would never show up
in Leopoldville. Well, he has shown up,
and everybody in authority over there
knew in advance the approximate time
of his landing at the airport. So Mr..
Adoula's failure to greet the Katanga
leader-a courtesy that would have in
jected some personal cordially into the
acknowledgements be deplored as an
act of rudeneSs that has put chill on
the negotiating outlook.
Just before he left for the talks,
Mr.. Tshombe declared in Elisabethville
that II am convinced that reconciliation
between Katanga and the rest of the
Congo is essential both for us and for
the whole of Africa" The effort to bring
about such reconciliation, however, is
likely to involve tough bargaining of a
protracted and potentially explosive
kind, and it will require great deal
of good will on both Sides That is
why Mr.. Adoula's affront is especially
regrettable.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-17
UnbridIed Fume Source

Automotive research engineers have
reported progress in their quest for a
means OF controlling the major source
OF automobile fumes, the engine ex-
haust. This is good news to those who
realize that the So-called blowby anti
fume gadgetS to be installed on 1868
cars will affect only gases coming from
oil-filler pipes. But go per cent or more
OF the noxiouS fumes discharged by the
average automobile come from the ex-
haust pipe, for which no anti-fume
device will be provided on the new
models.
The exhaust problem was discussed
at recent meeting Of the Society of
Automobile Engineers in Detroit. It was
pointed out that cost as well as practi-
cability were factors that have impeded
development Of satisfactory attach
ment for the control Of hydrocarbons
emitted by auto engines However, it
was stated that General Motors is ex-
perimenting with an exhaust converter
that is effective over period of months,
although a chemical catalyst used in
removing the hydrocarbons becomes in
effective with prolonged usage. The
cost of renewal is a drawback to its in
Stallation as standard equipment on
the average passenger car.
Chrysler and other engineers told
Of reasonably successful tests with other
fume-control systems, involving modi-
fication Of carburetor, distributor or
other parts of the engine. These methods
are aimed at better combustion, espe-
cially during acceleration and decelera-
ton, when most Of the unburned hydro
carbonS are spewed into the air. These
exhaust-fume researches are more i'm
portant than those which have resulted
in development of the blowby- fume con-
trolls. And anyone who has driven be-
hind diesel-powered bus or truck for
any distance knows, without consulting
the engineers, that most Of the sitting
fumes which pollute the air Of our
streets and highways come from belch-
ing exhausts, not from under the hood.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-17
All Are Vulnerable

For reasons best known to himself
and the Kremlin, Nikita Khrushchev
has chosen once again to brandiSh his
missiles against our country. The So
Wet Union, he has just declared, now
has a new "global rocket" that is Gin
vulnerable to anti-missile weapons"
and this means that "the time has
passed when Americans can feel de-
Tended from the consequences of war"
Presumably this is statement de-
signed to startle and intimidate. Ac-
tually, however, essentially the same
thing has been heard before from the
same source, and there is no disposition
among knowledgable persons to dispute
its basic factuality. Certainly our own
Government has never claimed to pos
Sess an effective weapon against inter-
continental ballistic missiles; on the
contrary, as Mr.. Khrushchev must surely
know, some of our highest officials,
including Defense Secretary Mcnamara,
have openly asserted that the develop
ment Of such a weapon, If 1t can be
made at all, is still long way off.
AS for the American peoples reaction
to the situation, the Soviet Premier can
rest assured that they are prepared to
stand firm, at whatever cost, against
any threat to their freedom, but they
are well aware at the same time that
they would suffer terribly in the event
OF great nuclear conflict.
But all this holds true quite as
much for the USSR as for the United
States, which also is armed with ICBMs
against which there Is no present eff
fective. defense. What must be hoped
for, then, is that the Khrushchev gov
eminent and the Soviet people realize
that they are just as vulnerable in this
respect as we are.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-17
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
Most of Northern Lights Invisible
By THOMAS r. HENRY

ton which is thought to be
enhanced at times of geo.
magnetic activity.
4 4 Il
Man-made thunder" may
be used to make rain to order.
This has just been reported
by the Soviet Academy of Sci
ences. An distracted descrip-
ton Of the experiments has
just been issued by the Rus
sian translation service of the
Department of Commerce.
Nearly everyone has OBJ
served times, says the report,
when the entire sky is COW
cred with dense, black thun-
derclouds. They hang heavy
above the earth and it seems
as II rain would pour down
any minute. Suddenly there
is a deafening roll of thun-
der and torrents Of rain come
down.
The thunder, says the re-
port, Is a powerful sound
wave which sets off the nat
ural precipitation. Use of
much less sound was found
to create rain from artificial
fogs produced in the labora-
tory but it was difficult to
find an acoustic agent to
some degree resembling &C
tual thunder.
Laboratory Rain Produced
Now special powerful sound
generators have geen set up
on one Of the slopes of Mt.
Elbrus in the Central eau
casus. AS soon as the sun
drops behind the peaks
nearly every day the slopes
become Shrouded in a dense
fog. Then the whole valley
below is filled with a low,
even monotonous sound from
the generators. The sounds,
repeatedly reflected from the
mountainsides, seem to pour
In from all sides.
Considerable success has
been achieved to date, says
the report. In other expert
ments artificially created
fog is maintained from one
to two hours in a specially
built chamber. But hardly are
the sound generators turned
on then it completely disap-
pears. Artificial rain is pro-
duced in less than a minute.
This, the Russian expert
menters agree. is far from
producing rain to order in
nature.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-17
BibIiopoIes

I am sure all bibliophiles
and bibliopoles enjoyed the
article in The Sunday Star
about bookstores.
Perhaps on another occa-
sion you could do an article
which would include other
bookstores Of interest to
those who are afflicted with
bibliomania, such as Estate
Book Sales, Benjamin Frank
line Book, and Laubert's
Book Store. In this future
article you could further de-
velop the personality Of Paul
Pearlman, whose picture &C
companied your last article.
Among certain very "sophis-
ticated" people Mr.. Pearlman
is known as 1.-THE Sage Of G
Street." just as H. L. Menck-
en- was known as THE Sage
of Baltimore"
Jacob A. Stein.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-17
Evils of Smoking

Your recent news item
headed Senator Neuberger
Decries Cigarette Smoke
SCREEN" connecting cigar
cite smoking with various
diseases, should enlist the
thought Of everyone. 1t is
hoped that the legislation
Senator Neuberger expects to
introduce Ito deal with this
tragic problem" will cover
all phases of this situation.
This situation is tied in
with the television indus
try's advertising program and
tobacco companies running
rampant in their advertising
of the different brands of
cigarettes, especially the phys
ical consumption of this
product depicted in television
broadcasts. It appears that
this form Of advertising is
to entice youth to take up
the injurious habit of ciga-
rette smoking. Surely, this
form of advertising could be
banned.
Michael r. Barry.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-17
Ability to Compete

There is little new in the argument
OF American industry that higher profits
are necessary to stimulate expansion
and plant efficiency and that these, in
turn, would tend to increase production
and lower prices. But in a speech the
other night Leslie B. Worthington, presi-
dent Of the United States Steel Corp,
stressed an interesting variation on this
theme-the role which industrial profits
play in the ability of the United States
to compete in international trade.
1t was Mr. Worthington's thesis that
dwindling profits are discouraging in
vestment capital, and that this is delay
ing the development of "the advanced
technology and improved productive eff
ficiency" which are necessary to meet
low-wage competition from abroad.
The irony of course is that "produc-
tive efficiency" in steel as in many other
industries is definitely increasing. While
he did not mention automation specifi-
cally, Mr.. Worthington did say that
productivity gains" have been made.
But the problem, he contended, is that
these gains for the most part are being
siphoned off in mounting labor costs and
in higher taxes, rather than being avail
able in the form Of profits" at least a
portion OF which could be channeled
into chronological advances or lowered
prices. The wages Of steel workerS-$32
a day in America as compared with $40
abroad, according to Mr.. Worthington's
figures - illustrate to a large degree
where the competitive advantage lies in
foreign trade. Nor, the steel official
implied, are losses in overseas steel mar
kets solely matter of maintaining our
gold supply. Domestically, he estimated
that the steel labor force in America
could be larger by some 10000 workers
II the ratio between our steel exports
and imports were at the level existing
only four or five years ago. He added:
The crucial point is that for our free
enterprise system to work, for our Nations
companies to compete at home and in the
markets OF the world, and for our country
to grow. some portion Of the gains we must
make must be used to keep us growing.
There is more to measuring productivity than
the one element Of our output per man.
AoW. II al our gains must De USED TO
cover higher employment costs and higher
Government costs. then nothing is left to
stimulate more investment or consumer de-
mand through better profits and lower prices
Nothing is left to help us grow as a Nation,
to increase employment opportunities for
our increasing population or to meet our
international challenges.
AS the head of U. S. Steel, Mr..
Worthington was speaking of course
from position of self-interest, and his
remarks must be viewed against that
background. His speech, furthermore,
was made within hours of the resump-
ton Of the labor negotiations on a new
steel contract; indeed, a good many of
the things he said to his management
audience in Chicago quite obviously
were aimed at the labor negotiators in
Pittsburgh. But for all Of that, his COM
ments should not be brushed lightly
aside, nor do we see how the dilemma
ne described can ever be solved within a
cycle OF ever-increasing costs.