THE MICHIGAN DAILY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5,1922 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1922 THE MICHIGAN DAILY- PAGE FIV . .. . ., . .. , i. Review of Campus Dramatics (Roberi Bartron) Dramatics at the University of ichigan is becoming .increasingly im- >rtant. The fact that we are still r behind Harvard, North Carolina, id California in this field does not ssen its significance. Indeed, the y of the Campus Theatre is not far stant, and with it must come, of >urse, a Department of Dramatics. Of all the various campus organiza- ons working toward this end prob-1 )ly Masques and Comedy Club are e most important. I place the two gether because both are directed by rofcsscr Nelson, in fact, are Profes- r Nelson. It is hardly a matter for spute that his productions are quite e most finished and ambitious. For-3 lately, he is interested more quality, and only presents two plays aI year. One still remembers his exquis-I ite "Quality Street" of five or six years ago. His "Bunty Pulls the Strings," while as a play, hardlyI worth the vast amount of work put on it, was almost faultless in its act- ing and scenery. Shaw's "Pygmal- lion," the Comedy Club's offering lastM year, despite the terrible overcasting of Professor Higgins, was even moreI perfect. Even though I had seen the original production of the play with Mrs. Patrick Campbell in London, and Sam Hume's presentation in Orches- tra Hall last autumn, I can truly say that it stood flattering comparison. The performance of Eliza Doolittle and her father, Henry Doolittle were quite the mostrperfect amateur characteriza- tions I have ever seen. Then, in "The' Yellow Jacket" Professor Nelson took another step forward by proving that Hill Auditorium is quite adequate for the performance of drama. He is go- ing to use this building again in his forthcoming "Knight of the Burning Pestle," an old Elizabethan farce. From all reports I understand that this production has great possibilities' of being his most successful under- taking. In direct contrast-to these two or- ganizations is the Player's Club, which believes in quantity production and absolute student control. While this possibly is a great benefit to the act- ors, it is often lamentably hard on the long-suffering audience. There is no way of escaping the fact that the Play- er's Club is very amateurish. I have 3t to see'one of its programs that asnot marred in some way. Now ~not misunderstand me; often they obtain some remarkable results, as in their production of "The Glittering Gate" and "Catherine Parr." On the other hand, their failures are many more in number, as shown by "Cooks and Cardinals," "The Lost Silk Hat," and "Free Speech." But, most unfor- tunate of all is the fact that their standard has perceptibly fallen since the resignation of Professor Hollister. And this conveniently brings one toI the work of Professor Hollister. It is' pleasant to recall his very successful performances of "The Great Galeoto" and "The Servant in the House." Just recently he remodelled the auditorium of University Hall into a theatre. His scantily attended programs there last AMONG THE MAGAZINES (Continued from Page Three) able parts, a thin veneer of "cultural" decorations and a slogan of "be mod- era, follow the herd!" sums up Cline's estimate of civilization in the Wolver- ine state. In Detroit, he tells us, all, homes are built after a certain pat- tern; modes of living follow a set: standard; and the public thinking runs : along a narrow groove. We who know Michigan, may well judge{ the truth of Cline's contentions. Towards Ann Arbor, Cline still seems to retain some warm senti-{ ments. Many will _appreeiate his.:pic- ture of "the little city" where "Michi- gan plays its sweetest charms." Here. is to be found an exquisite "delicacy,I and intimacy,and loveliness that one returns to always with a gentle exalt- ation and thrill of release." On the faculty of the University, Cline ad- mits, are to be:foundsome "big men." "'But," he continues, "the- liberal mindsof Michigan are subject to nightmares." While of the student body he speaks in less complimentary. terms as having "no traditions at all of literature, or art, or idealism, or anything but salesmanship and busi- ness ability.", It is athought stimulating article which those on the campus who occasionally do think will do well to read. They will find it quite . well worth taking seriously, even should they disagree with Leonard Cline's estimate. The Nation may always bej depended upon to present' the view that is different, usually correct and, to some; quite provoking. It has done jso again in this issue. c r. I year were remarkable mainly for the great promise they gave of better things. ProfessorHollister has al- ways been ambitious, and one looks, forward to his coming production of "Much Ado About Nothing." 'There is left the Union Opera and the Junior and Senior Girls' Plays. The former, especially since it has been under the control of Mr. Shuter, has descended into little more than an elaborate vaudeville, incorporating many of the features of Broadway commercialism. Of course, one must remember that he is hampered by the necessity of earning from ten to twenty thousand dollars for the Michi- gan Union. This is proved by his re- markable production of Vahaeren's "The Cloister," which is easily the{ most advanced play ever presented at Michigan. Thus, the activities of the Mimes are a curious mixture of gooda and bad. The Junior Girls' Play is rapidly becoming an imitation of the Union Opera, though its campus satire is in- finitely better. The Senior Girls' Play is negligible. Their morality revue presented two years ago was a silly h.odge-podge. Its only excuse was that it shocked the authorities. "Po-l mander Walk" was much better, main- ly because of a remarkable leadingj lady.1 And so, we have this perplexing mixture here at Michigan. We find six or more dramatic societies, all ap-. parently going in opposite directionsj and opposing each other. Yet this, af- ter all, is merely a superficial view. The important fact is that there are so many people on the campus inter- ested in the theatre, and this cannot help ultimately resulting in something big and fine in University dramatics. The great souvenir volume of the International Exhibition of Theatre Art held lately in Amsterdam, Holland, and published by H. Th. Wydeveld, has just arrived in America. It is superb- ly- illustrated with, designs by Godron Craig, Adophe Appia, Emil Pirchan, J. R. B. De Roos, Leon Bakst, and' others. The leading articles- are by Gordon Craig, representing England, Firmin Gemier, representing France, George Jean Nathan, representing America, Adolphe Appia, representing Switzerland and Oskar Fischel, repre- senting Germany. Thomas Seltzer, Inc., announce a popular edition of D. H. Lawrence's "Women in Love," first published in this country in a limited edition for private subscription only. DU YOU HA YE A REGULAR. OPTOMETRISTP One who is acquainted with your eyes and your peculiar eye troubles-one k to whom you feel at liberty to go for any little adjust- ment of your glasses, or ad- vice, and one who will take a real personal interest in your eye welfare because: you are his patient? If you have not,. but instead, ( are in the habit of dropping in- c to any store to be servedby any Iemployee, we urge you to start _ the other system now and to start with us. You may be assured of a thor- ough, conscientious eye exam- i ination. We grind our own, I lenses. H. W. BECKWITH Optometrist A HALLER'S JEWELER STATE STREET (Preston Slosson) "The Things That Are Caesar's," by Guy Morrison Walker, is hailed on the back ccver as "the book of the cen- tury" "the greatest book on wealth ever written" and "the answer to all Red, Socialistic propaganda.' As a matter of fact is simply a bold and lucid de- fense of capitalism which puts clearly a good many arguments familiar to every student who has taken a course in economics in any modern univer- sity. Certainly it is a sufficient an- swer to many of the cruder forms of Marxian, Socialist, Single Tax, and labor unionist propaganda, but it con- tains nothing that is new to the pro- fessional econonist, and even those who would accept its conclusions must regret the weakness of some of its arguments. The thesis is: that wealth is the re- sult of intelligence, foresight and thrift, not the result of mere labor;' that "this element of brain is more im- portant in the creation of wealth than is either labor or capital"; that sur-. plus capital is not the result of the robbery of the poor, since "The poor never produce as much as they con- sume. That is the reason they are poor and have nothing of which to be robbed"; that the incomes of "big business" are but a fair return for the invention, industry, organizing skill and creative imagination of the suc-. cessful business man ("the so-called fortune that Mr. Morgan left at his death was really only a small com- mission paid by the people to Mr. Mor- gan for his lifelong services in their behalf"); and that the present assault on the owners of capital is an assault on the civilization which they alone{ have made possible. In short that thef inequality of brain power will forever, make impossible equality of wealth. Well, to those who thing that man- ual labor is the source of all value, that capital is surplus value squeezed out of the. laborer, that nobody can honestly be worth a million dollars to society, and that there is always wealth enough "to go 'round" if only properly distributed-to all such this book is commended. It is quite true that the enormous difference in the prosperity of the average American and the average Chinaman can be traced rather to the mind-power of a few score inventors and organizers than to the muscle-power of the mil- lions of industrious workmen in both countries. It is not at all improbable that Carnegie, Rockefeller, Edison and Ford have contributed far more to the dinner pail of the. laborerp than the latter have contributed to the profits of these millionaires. Grant all this. Is Mr. Walker's defense of capitalism invulnerable? , The first unfavorable comment that l occurs to the reader is that Mr. Walk- er deals only with one type of wealth, the rewards of legitimate and socially useful business. He fails to consider fraud-wealth, derived from successful swindling; gambling-wealth, derived from successful speculation; accident- wealth, derived from inheritance or the over-flow of unearned increment in a "boom town." All these taken to- gether may make up a bigger sum than the earned-wealth which alone receives full treatment. Even so-call- ed earned-wealth may be a detriment to the community. The moonshiner is selling a commodity in popular de- mand, but does the "exchange value" of his product make him a useful citi- zen? Again, Mr. Walker is rather wilfully blind to the realities of commerce while expounding his abstract theor- ies. It is an ideal rather than a real capitalism which he defends. For example, he declares that "There is not and never has been such a thing as watering stock." The reason for this amazing statement is that stock is sold at its real value, not at its nomin- al or face value. True, if the public knows the facts! But has it never hap- pened that false reports deceived the small investor to the profit of some inside ring? Once more; Mr. Walker Caesar Gets The Lion's Share declares "there is no such thing as 'unearned increment,'" because "any change for the better in the condition of a community adds to the value of whatever any inhabitant of the com- znunity has to sell, whether it be land or trade or labor." True, again, as against the untenable Single 'Tax the- ory that only the landowner profits from the growth of a community. But is it possible to deny that a great landlord may receive a much greater share of the wealth of a growing town than a landless, rent-paying laborer? To take a third example, one of Mr. Walker's main arguments for the present system is that invention is en- couraged by patent laws holding out hopes of profit to the inventor.' But has it never happened that the invent- or was forced to sell his idea for a trifling sum while an exploiter of the invention made millions from it? Are all or even most of our scientists and inventors millionaires? Brains may create wealth, as Mr. Walker says; but other brains often get their share of it! But our real quarrel with Mr. Walk- er's thesis is much more fundamental. Granting, for the sake of argument, that the capitalist system gives to ev- ery man just as much as he produces does it follow that the system is per- fect? So the old-fashioned Marxian Socialist would say, agreeing with Mr.I Walker to "render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's," and only dif- fering as to whether "Caesar" be Mr. Carnegie or John Doe Hunyak of the steel mill. Have either Marx or Mr. Walker figured out the consequences of literally giving to every man the value of what he produces? The first consequence would be that, all the inhabitants of prisons, work- houses, almshouses, asylums, homes for the aged, homes for the blind or crippled, all who are in any way de- pendent on social charity, would be starved to death, for it is obvious that they produce little or nothing. The myriads of incompetent and inefficient laborers would be permitted to live on air, or at best on a crust of bread a day. On the other hand, some research chemist, now living and workix cheerfully at $4,000 a year, would fin himself suddenly rewarded by an i come of $4,000 an hour. The Duk of Watt, with an income equal to a the values created by the steam e: gine, would by this time own Englan General Foch, having saved Fran from German conquest, would dra an annual rent from all the lands France; or at the very least be paid sum equal to the cost of carrying a the Great War for six months, it b ing assumed that under an ordina general of "marginal" ability the wa would have lasted six months longe As a matter of fact, the honest citize and patriot is quite content to do hi best work without demanding an thing like the equivalent return, pr vided that he has enough to live cor fortably and to encourage his furth efforts. The whole attempt to justify the di tribution of income from the stan point of the producer alone brea: down. Income must be distribute with some regard to the right of tb consumer to "life, liberty and the pu suit of happiness." In a humane an Christian civilization the strong mu help the weak and the competent th incompetent. Should income then exactly equal for all, on the commu istic principle of "from each accordin to his ability, to each according to b necessity"? Ideally, yes. But we mu reckon with the fact that some e couragement, even some financial e couragement, is necessary as a stim lus to production. We can well affo: to let the good workman or able bm ness manager be paid as well ; praised, since he increases the weal of us all. Production must be mai tained, as Walker justly insists, there will be no wealth to divide eith equally or unequally. The 'corre formula for the distribution of weal should take both production and co sumption into account. We ventu to formulate as the best economic pc icy, whether under a capitalist or S cialist regime, "the greatest possib equality of wealth which is consiste with efficient production." 4. N Have You Leverything You Want ? 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