THE MICHIGAN DAILY
SUNDAY,
I U I ______________________________________________________________________________________________
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
It fe ems ioMe
THEATRE
Primaries
By_ KIRKE L. SIMPSON
The Editor
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NIGHT EDITOR-ROBERT I. FITZHENRY
The editorials published in The Michigan
Daily are written by members of the Daily
staff and represent the views of the writers
only.
It is important for society to avoid the
neglect of adults, but positively dangerous
for it to thwart the ambition of youth to
reform the world. Only the schools which
act on this belief are educational Institu-
tions in the best meaning of the term.
-Alexander 0. Ruthven.'
War From
The Skies...
HOULD WAR COME to Europe to-
S morrow, the fascist nations would
have. an immediate advantage in air strength
orthe democracies, Pierre cot, former French
minister of aviation, declared recently in an
article which was reprinted in England and
America. "It cannot be denied," says M. Cot,
"that the production of war industries in Ger-
many and Italy At present exceeds that of France,
Britain, Poland and Czechoslovakia, mainly be-
cause the industries in Germany and Italy are
already on what is virtually a wartime basis. In
contrast to the general belief, time works to the
advantage of the totalitarian states in peacetime.
They are rearming at a much more rapid pace
than the democracies."
upon outbreak of war, however, M. Cot points
out, France and Britain would immediately begin
production of war materials, including airplanes,
on a scale which Germany and Italy could not
match. For this reason he anticipates an attempt
by the fascist states to end the war With lightning
speed, by use of every available weapon, notably
raids on the civilian populations of Paris and
London. As a counter to these measures M. Cot
foresees the attempt to paralyze German indus-
try by simultaneous and repeated air raids from
Prague and Paris, while the British navy enforces
a tight blockade of German ports.
As for Italy, M. Cot finds the position of that
nation not particularly strategic for a long war
The Italian army is divided into four parts, one
in Ethiopia, one in Libya, one in Spain, and one
at home. In the event of war, French-British sea
power in the Mediterranean would prevent the
junction of these forces. Italy, of course, is in
even worse condition for a prolonged major war
than is Germany.
These considerations leave out the factor of
Soviet Russia. Were Russia fighting on the side
of France, the 'Soviet air force "would be the
real answer to air raids on Paris and London,
M. Cot observed. Russia and Germany have no
common frontier, and unless Poland entered the
war on one side or the other, warfare between
these two adversaries would be confined to air
raids and possible naval fighting on the Baltic.
There can be little doubt of the validity of M.
Cot's statement that the only hope for a fascism
victory in a death struggle with France and
Britain, lies in a short war. The suggestion may
be advanced that Russia will be immobilized by
a war with Japan in Siberia and unable to give
aid to France and BrItain. As a matter of fact,
however, the Red Army in the Far East is com-
pletely autonomous, and designed to combat
Japan alone, leaving the European forces free.
Moreover, the chief contribution the U.S.S.R.
would make to the European war would probably
be in the form of air power.
M. Cot expects the heaviest blow to fall upon
France when the war finally comes. "Delenda est
Gallia" is a constantly recurring theme in "Mein
Kampf," he asserts, while German strategy would
dictate an effort to destroy the strongest and
most accessible enemy first, just as in 1914.
Czechoslovakia, however, is also considered an
eQental hulwark in the democratic military de-
Heywood Broun
The battle of the right and left banks about
Krumn Elbow seems to me a most curious contest.
Mr. Spencer's passionate opinions about the
iniquities of the New Deal
have their counterpart a-
mong other landed gentry
along the Hudson, but the
owner who has just ceded
his estate to Father Divine
is more original than the
original anti-New Dealer. If
I remember correctly, his
battle for a copyright title
for his castle began long be-
fore any of the neighbors started referring to
the President as "that man."
Even if there were no pump priming or
NLRB, Mr. Spencer would still be anti-Roosevelt.
Indeed, his language would not be a whit less
emphatic if he were talking about a private
citizen instead of the President of the United
States.
To me this fury becomes even more 'strange
when I read that the angels have been called
into residence largely because Mr. Spencer can-
not nail down the full signpost "Krum Elbow-on-
Hudson." Surely there must be shorter and
more snappy titles for a country place.
* * *
Just A Suggestion
Moreover, if the vacating owner had cared to
shake the dust off his feet in a gale of merriment,
he might have passed up the bid of Father
Divine in favor of a conceit more humorous. By
now it is too late, but if Mr. Spencer had come
to me I would have suggested that he transform
his manor into a camp for budding novelists.
And had he been accommodating enough to
ask why, I would have added with a straight face,
"Since you can't have Krum Elbow, you might
at least get yourself new writers."
Since the embattled antiquarian does not
seem to be too quick on the trigger in the matter
of smart cracks, it might have been necessary
to spell it out for him, viz., "n-e-u-r-i-t-i-s."
But putting levity aside, it must be said that
Mr. Spencer has a right to say that even though
the name for which he fought is not so hot, the
competition in country nomenclature rarely
reaches a high level. Houses out where the
pavement ends are seldom christened any more
dleverly than the taverns. For every Dewdrop
Inn it is possible to produce a private residence
quaintly called 'Wit's End or Bedside Manor.
The Pun In Passing
I speak as one who has high respect for puns
and a great envy for that dwindling group of
men and women who are able to play upon
words by ear. But these very experts realize
the limitations imposed upon this type of humor.
George S. Kaufman is possibly the greatest
American master of the pun, but in titling his
shows he has eschewed labels of the sort, al-
though he did come dangerously close in call-
ing a musical show "I'd Rather Be Right."
Once he explained his feeling in the matter
by saying, in effect:-"No play should ever be
launched under a punning title unless the pro-
ducer expects nothing more than a short run.
For a week or so the patrons may think the
joke in lights is very funny, but long before
the month is up the passing public will grow
very weary of having a wisecrack forced upon
its attention each day in the advertisements. A
dramatist who has a good pun will do better to
use it in his play rather than chalk it on the
wall outside the theater."
In other words, a pun is all right for a visit,
but nobody would like to live with one. And,
personally, I would not care to go home every
night to an Elbow, even if it happened to be on
the Hudson.
As Others See It
On Pearl White
So Pearl White is dead. And, according to the
records, not yet fifty years old! This generation
of whippersnappers never knew her, but graying
men and women, of middle age and considerably
past, remember her as one of the particular
bright spots of their youth. She was as much of
another generation as the surrey with tassels, the
old-fashioned razor and the lyceum (pronounced
in those days in three syllables, with the accent
on all three). In those days of the silent films
Theda Bara was the mysterious personification
of that dark vampire which every man hopes and
dreads to meet; William S. Hart was eternally
brave and dashing; people argued over whether
Alice Joyce was more beautiful than Clara Kim-
ball Young; we laughed at Marie Dressler in
"Tillie's Punctured Romance"; good old Jim
Corbett was a lean and agile actor, defeating
villains with deft jabs and right crosses, most of
the time attired in evening clothes. Brave days,
those.
But for thrills the greatest of them all was
Pearl White. There was a woman. It was tough
going, that waiting for the next installment of
those stirring serials, "The Perils of Pauline"
and "The Exploits of Elaine." A bareback rider
terrific and repeated air bombardrents of open
cities and defenseless towns. In spite of the most
ruthless slaughter of women and children, there
has been no indication of a break in the spirit of
the people of Barcelona and Madrid. Instead,
if anything, the will to resist of the Loyalist
By JAMES DOLL
Now About Reviewing
A REVIEW of a play is first of all a news item.
It must tell when and where. But more than
that it must also tell what. That is where the
difficulty begins.,If you really start to tell in any
detail anything about the play and its perfor-
mance, it is necessary to state an opinion. Every
reader of theatre pages in newspapers knows
the sort of paragraph that ventures no opinion.
"So-and-so appeared in Such-and-Such last
night at That Theatre. In the supporting cast
were -these and those. The play in three acts
tells of story of . . . (here follows five sentences
of synopsis). The audience seemed enthusiastic
and the actors were obliged to take three curtain
calls."
The reader and prospective theatre-goer now
has all the facts-except the one he wants most:
Is the play any good and consequently worth my
time and money?
If the writer goes on to that important question
of merit he must then, venture something more
than an opinion. He must discuss at some length
the reasons for his judgment based on his past
experience and the relatior of the play to current
theatrical history. If a critic does this at all well
and consistently in a series of reviews it permits
his readers to exercise their judgment as well.
Sometimes after reading a review that is quite
unfavorable one is apt to say: "He didn't like
that but his reasons do not appear valid to me,
they are contrary to what I believe about the
theatre. I think I woul like the play and am
going to try it."
Method Vs. Madness
Some reviewers seem to make a stab in the
dark with each review. Others have a theory as
to what constitutes good and bad theatre and
all of their reviews are more or less based on
this broad conception. These are, of course, by
far the best because there is a basis for logic in
what they say from day to day. Their readers
have a better idea of what to expect when they
choose a play on that critic's advice.
Perhaps the best example of a critic of this
type is Bernard Shaw. For several years during
the 1890's he reviewed plays for The Saturday
Review of Literature and many of his weekly
articles have been reprinted in the two volumes
of Dramatic Opinions and Essays. They should
be read by everyone interested in the modern
theatre. He has in this series a theory that is
almost a fixed idea, so repeatedly does he insist
on it. That is, that the new school of play-
wrights represented by Ibsen and the newer
tradition of playing their plays is superior to
the then flourishing, but nevertheless dying, nine-
teenth century conception of theatre.
Many people (especially actors) believe that
a reviewer should be guided by the reaction of
an audience at a given performance. Admittedly
the temptation to do so is sometimes very great.
After seeing a performance that seemed very
bad indeed but at which the audience laughed
and applauded, it does seem easier occasionally
to say, "What's the use? If I say I don't like
this, everyone is going to disagree with me. It's so
much easier to say something quite banal and
land than make a crusade about something that
perhaps doesn't matter much."
But this attitude is wroig, so Shaw says. A
critic is supposed to be an expert with an ex-
pert's knowledge of his business. It's up to him
to know why a play is good or bad and say so.
He has probably been seeing plays since his earli-
est youth and in the current season has surely
seen a great many more than other members of
the audience. Of course, you may say that for
that reason his appetite is jaded and "he just
doesn't like anything." If that is true he should
not be a critic and he probably isn't a very good
one. Because in spite of everything he should
keep up an lively interest in-almost an obsession
for the theatre. And contrary to the prevailing
opinion most critics do like more plays than they
dislike. Usually a critic goes to the theatre hoping
(like anyone else) that the play is going to be
good.
But, you say, he may be prejudiced before he
goes. The answer is, that every-time oe enters a
theatre one has certain prejudices. This will al-
ways be true until critics are selected like juries-
frr their lack of experience and knowledge. If
you've seen an actor before and he has made any
impression on you, you have some kind of a pre-
conceived idea of what he is going to be like. But
if one should say, "I know I'm not going to like
Miss So-and-So because she serves very bad
drinks" that is personal prejudice and quite a
different thing.
The Public Be Damned
The producers' feel that critics shoud not be
allowed to express an opinion because they are
endangering an investment. They seem, with
curious lack of logic, not to object that the
potential spectator is risking the investment of
an evening's time and the price of a seat or two.
It is felt that the critics, especially in New York,
have too much power; that a play cannot sur-
vive without a good notice. Indeed, this does
seem to be so true that the exceptions cause wide
comment. And it is less the fault of the critics
than of the readers who perhaps trust the critics
too much. The producers themselves refuse to
take any blame for the situation. They overlook
what a great predecessor of theirs said about
fooling the public.
In Ann Arbor the critics do not seem to have
that power of controlling the box-office. And
that is certainly not to be regretted. I'd like to
think this is less because of the readers' distrust
than because Ann Arbor wants to see plays so
much that it wants to see them good or bad.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 6-(P)-NextG ets Tol
week's senatorial primaries in Ar-
kansas, Idaho and Ohio receiving,
some attention in Washington to-
night pending definite word from Thumbing The Directory
Kentucky as to the outcome of the i
Barkley-Chandler race, in which, Did you ever realize what types of
Prksideyn dooseeletadbolin-hstudents attend the average univer-
President Roosevelt had boldly in- sity9 Well, if their names are any
tervened. clue, all one has to do is to look
In Idaho next Tuesday, when Sen. through the student directory. For
James P. Pope and Rep. D. Worth example, here at the University we
Clark put their rivalry for the Demo-j
cratic senatorial nomination to tge'
test, a much sharper issue of New
Deal loyalty versus boldly asserted
independence will be involved than in
the Kentucky contest.
Senator Pope is running on his
record of consistent support of Ad-
ministration measures and a pledge
to keep right on as a 100 per cent
New Dealer if reelected. Representa-
tive Clark has been off the New Deal
reservation frequently. He is com-
mitted to an independent course,.
based on his own judgment, if he
reaches the Senate.
* * *
Hattie Caraway Runnifg
On Tuesday also, there will be
senatorial primaries in Arkansas and
Ohio and a non-senatorial primary
in Nebraska.
In Arkansas and Ohio, a direct
showing of Roosevelt favor for re-
nomination of Senators Caraway and
Bulkley has given a national interest
to the Democratic contests. But it
is in Idaho that the strongest New
Deal backing has been rallied behind
Pope.
Secretary of State Hull broke his
political silence recently to point out
Pope's strong support of the New
Deal trade pact venture. National
Chairman Farley has extended his
good wishes to Pope in less cryptic
fashion than, he has done it for some
other Senate Democrats involved in
renomination contests. Weeks ago,
President Roosevelt himself gave aid
and comfort to Pope's proposals for
the development of phosphate lands
in which Idahoans might have much
interest.
There can be no doubt that Pope
is carrying administration colors
against Clark. His is the first in-
stance in which Administration for~-
eign policy has played any particular
part in a Democratic senatorial pri-
mary race.
* *
The Borah Shadow
Over the contest hovers the shadow
of Sen. William E. Borah, Republican
Independent, who has been made
dean of the Senat in point of service
by unwavering voter endorsements
of his independent role. Idaho has
a deep-rooted liking for the Borah
type of party independence, apparent-
ly. It is a factor that could lift a
Democratic advocate of Borah-like
independence on foreign and othei
affairs to victory over Pope.
In the circumstances, Pope's defeat
in Idaho would have a sharper sting
to it for the Administration than pri-
mary elimination of New Deal-ap-
proved Senate incumbents in Arkan-
sas or. Ohio. Short of final return
from Kentucky showing Senato
Barkley roundly trounced by Gover-
nor Chandler, a Pope defeat woulk
appear to involve a voter reactior
in the northwest against the Presi-
dent and his policies, both foreigr
and domestic, more significant thar
any other primary test to date.
There have been hints that Idahc
Republicans look at it that way. Off-
stage they are said to have talke
up Clark against Pope in the hope o
hitting the President and the Ne
Deal hard over Pope's shoulder. They
have talked that way in Washingtor
privately and it is likely that Ad-
ministration aid to Pope, featurec
particularly by Secretary Hull's pro-
nouncement, flowed from that fact
as well as his perfect score in the
Senate from a New Deal standpoint
* * *
Roosevelt Popular There
An administration setback in Idahc
would not involve any of the serious
questions for future Roosevelt lead-
ership which have been raised in con-
nection with the Kentucky senatorial
race. Roosevelt's sweep of the state
in 1932 and again by virtually two-to-
one over Landon in 1936 indicates
strong Roosevelt sentiment there. Ad-
ministration leaders count heavily
on that to pull Pope through. He
was an easy victor in '32, riding
Roosevelt coat-tails; and Tuesday's
voting will show whether the same
form of political transportation is as
sufficient this year.
State election factors are involved
in Ohio to complicate the race of
Senator Bulkely for renomination and
make the outcome difficult to forsee
This probably accounted for the light-
ness of the President's touch in be-
stowing his blessing on Bulkley.
In Arkansas, the only woman Sen-
ator, Mrs. Caraway, is making hei
first unchaperoned campaign for re-
election, the late Huey Long having
invaded the state in her behalf six
find every conceivable surname from
Aalberts to Zwick. Taking the names
at face value, we might begin with
the 12 Bakers and immediately recog-
nize a dozen other trades and profes-
sions, including 2 Carpenters. 1 Cook,
1 Doctor, 27 Millers, 5 Porters, 1 Pot-
ter, 1 Miner, 2 Plummers, 22 Taylors,
1 Seaman, 1 Shoemaker, 43 Smiths, 2
Barbers-and might we add, only 1
Razor. And if you're afraid that the
names of great inventors will be lost
or forgotten, they are well represent-
ed here in the Wrights, Morses, Mc-
Cormicks, Whitneys, and yes, there
are also Watt and Stephenson. But
more than this-what a Biblical at-
mosphere lends itself irksuch a holy
array as 1 Temple, 1 Church, 1 Par-
rish, 2 Priests, 2 Bishops, 2 Lords, and
only 3 Christians. Yet, we must not
omit the 1 Solomon, 2 Simons, 3
Matthews, 3 Marks, 1 Luke, and 1
St. John-and then with 13 Thom-
ases, well, you don't doubt it, do you?
So far there is but 1 Angel and 1
Harp on the campus, and strange
enougf' 1 Olive Branch residing in
Jordan Hall. What about the animal
kingdom? Here they are: 5 Wolfs,
1 Fox, 1 Deer, 1 Hare, 1 Bull, 1 Steere,
1 Hogg, 4 Lambs, and 1 Kidd. Then
our feathered friends if you please-
1 Swan, 3 Cox, 1 Chick, and 1 Bird,
so we might mention the 8 Martins
and 2 Rrens. Colors? Yes, they
come in Black, White, Blue, Brown,
Gray and Green. They come in Sum-
mer, Fall, and Winter, too. Of course
Carrs come also, 2 Ottos put in their
appearance, 1 Packard and 3 Fords-
with as many Horns. You wonder
about tires? There are Firestone,
Goodrich, Goodyear and Kelly. We
find a conglomeration of odd types
in Rich, Poor, Wise, Smart, Hicks,
Hamm, Fake, Blanks, Crabb, and
Bachelor-and did we forget George,
Bernard Shaw, Huey, and Long? We
have Gold, Silver, and Nichols, so
reminded of 1 Ma, let's go onto Din-
ner and conclude .with 2 Brewers, 2
Steins, 1 Beer from Detroit, and 2
Beers from Traverse.
Lawrence W. Olson.
Special Session
End Of August
To Consider New Taxes
For Relief Needs
GRANDVILLE, Mich., Aug. 6-(R)-
Governor Murphy told interviewers
today he expected to issue a call for
a special session of the legislature
"around the 28-:h or 30th of this
month."
The Governor said he planned to
call the Legislative Cou a mil and the
House and Senate Taxation Commit-
tees into session a week bei,.re the
Legislature to map out a program
for raiing funds to refill depleted
relief coffers.
"I am doing this so that all angles
of the problem may be examined and
the Legislature will not be taken by
surprise when it convenes," he ex-
plained.
While not stating specifically what
new revenue-raising plans he had in
mind, Murphy said he believed any
tax or taxes should be "emergent"
and not in addition to old taxes.
"They should be taxes we can end
when the need is over," he asserted.
The Governor flew to Detroit late
today. He planned to leave there by
plane Sunday for Ludington
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