Evening Star Newspaper, June 28, 1931, Page 47

N : U’e LCK AN\EL”- *The Lawyers SecreT: Columbia Righting a Wrong, Yeah? By W. H. N old farmer, puffing his A corncob pipe and reflec- tively gazing at his noisy pig pen, once remarked, “When money gits skeerce ev'ry- thing seems to go wrong. Even the Bible don't read right.” Recalling that another sage of a remote period stamped money as “the root of all evil,” it secms difficult to reconcile the two obser- vations. The fact remains, how- ever, that since this “depression,” which everybody has been talking about, things do seem to have gone wrong, and, after all, money may be at the bottom of it. Never before in the memory of this very wise generation have so many critics been developed in the big audience of our local en- vironment, while over N'York way the estimable writers in the thea- ter have been obliged to don their weightiest armor to prepare for their own defense. This, too, when the heat of the dog days is com- pelling men and women, not to mention the babies, to doff their superflous adornment in search of comfort. Landvoigt. day Star, that those interested | may be fully informed, for it is a | give-and-take project, which cul- | tural judgment will approve in all | probability for the sake of Amer- |ica’s intellectual taste and for the | renaissance of America’s Theater. * % X X THE famous Carnegie Institute of Technology, at Pittsburgh, seems to have anticipated the call and reinforced it with the arm of its intellectual power. Elmer Ken- von, fortified by the training of the University of Pittsburgh and Harvard, one time president of | the Pittsburgh Drama League and a director of the Drama League of America, as well as one of the brilliant disciples of the New York Theater Guild, has been called and installed as the executive head of the drama department of Carne- gie Tech, which is reputed to be | one of the finest schools of dra- matic art in the country. For in this school the student not only becomes an active member of a carefully developed repertory com- pany, but he is acquainted with |all the tricks of stage technology Money, or the want of it, may|in scenery, costumes and stage be at the bottom of it all; but to|lighting, as well as in the critical a wild-eyed man up a tree it real- | examination of plays arld the art ly seems as if public opinion is|of acting in them. The signifi- inclined to assert itself. And|cance of this news is that it is there is a lot of public opinion|notice to all who engage in the loose in the world. Maybe it has|professional attempt to entertain been saved up for the close of |the people that the keeping of the the theater season, and maybe it| Ameriean Theater is in the hands just happens to have ripened at|of the wise and the skillful, who this particular time. Maybe it|know its values and are well able has been provoked, and maybe it|to preserve them against all com- hasn't, but there isn’t the vestige|ers. That fact is one of the real of doubt that criticzl thought is|reasons why “the living theater” fairly bubbling in the bridal month | will never die antil those who love of June as never before. ‘m pass into eternity. There is one comfort in ad-| * o k¥ versity, however. Those Who are rmpp Art of Criticism for the sk;g;)ct‘:?agr t;‘i' s:em vt;oewha:se br(‘: i American people existed some pa L i | time before the great project of ginning with politics, it ranges|apnevjcan inde = pendence became through the corridors of the thea. popular. The right of the peo- ’&’é;’é‘eengg“?‘";“gg:rg( ’i‘;‘t“ei‘:h}p:‘ |ple to fearlessly criticize things at the ever-present movies and-‘(":"as Lllmbeddeld e Aigge‘;‘c&n even out Into the air at the radio, | Constitution in no unmistaxable Everybody seems to have a con. | terms. What wonder is it, there- or something until to a tited mind { The right to exercise it is ot that gladly would dream of a trip| yeqged about with limitations of to the mountains or the seashore it appears as if something should be done about it. * ok ok % ‘WELL, something is about to be y done—this time by the Incor-| porated Theatrical Press Agents of America. With a clarion call to arms which might put to blush the| trump of Gabriel on “the last great “day,” they are summon- ing near and far all who are in favor of “a flesh-and-blood thea- ter,” better known to the picture incustry as “the legitimate,” to rally in its behalf and do things. Weary of the wobbling of the flesh-and-blood producing man- agers, who hive principally in and around the Great Metropolis, the agents are pointing the way ‘to better theatrical entertainment, at Jower cost, not only for the big cities, but for the smaller ones, even the towns heretofore known as “one, two, or three night stands.” The story is told else- where in this section of The Sun- |any kind, save only that one | must always refrain from speak- ing ill of another, and even then | one can do so, if he be willing to pay the price. The arming of the Manhattan critics, therefore, to |withstand the assaults that de- velop against their ipse dixits, unwise as it may , seems to be uncalled for ‘and inap- propriate, if for no other rea- son, let us say, because the weather is apt to be very warm before the conflict is ended; and also because our President has just made what the reluctant French- man calls a beau geste, a signifi- cant bid for peace. If the “rabble” wants to “rail,” even against the sage and sensitive critic, it has the constitutional right to do so, and why shouldn’t it rail if its opinion rims that wa*’? It is certainly one of the few ways of getting even when the chap who Fays for seeing the show doesn’t ike it, and equally, so when he WASHINGTON, DorisELLIN I “Crystal Pool” Swim l A GREAT time is promised at Glen Echo Park fomorrow evening, start- ing at 9 o'clock sharp, when a big swimming meeting, under the auspices of the Crystal Pool and sanctioned by the District of ‘Columbia Amateur Ath- letic Union, Wwill be held, registered athlates. The events for men include 60 yards, free sayle; 120 yards, free style; 120 yards, breast stroke. Events for women: 60 yards, free style; 120 yards, free style; 60 yards, back stroke. Fancy div- ing high board for men (four compul- sory and four voluntary), running plain front dive, plain back dive, running forward dive with half screw and back Jack dive. i All contestants must be registered, but there is no entry fee. Gold, silver ang bronze medals will b> awarded for first, second and third places in each event. Swimming lessons will be given on Monday and Friday to women and children from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, and on Tuesday and Thursday to women, children and men, by expert instructors, and for men particularly on how to improve the crawl stroke. Migal Him - Kindly. “HIT him hard but don’t injure him!” This is one of the directions which Clark Gable was given during the Alm- ing of a dramatic scene in Joan Craw- ford’s new picture, “Laughing Sinners.” Gable had to knock down Neil Hamil- ton with one blow. Director Harry Beaumont was 'aware, however, that nothing is so unconvincing to movie audiences as an obviously faked-fight, s0 he winked when he gave the ad- monition. Gable . claims it took him an entire- morning of rehearsals to learn how to hit without hurting and it required a week for Hamilton to be convinced that he succeeded. o s Bt bt S to tell him he was foolish for do- ing so. Missouri is said to have ah old law that protects even “the houn’ dog.” Besides, the critic open to does like it, if s@!:ebody tries may be wrong sometimes. 4 D Oy YTop of #he W/ORLD - Fox (S7age) 'LMER KENYON, lecturer and press representative of the Theater Guild |of New York for the past two sasons, | has been appointed headyof the depart- ment of drama at the Caynegie Insti- tute of Technology and will assume his new position in September. The appointment of Mr. Kenyon to Carnegie will take him back to his na- tive Pittsburgh, where prior to his con- nection with the Theater Guild he was professor of English at the Schenley High School and a guiding light in the theatrical activities of the city. Mr. Kenyon attended the University of Pittsburgh and Harvard, and at Har- vard, besides specializing in ancient and modern literature, he studied the theory of drama under George Pierce Baker. With the opening of Schenley High School he became arf instructor in English and continued in that capac- ity until the Theater Guild discovered him. He.also was active in the Pitts- burgh Drama League, serving for six years as its president and, at the same time, as editor of the “Drama League On the evening. - evening. and evening. and evening. afternoon and evening. ning. SUNDAY MOR TAGIE and SCREE Carnegie Tech Alert EARLE—“Chances”—Doug Fairbanks, jr. COLUMBIA—“The Lawyer’s Secret.” Keiths GSON and JACK MELALLEN - Earle (Sfaye) Review,” and also as advisory and con- tributing editor of “The Scholastic.” Mr. Kenyon is a rational director of | the Drama League of America and for years served a¢ ed’.or of its playgoing department in “The Drama.” As rep- resentative of the Theater Guild during the theatrical seasons of 1929-30 and 1930-31 he made the circuit of its 10 subscription cities in advance of “Marco Millions,” “Volpone,” “R. U. R,” “Eliza- beth the Queen,” “A Month in the (Country,” “The Lonely Way,” “Green Grow the Lilacs” and “He.” The department which Mr. Kenyon will head is recognized as one of-the finest_ schools of dramatic art in the country, as well as one of the first to realize the need for a drama school which would combine a college degree with training for the theater. Every year approximately 15 productions, each for an average run of 8 performances, are presented by the students in the litt!» theater of the ccllege, a modern auditorjum seating 400 persons. The technical work involved in the continu- ous production of plays constitutes the main activity of the department and brings the student face to face with the practical problems of the theater. Stage and Screen Attractions This Week Screen. This afternoon and FOX—"The Black Camel”—Warner Oland. This afternoon and PALACE—J“Laughlng Sinners”—Joan Crawford. This afternoon R-K-O KEITH'S—“Up for Murder”—Lew Ayres. This afternoon METROPOLITAN—“Stepping Out”—Charlotte Greenwood. This This afternoon-and'eve- G, JUNE 28, 1931. Motor, Aviation, Radio Programs YSTRANGE 3 INTERLUDE" National (75/7/'7/7'/‘) . ReaINALD DENNY- In ~ S LAUGHING SINNERS "- Arts Club Potpo TmDAYevcnlng the program at the Arts Club of Washington will be a dramatic potpourri, in charge of Mrs. Maude Howell Smith. Among those who will entertain will | be Miss Louise Irwin of New York City | and Mr. Clifford Brooks, director of the National Theater Players, in a dramatic skit. Miss Marjorie Webster of this cify will be heard in original readings and pantomimes, and Misses Judy Lyeth, Martha Fisher, Betty Sleeper and Ruth Shoemaker will give a part of the gipsy dance which was seen recently at the Sylvan Theater in the Drama Guild’s production of “The Piper.” Musical numbers on the program will be a piano selection by Mrs. J. Milnor Dorey, a violin solo by Miss H:len Car- ter, and songs by Dr. S. L. Christie. Seed Germingtion Pictured. TWO new motion. pictures prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture, qne showing the actual germination of seed, and one depict:ng the method of testing the germination of seeds by planting them in soil, have Jjust been released through the office of motion pictures and are to be shown at the Sixth Congress of the Interna- tional Seed Testing Association, which meets in Holland July 13-18. “Testing Seeds ' in Sofl,” one reel, shows in detail the new way of making germination tests at the department’s seed laboratories and- contrasts the newer method with the older one of making germination tests in" blotters. According to the film, experiments have t testing seeds -in sometimes has proved misleading, but tests in soll show which seedlings will Th's film, just released, had a pre- release wing before the Pan-Amer- ican on agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry held September 8-20, 1930, at the Pan-American Build- ing in Washington, D. C. Coples in English will be available for distribution in this country in the near future. Prospective users should apply for book- to the office of motion pictures, “States Department of Agricul- asyington, D, G, *|ization of theatrical advance agents, s Ty STEPPING Out Metropolitan Palace Winning Bac}{ “the Road” VER at any time during the luti five years, it is belicved, has the prospect for restoring the living stage in the smaller cities been more hopeful. | So say the members of the recently organized “Save Our St2ge (8-0-S) Soclety,” which for the last three weeks has been conducting an intensive cam- paign for the restoration of flesh-and- blood attractions to the smaller cities and towns of America. Fathered by the Theatrical Press Representatives of America, an organ- who term themselves the “salesmen of the theater,” the members have gone about what is called “the rehabilitation of the road” in an intelligent and sys- tematic manner, and remarkable results already are said to have been achieved. An intensive educational publicity cempaign has been inaugurated by a special committee of the *S-O-8,” through which the various civic and cultural bodies of the smaller cities have been acquainted. with its objec- tives. Through the press of these com- munities appeals are z%lon.h to as- sist in the movement of ging bl{‘l;fra thelr cities the living stage. And response, it is said, has been most gratifying. As a groundwork for their fight for what 15 known as the “one, two and three night stands” the Theatrical Press Representatives have organized a " Soclety. Its member- ship is intended to include members of the theatrical profession and the allied theatrical tra from the bottom to the top, and it also is open to “the friencs of the speaking stage.” mem- bership costs 50 cents and includes an “S-0-5" button and a pledge card. The money derived from this source is used by the committee for its r licity campaign’ expenses. Later it is d to send a “sales force” of 10 to | ceived tantative offers of at Jeast 30 in the “one nighters,” in the hope of enlisting the interest of the various chambers of commerce, the Rotary, Ki- wenis, Lions, Masonic and Knights of Columbus fraternities, the Drama Leagues, little theaters and other eivic and cultural bodies. And at the same time they will endeavor tc enlist the co-opcration of the mayors and gov- ernmental heads, as well as merchants and others, in their movement. For this ploneer work these agents will not receive one cent of salary—only their traveling expenses being paid. Each man is to be assigned four towns —two each week—which will make a total of 40 cities coversd by them in the initial two weeks they are out. It will be their endeavor to secure “guaranteed audiences for certified at- tractions.” In other words, they will solicit a guaranty of a sufficient num- ber of theater ticket sales for a given number of road shows to visit a given city. so as to make 1t profitable to send better-class atiractions to that city. In return for this guaranty the “S-O-S" Society will pledge itself to uphold the high standerd of attractions sent. To this end a cammittee of nationally known and respected authorities on the drama, not actively engaged in theatri- cal productions and therefore unbiased, will pass on road attractions submitted for their approval, and the fol- lowing have been suggested to com- pose this committee: William Lyon Phelps of Yale University; Miss Sue Ann Wilson, executive secretary of the Drama League; Alexander Woolcott, noted - columnist and lecturer; Frank Gilmore, head of the Actors’ Equity As- sociation; Danlel Frohman, ex-producer and head of the Actors’ Fund, and Dr Henry Moskowitz, head of the League of New York Theaters. It is the further intent of “S-O-8" to bring about a reduction in overhead and carrying expenses, so that “living entertainment” can and will be given at s scale of prices to compare favor- ably with pre-war days. For example, a 32 or less top price for dramatic shows and a $2.50 one for the big musi- cals. This committee already has re- or 40 Vfll‘hfln @ A