Springfield weekly Republican. [volume], November 05, 1914, Page 6, Image 6

About Springfield weekly Republican. [volume] (Springfield, Mass.) 1851-1946

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6
MUSIC AND MUSICIANS
ON THE “PARSIFAL” CRAZE
AN AMUSING DRAMATIC SATIRE
JIBES AT MANY “MODERNITIES"
*The New Parsifal,” by R. C. Trevel
ri yan, Tells of the Quest of One
Percival Smith, an Anglo-
Philistine.
A reviewer of the London Morning Post
writes: Women are expected to corer their
heads in church, and that was why u de
vout Wagnerite wrote to the papers before
the first performance of “Parsifal” in En
gland to say that she was going to wear
a mantilla at Covent Garden and hoped
others would follow her example. Frau
Cosima would have approved of this act
of reverential regard; Wagner himself
might have allowed the ghost of a smile
to haunt his rugged features for two
shakes of a baton before approving it.
Humor, alas! is not an heirloom in the
master’s family; they and all their dis
ciples, 50 posing like one and performing
Byzantine genuflexions, will be shocked
beyond power of speech at R. C. Trevel
yan's dramatic satire, “The New Parsi
fal,” recently published by the Cheswick
press, which is as entertaining in its own
original way as Buckingham’s “Rehearsal.”
and would probably come to life like that
timeless masterpiece if it could be pre
sented on the stage. Here is the list of
personae dramatis: —
The Phoenix (a divinity)...©. K. Chesterton
Circe (a goddess).
George Edwardes would lend one
KUngsor (a magician) B. I’. Lascelles
Gurnemanz (leader of the chorus).
Prof Gilbert Murray
Percival Smith (an Anglo-Philistine).
Harry Tate
Prof Bruce (a classical archeologist),
A. D. Godley
Glgadibs (a literary mam George Moore
Hartley Qnelch (a journalist)... .J. L. Garvin
The Ghost of Warner
(There are still extant 666 composers who
could fill this part without decomposing).
A Lord Chamberlain Bombardier Wells
An Examiner of Plays Sydney Grundy
Chorus of quondam Grail-knights and flower
maidens (doubtless these could be procured
through any of the big multiple shops, which
would also supply the real and the false
Grail, for there are two blessed pots in the
play).
N. B. -Mr Trevelyan is not responsible for
the casting.
The play consists of an “induction” and
two acts. The induction introduces the
lord chamberlain and the examiner of
plays in the act of licensing. Mr Trevelyan s
piece; they have decided that the mention
of “Philistines” and “Ascalonites” is not
really irreverent. Enters the Ghost of
Wagner, who is horrified at their passing
a satire on himself, “the revealer of supra
musical art, the supreme cosmic drama
turgist” and threatens them horribly:—
From the realms of Elysium
Myself will I banish, and haunt your souls, a
remorseless, vengeful Alaetor.
In office or motor, stall or pew, dining, shav
ing. manicuring.
Acknowledging and spending two-gulnea fees,
pot-boiling or licensing ordures.
1111 you do your duty and ban this flltb, this
foul sacrilegious abortion.
I The scene of the actual drama is a hall
In Circe's palace, whither resort Klingsor
and his followers, half of whom are
changed into asses by the witch before the
wizard's arrival. Circe is compelled by
Klingsor to change them back, but they
remain onocentaurs. the asses’ slow
circling ears and brutish brays being ir
removable. The Phoenix is then invoked:
Thou eternal, increate.
Solitary, self-consumed.
Self-begotten, Are eiiwombed,
Quintaesthetic celibate!
By thy nest of myrrh and spice;
By the cosmic song thou pourlst,
When reborn aloft thou eoarest
From thy pyre in Paradise;
By the thunders of thy beak;
By the splendors of thy wings
Plumed with lambent lightnings.
Hear. O bear us, thou unique
Vnapproached sanctity;
Beauty’s sacred Fount, whence flews
All verse, all poetic prose,
Plastic art. and melody.
They hear, as they think, the "wuther
ing” (glorious word!) of the wings of the
coming Phoenix. It turns out to be the
noise of Percival Smith's monoplane,
which descends on the lawn outside the
palace. He drinks with Circe, falls in love
with her, tries to shoot the Phoenix for
his collection, and buy or steal the Grail.
He does shoot the Phoenix, but this egg
less ornithereion is only technically killed,
and comes to life pyrotecbnically. Even
tually he flies off, trying in vain to run
down the Phoenix. He has arranged to re
turn in his yacht, and, with Circe’s help,
steal the blessed pot. His plain, slangy
talk is a refreshing contrast to the highly
involuted Wagnerese of Klingsor At the
beginning of the second act Circe awaits
him on the lawn, lamenting her present lot
under Klincsor's domination:—
Not even In mine own house am I now
mistress
Since I was vanquished by this mountebank.
Forced to become the priestess of a sect
Of asses and their senseless cult—l. Circe,
Daughter of Helios. O. my sire, take back.
Take hack my birthright, this lone, weari
some
Heritage of divinity. How fain
Would I forego it. so for some brief years
I might but mingle with that vast, unknown,
Sociable and PhlUstian universe
Of life and youth and mortal beauty, there
Love and be loved awhile, grow old and die.
Percival arrives with his traveling com
panions, the archeologist, the literary man.
and the journalist, and there is any
amount of curious business and comic dia
log. Klingsor has made a false Grail, ex
actly like the new one, so as to prevent
the stealing of his authentic propertv.
Here is his bidding prayer to the initiated
idiotic crew:—
Let nought save holy and reverent words
precious and Grail-worthy locutions,
Flowerllke and delicate phrases alone be
spoken to-day in our hearing,
And to these our mystical rites let none draw
near but the exquisite and pure
In spirit and taste; yea. far from our midst
be exnelled and shamefully ejected
AH museless, dark, uncivilized souls Belial's
vulgarian offspring.
Stage managers and censors, pedagogs ed
itors stylistic reviewers.
Art critics and dealers, billionaires. Marlnet
tlste. Chantrey-bequestees.
Dons. Strandbergsolans and Strausslsts vlr
tuorlal. musical agents,
Professional owls and clerical moles book
worms, loud puritan asses,
All they who delight not. In Pater’s prose nor
In Max Beerbohm’s revelations.
Who scoff at post-impressionist art. and pre
sume to demand of a picture
Perspective or sense and who prefer Penta
politan scruts. New Machiacorellis
To a tenebrous James, who And salvation in
NlvluskyStrajlnsky-Scrlablne:
To all such I proclaim, O children of darkness
and wrath, pack hence and profane not
Our pure Dionysian orgies! Avaunt foul
brood! But ye. my beloved ones.
Your choral dances again weave round the
divine Grail’s mystical altar.
An entertaining episode is that in which
various kinds of poetry are tried on the
two Grails; Gi^adibs parodies W. B. Yeats
neatly enough in such lines as
Kings, old orgulous klugs, terrible and san
phlre-l*arded.
Lone tear-pale queens, proud Maeve,
Sad Deirdre. Etaln, Niamh of the hunted
swallows
Whose shadowy harpiulled eyelids Olsln
kissed.
Prof Bruce recites Longfellow's “Psalm
Of Life,” which Circe admires, recogniz
ing the directness of the Greek manner—
as we should if our tastes were not sophis
ticated. The Grails talk Latin: the one
using the English public school pronuncia
tion. the other I Italianizing it. It is all
very mirth-provoking. Eventually the
Ghost of Wagner carries off the true Grail
and Percival sets out on his return voy
age, leaving Circe on her island. Here is
the ending:—
Percival—No offense. Quelch. It’s true you’ve
• 5 0t
The Grail you deserved, though I’ve missed
mine. Come then.
Let’s start. (To the chorus.) And you, ladles,
and gentlemen.
Will you consent to be my guests on board?
It’s a tight fit: but we can Just afford
Boom for you all. At any port you choose
We'll call and put you off. Now don’t refuse.
Chorus—
O noble and generous Philistine youth, with
joy we accept thy proposal.
From Gralldom and culture-Brahminlsm by
thee rescued and delivered.
To the commop or garden workaday world
henceforth we revert disillusioned.
Yet marveling at bright memories still, as
though from a midsummer night’s dream.
Many shapes do divine-wrought wonders take.
Many deeds unhoped do the gods ordain,
And eveuts men looked for are not fulfilled,
And to things undreamed Fate tindeth a way.
Even so this drama is ended.
Even so Aristophanes, if ho were living
to-day, would jeer at the Wagnerites, and
the like of them. We have indeed had
enough of Graildom and Parsifalitis,
chronic and acute, and sincerely hope that
Mr Trevelyan’s ridicule will help to kill
it all. Let us hope for the best, while
fearing the worst.
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
A Notable Concert in Northampton
for the Opening: of the Smith Col
lege Series.
A fine concert was given Wednesday
evening last week in the John M.
Greene hall at Northampton by the
Boston symphony orchestra, which has
come to be the regular opening feature
of the excellent series given under the
management of the Smith college depart
ment of music. Early rumors that the or
chestra would suffer from the war ha^e
happily proved unfounded; indeed, there
have been fewer changes in personnel
than in some less cataclysmic years, and
the orchestra has never played more su
perbly. Dr Karl Muck, of course, con
ducted. The program was a little out of
the ordinary, in that no symphony was
given, the piece de resistance being Rich
ard Strauss’s great tone poem. “Don
Juan." Some admirers of the greatest of
present-day German composers are in
clined to depreciate this as an earlv work,
not marked with all the originalities which
have accumulated in the more bizarre
masterpieces of his later years, vet it is
a prime favorite with the public,' and the
judgment of the public may not he far
astray. Strauss came at the time when
philosophers were beginning to ask if evil
might not be the true good, and artists
were beginning to exploit the beauty of
Ugliness. It may be the verdict of time
that the composer of “Elektra” and "Sa
lome" lias crossed the line where the
downward slope begins, bnt in “Don Juan”
his wonderful technical gifts arc ad
mirably employed. It is a' work of fas
cinating interest from every point of
view, and last evening it was superbly
played.
The concert was unusual, too. in open
ing with an American work, and there,
was much interest in the performance of
Chadwick's suite, “Symphonic
Sketches, in four movements, three of
which were composed while he was direc
tor of the Hampden countv music festi
vals in this city. If the suite as a whole
has not been given here, at least three of
the movements are familiar to Springfield
music lovers, and the work as a whole
ranks among Mr Chadwick’s best The
titles are “Jubilee.” “Noel,” “Hobgoblin"
and A Vagram Ballad." All show his
accomplished mastery of orchestration
and each movement has a unity and
cohesiveness sometimes lacking in his
work. This must be counted among the
most successful of American orchestral
suites. It could hardly have a more ad
mirable performance, and the effective solo
passages for wood winds of which he is
fend were exquisitely played, includin'’
the beautiful cadenza for bas« clarinet in
“A Vagram Ballad.”
After this came the intermission, fol
lowed by the beautiful Brahms variations
on a theme by Haydn, opus 56a. Brahms
is never happier than in developing other
people’s ideas, not that he lacked ideas
of his own, but his invention is somewhat
sluggish and lacking in clarity and grace,
while his power of logical development is
enormous. In a fresh and limpid composer
like Haydn, whose ideas have the sim
plicity and elegance of the 18th century,
Brahms seems to find a special inspira
tion and confidence, and nothing could be
happier than the treatment which he gives
to this unimportant hut charming music
of a bygone day. The program closed
with Weber’s "Euryanthe” overture, and
the lovely melodies of this prince of the ro
mantics were exquisitely sung in the vari
ous orchestral voices. It may be doubted
whether there is an orchestra in the
world which for sheer beauty of tone can
rival the Boston organization, and few
orchestras in the world are so fortunately
placed in this year of great distress for
the art of music.
HOLYOKE’S CONCERT SERIES.
Season to Open Friday With New York
Philharmonic Orchestra.
A series of four concerts for the sea
son of 1914-1915 has been arranged in
Holyoke under the auspices of the Hol
yoke board of trade and tbe Holyoke music
club. The series will open on Friday night
with a concert by the New York Philhar
monic orchestra, at which Leo Schulz, the
'cellist, will lie soloist. The second event
will be a recital by Julia Culp, the dis
tinguished lieder singer. This will take
place on December 8. The other two con
certs will be held on January 19 aud Feb
ruary 2, at which Emilio de Gogorza. bar
itone. and Ossip Gabtilowitsch. pianist,
will respectively be heard. The first con
cert will be given in city hall, and the
other three in high school hall. The sale
of tickets has been larger than a year
ago. and the success of the yearly series
of Holyoke concerts seems to be estab
lished.
Dr Mack’s All-German Program.
Did Dr Muck deliberately choose an
all-German program for the opening con
cert of the Boston symphony season? If
so. his action was open to criticism: but
probably, in selecting his program, he was
moved only by artistic considerations, for
the great figures in orchestral music up
to 30 or 40 years ago were Germans, and
they arc still the greatest figures. The
only thing that renders Dr Muck’s pro
gram liable to a shadow of suspicion was
the inclusion of a work by Strauss, a rep
resentative of the Germany of to-day.
Writing of the concert in Musical Ameri
ca. Olin Downes says:—
It was objected in some quarters that
Dr Muck had made his first program an
all-German affair; the “Eroiea" sympho
ny of Beethoven, the Brahim? variations
on tbe theme of Haydn; the “Don Juan - ’
of Richard Strauss and tbe “Euryanthe”
overture of Weber. But the program of
next week offers a French novelty, the
Fourth Symphony of Guy Ropartz; George
W. Chadwick's “Symphonic Sketches,’’
and three short compositions of Jean Sibe
lius. Both programs, it may be added,
appeal to the majority of eoncert-goers
hereabouts as unusually interesting and
well-balanebd.
Indeed, the performances, even for these
admirable concerts, were in many respects
of exceptional brilliancy. Never, tor in
stance, nave we heard Dr Muck give such
a reading oi that virtuoso piece for or
chestra. the "Don Juan”—a reading which
made the music white-hot, as full at youth
and strength and scorn as it appeared In
THE SPRINGFIELD WEEKLY REPUBLICAN: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1911
the first years of its existence. Now that
we know our Strauss, the “Don Juan'
does not dazzle us quite as it used to.
It is the Strauss who has not entirely
found himself, still embarrassed by tradi
tional methods of composition, still only
partially aware of what he has to say. and
without the matured technic of later years
which was so often to make it possible for
him by feats of legerdemain to conceal a
momentary paucity of inspiration.
The “Eroiea” symphony was certainly
the music of music for such a time, what
ever the sympathies of the interpreter or
the audience. Some fancied that Dr Muck
read this symphony more eloquently, with
a sort of inexplicable inspiration, than ho
did two seasons ago, when he inaugurated
his second Boston engagement with a per
formance of the same work. It did not
appear so to us. Dr Muck is too much of
an artist to alter his intentions because
of any conditions of the moment, however
significant they may he. The perform
ance was worthy of the music and what
more could he said? The Brahms-Haydn
variations, like the symphony, were played
with doubled horns, and in the Brahms
music they added much brilliance to the
orchestral color —brilliance that is usually
welcome in Brahms orchestra. But are
six horns instead of three appropriate in
the trio of the scherzo of the “Eroiea?”
We think the effect too heavy and coarse.
Again, is not the orchestra of Weber pro
portionate enough to adjure even in these
days an augmented wind choir? The wind
section of the orchestra sounded too heavy
for Weber's aristocratic and spirited mu
sic. In fact, modern as is the spirit of
a Weber score. one certainly thinks of the
music as written for an orchestra of con
siderably less than 100 pieces.
Opera Producing' Methods Abroad.
Impressions of opera-giving abroad
were brought to New York a fortnight ago
by Ixtomis H. Taylor, one of the stage
directors of the Metropolitan opera com
pany, who arrived on the Cedric. “Before
the war started I saw some of the new
productions of ‘Parsifal’ in Hamburg and
in the Charlottenburger opernhaus in Ber
lin." said Mr Taylor to a representative
of the New York Evening Post. In the
desire to break with Bairenth and its tra
ditions, they have gone too far, entirely
too far. and have mutilated the entirety
of the opera through striving to perfect
the details. The performances which I
beard were also quite inferior.
“I also saw the rehearsals of ‘Parsifal'
in Munich, and they were much more in
teresting. The very best singers they had
were being used, Fassbender having the
part of Kundry. and Knote singing Par
sifal. From a decorative standpoint ‘Par
sifal’ in Munich is also very interesting,
because they eliminated the moving scen
ery and had cloud effects instead. Accord
ing to my ideas, these are much better.
“The most interesting performance which
1 had seen in Europe for ninny years was
a production of ‘Macbeth’ at the Comedie
Francaise last spring. While I was in
Vienna I saw a production of ‘Notre
Danie,' the new opera by Schmidt, the
'cellist of the Royal opera orchestra in
Vienna. It is one of the most interesting
Works of the modern German school, but.
through its dramatic construction, it is
not suitable for us at the Metropolitan.
Gatti-Casazzg and. Alfred Hertz also saw
it. and they agreed with me about its un
suitability for us. We had been thinking
it over for production here.”
The Boston theater will apparently be
the only theater in New England to offer
grand opera during the coming winter.
Definite announcements made during the
past fortnight make it finally certain there
will he no other grand opera in Boston. It
is generally believed that it has not been
solely a dearth of men singers due to the
war that has caused this decision. Rather,
a noticeable reluctance to support opera at
high prices is believed to have cleared the
field for the Boston theater opera com
pany. The fifth week of the season is to
open with the company's first presentation
of “La Traviata,” familiar in its dramatic
form as “Camille.” The soprano role will
be sung by Miriam Ardini. whose colora
tura voice has attracted marked attention.
At his recital in Aeolian hall. New York,
on Saturday Harold Bauer will play the
Bach Toccata and Fugue iu C minor.
Beethoven Sonatas in F sharp major and
A flat major, the Brahms variations and
Fugue upon a theme by Haeudel and a
Bach group including two two-part inven
tions and five three-part inventions. The
pianist, who has lately returned from Aus
tralia. began his American tour in the
middle West.
“THE SALAMANDER” DRAMATIZED.
Notable Acting by Mr Anson and Mr I
Bruning—Miss McComas as the
Heroine.
Owen Johnson, tbe novelist, has drama
tized his widely-read story of “The Sala
mander,” and the resulting play, named
after the book, was seen in New York for
the first time on Friday, October 23. at
the Harris theater. Both the book and
the play, says the New York Times, have
the initial advantage of an interesting idea
—the idea of introducing a type of girl to
be found haunting certain avenues of New
York life aud tagging her significantly
with the name of the lizard who, said the
old mythology, could pass uniiarmed
through the hottest fire. And the sala
mander of Mr Johnson's story is the girl
who. with bright eyes but queuchingly coni
head, can and does pluy with fire. There
is the suggestion that if she is a real
salamander, true to “the game" and her
wind, she comes out unscarred.
The essential weakness of the piece,
says the Evening Post, lies in the mani
fest artificiality of the situations—each of
the three male protagonists turning up
just when needed to discomfort the others
and create a new dilemma —and iu the in
credible and unsympathetic nature of Dedo
herself. As a mere flirt, she would oe. of
course, wholly contemptible, while it is
contrary to human experience that an
honest woman should be so deeply in love
with two men at the same time us uot to
be able to know which she preferred.
Psychologically considered, the play is ab
surd, but several of the individual scenes
are very well written aud decidedly ef
fective. The happy ending—brought about
in the tritest fashion—is an artistic mis
take. and the epilog is altogether super
fluous and unlikely.
MR DAVIES’S "OUTCAST.”
The New Play In Which Elsie Ferga
son Has the Leading Role.
The first American performance* of
Henry Hubert Davies's new play, “Out
cast,” took place in Syracuse. N. Y„ the
past week. “Outcast” is now being
played at Wyndham’s theater in London.
It differs from some ot Mr Davies's earlier
plays in that, while it contains an abun
dance of comedy, its central theme is se
rious. Geoffrey is an easy-going type of
Englishman, who. some time before the
piny opens, has been jilted by Valentine.
Valentine hud elected to cast her fortunes
with a richer man. Geoffrey becomes
reckless and, despite his wealth and posi
tion, is rapidly going to the- dogs, when
there comes into his life a new experience.
He meets Miriam.
Miriam is a girl of the streets, tawdry,
bold, but with au honesty and kindliness
of heart. Tbe second act shows the couple,
so strangely met, happy together in their
“affair.” Miriam has greatly improved in
appearance and speech aud is deeply in
love with Geoffrey. The latter is fast
falling in love with her. when Valentine,
whose life with her rich husband has
turned out to be unhappy, calls on her i>ld
lover at bis rooms. She and Miriam
meet. The first break comes between
Miriam, and Geoffrey, which widens in
the next act when Geoffrey announces his
intention of calling on his former sweet
heart. Then Geoffrey casta Miriam off
and Valentine comes to his rooms. Again
she meets Miriam, who comes to return
the check Geoffrey has given her. Iu
Miriam s suffering Valentine sees the
misery she is giving her loyal husband,
one declares she will return to him. and
Geoffrey invites Miriam to go to Buenos
Ayres with him to live the rest of their
fives. She accepts. “You might as well
marry me,” be says dully. But she re
fuses.
ROSE STAHL’S NEW PLAY.
“A Perfect Lady" Far From Intereat
inK. in Spite of Its Slang;.
"A Perfect Lady” was acted at the
Hudson theater in New York on Wednes-
I day last week as a play appropriate to the
gifts and mannerisms of Rose Stahl. As
a successor to the laurels won by “The
Chorus Lady," which first launched Miss
Stahl as a favorite in these parts, the
new piece fashioned by Channing Pollock
and Rennold Wolf is an arrant pretender,
says the New York Times. Theirs is a
custom-made piny, far too obviously cut
and trimmed to fit the actress, and while
this sort of dramatic tailoring seldom pro
duces admirable results, the product in
ihis case is peculiarly unhappy, for the
material used Is thin, shoddy and not espe
cially becoming. What she needs is not
a part, but a play.
Of course there is abundant slang in
the new play. It is of the Broadway va
riety, and through the device of a strolling
and stranded company of burlesquers the
emphasis of incongruity is sought for it
by giving it utterance in the atmosphere
of a small Kansan town. But this is such
painfully imitation atmosphere that the
result is not amusing. The part of the
dialog that cutches the attention and lin
gers in the memory smacks decidedly of
the vaudeville stage. Indeed, all that, is
entertaining in the four acts of "A Perfect
Lady" would be used to better advantage
If it were played in one.
GENEE IN AMERICA AGAIN.
Her Earnings Will Go Into Fund for
Wounded British Soldiers.
Adeline Genee, still the best of the
dancers of purely classical grace, ap
peared in New York the past week for
the first time in two years. Miss Genee
arrived in New York on the Olympic a
fortnight ago, unheralded and unattended,
and immediately left for Philadelphia,
to begin an engagement nt Keith’s theater
there. She will remain in the Keith thea
ters in and around New York for three
weeks. Miss Genee is now Mrs Isitt. her
husband being a well-known English gen
tleman. who also has large interests in
Canada. Mr Isitt arrived with bis wife,
and immediately left for a trip North, in
order to look over his Canadian property,
but he will join Mrs Isitt during her en
gagement in New York. Miss Genee did
not want to come to America nt all this
time, but in order to contribute her share
to “Queen Mary's fund" in London she
made a contract with the Keith people for
a short season of four weeks, so that she
could send her revenue from the engage
ment to the fund for the wounded soldiers.
Marie Tempest to Act in New York.
Supported by her entire English com
pany from the Playhouse in London, in
cluding Graham Browne. Marie Tempest
inaugurated her New York engagement
at the Comedy theater Monday evening.
Miss Tempest Iras not been in New York
in several years, nnd has just completed
a five weeks' tour of the principal Cana
dian cities. She will appear in a repertoire
of plays, including “Mary Goos First."
"At”the Barn.” “The Marriage of Kitty,”
and others. She will open her season with
Henry Arthur Jones's newest coniedey.
“Mary Goes First.” This is u story <f
English provincial life. It concerns the
struggle for social precedence by two wom
en whose husbands are wealthy manufac
turers. The all-important question is.
"Who shall go in first to dinner'.-" The
chief protagonists. the two women men
tioned. represent the very extremes of the
British social' scale. One of them. Mrs
Richard Whidlell: is a woman of birth,
breeding and personal charm. The other,
Lady Bodsworth, unfil a short time before
the opening of the play's action, just
plain Mrs Thomas Bodsworth. is a vul
gar, ignorant and altogether impossible
woman of the lower middle class. How
Mary, by her wit. skill and finesse, as
sisted by a vast wardrobe of chic gowns,
eventually ousts Lady Bodsworth ami
forever establishes her right to go iu first
to dinner and everywhere else is demon
strated in the play by Henry Arthur Jones
in an amusing manner.
THE FOREST FIRE SERVICE.
Western Stations Now Closed—lnsuffi
cient Funds to Keep Them Open to
the End of the Season.
From Our Special Reporter.
Boston, Friday, October 30.
Yesterday afternoon at 5 o'clock all the
fire watch towers in the five Western coun
ties were closed. It will be remembered
that about a fortnight ago those east of
W orcester county were closed, but the oth
ers were kept open because the funds
came from the national government. Now
comes the statement that the national
lands available are also exhausted nnd
that these towers must be closed earlier
than they would be if there were money
enough. It shows that the situation is
not yet wholly safe as yesterday the Shel
burne lookout reported five different for
est lives Considering the rain and the
frosty nights, this shows that there is still
danger. M estern Massachusetts, it is said
to-day at the office of the state forester,
has not had as much rain as the eastern
part, and the danger from forest fires is
not past, though much reduced.
Columbus day was prolific in forest fires,
For the five western counties the different
stations reported the following number for
tbe week beginning October 11. and most
of them w£re on the 12th; Jit Tom sta-
k l 2 n (v“‘ : T " w br mountain in Savoy. 6;
Shelburne Falls. 13; Becket. 13; t'ay
mountain in M cstboro. 49; Steerage rock
in Brimfield. 25; Wachusett. 52; Jft Grace
prick, 19. It is estimated that the
total of fires in the forests this season will
aggregate about 2000. It is believed that
° SS, ' S wi " not 110 mu< ' h !lbove
Ur',’
This season the forest fire service had
$23,000 from the state government and
s2uoo from tbe national government The
value of this service is seen in the reduc
tion of the forest fire losses by one-half,
practically. Hence it is a very paying
proposition to maintain these watch tow
ers.
There is a p] an for tbe building of a
new tower in Ashfield next season; also
one in Blandford and some along the New
York border,—one in Williamstown, one in
Hancock and one in Mount Washington.
These Will be supported jointly by Massa
chusetts and the states of Connecticut-
New York and Vermont.
MASSACHUSETTS Civic LEAGUE.
The Massachusetts civic league bas
voted to devote its aanual meeting this
year to some of the more fundamental as
pects of the recreation problem. This is
dope in the belief that the state has in a
measure passed the propaganda period and
that the campaign of the future must lie
in the direction of materialization. The
papers will be by Mrs Eva W. White, in
v e ev< *ning centers in Boston,
on ‘The school-house as a social Center,"
and by Ernst Hermann, playground direc
tor of Newton, on “Flay in education.”
The secretary will give a review of the
rear s work, with special consideration to
the hoiising situation. The meeting will lie
held at 3 Joy street, Boston, on Friday,
November 20, at 3.30 p, in. A special dem
onstration will be given by Mr Hermann,
showing bow to use churches,. schools and
other places for recreation purposes.
GERMANY AND THE WAR
HER REASONS FOR FIGHTING
TOLD BY PROF ERNST RICHARD
Columbia Professor Addresses Mass
meeting of Local Germans.
The mass-meeting at the Turnverein
hall Monday evening in support of the Ger
man cause in the European war was at
tended by a large audience of citizens of
German origin. They were most cordial in
their reception of the speaker. Prof
Ernst Richard of Columbia university,
and his effective points were enthusiasti
cally applauded. After the speech, which
was given in the German language, a
liberal collection was taken for the bene
fit of the German relief fuud. Prof
Richard was born at Bonn, Ger., in 1859,
and was educated at Bonn and Marburg
universities. He came to America in
1883 and since 1903 he has been a lectur
er on German civilization at Columbia
university In 1904 he founded the Ger
man-American peace society and, in 1906,
the New York peace society. In 1911 he
published an original work on "The His
tory of German Civilization.”
Prof Richard proved to be a forcible,
incisive and eloquent speaker, who was
deeply in earnest in discussing. “What the
Germans are fighting for in this war.”
He was introduced by the chairman of the
meeting, C, H. Schrag. Notable features
of the address were a defense of German
militarism: an attack on the neutrality of
the American press and the American
people, carefully distinguished from the
neutrality of the government, as insincere
and hypocritical; a charge much elabo
rated that Belgium was in alliance with
France and England before the war; and
spirited laudation of the German people
as the pre-eminent exponents of liberty,
justice and civilization.
At the outset, Prof Richard emphasized
the unity of the German people in the
war crisis. He recognized the possibility
of Germany's defeat, but declared that such
an outcome would be the triumph of cun
ning and treachery over truth. Reverting
to prehistoric times, he showed how Ger
man ideals of freedom became supreme
over Roman despotism. Germany was
the original fountain of liberty from
which the French and English drew their
ideas of freedom. Religions freedom, he
declared, was brought into the modern
world by Martin Luther and his German
contemporaries. Tracing the history of
Germany since the 30-years’ war. Prof
Richard argued that such wonderful
progress from what was almost the ex
termination of the nationality to the pres
ent status of a great world power dem
onstrated that no greater people existed
on the earth to-day. Calling attention
to the special triumphs of German civ
ilization. he reviewed the German edu
cational system. Whereas in America, the
pupils work to get good marks, in Ger
many they are taught to do their duty
and stand by the truth. His general
remarks on the American school system
were unfavorable.
In summarizing the things the Germans
are now fighting for. the speaker placed
first the right to inhabit peacefully their
native laud, second, the right to educate
their children to honor their country,
third, the right to grow and expand in
dustrially finally, the right to fight for
the best interests of humanity. Culture,
integrity. individuality and honest labor
embodied the speaker’s conception of what
Germany fights for.
Prof Richard did not discuss the diplo
macy immediately preceding the war, but
gave considerable attention to the relations
between Englund, France and Germany
for 10 years ba ck to show that the entente
powers conspired to overthrow Germany.
He showed a strong feeling of resentment
against England in particular and the
address was notable throughout for sar
castic allusions to the English people.
In conclusion. Prof Rjchard urged his
audience very strongly To give liberally to
the German relief fund and to give their
moral support to the fatherland in its
hour of trial.
HOW A GERMAN PROFESSOR FEELS
The German Nation the Most Perfect
Creation of Mankind and Everyone
Mast Be for It or Against It.
[Special London Cable Dispatch to New
York World.]
A letter written to a friend in Holland
by Dr Adolph Lasson, a German privy
councillor and professor of philosophy in
Berlin university, is thus translated into
English by the Daily Chronicle:—
“For months I have not written to a
single foreigner. Foreigner menns enemy,
dum probatur contrarium (though the con
trary may bo proved). No one can re
main neutral to the German state and
people. Either you consider it ns the most
perfect creation that history has produced
up to now, or yon acquiesce in its destruc
tion—nay, in its extermination. A man
who is not a German knows nothing of
Germans.
“We are morally nnd intellectually su
perior beyond all comparison, ns are our
organizations nnd our institutions.
“Wilhelm 11. delieiae generis humani
(the delight of the human race), had in
his possession a power with which he was
in position to smash everything, yet he
has always protected peace, justice nnd
honor. The greater his successes the more
devout and humble he has become.
“Onr army is the epitome of German
excellence. We must sacrifice our dear
est. our best, our most noble ones to fight
with Russian beasts, English mercenaries
and Belgian fanatics. The French are the
only ones at nil comparable with us.
“There shall be no peace until the three
mischief plotters, who would not let Eu
rope rest, are completely subjugated. We
want peace end safety for ourselves in
order to lie able to guarantee it for others.
We wish to carry on untiringly our work
of culture in peace.
“We have nothing to apologize for. Wf
are no bully state. We threaten no one
so long as we are not attacked. We do
good deeds to all people.
“Louvain was not destroyed—only the
houses of murderers.
"The cathedral of Rhcims is not de
stroyed. The French caused the damage.
“England acts in politics as if we lived
in the 18th century. Germany has taught
the world how to carry on war and poli
tics In a conscientious and proper man
ner.
“England will come to naught. France
can still be saved, let us hope. But Rus
sia must no longer be on our frontier.
“This time xve will have a clean slate.
“The resl enemy is England. Woe unto
thee. England! God is with us and our
just cause."
PLAN TO SEIZE AMERICAN PORTS.
Roosevelt Saya He Has Seen Plans of
Two Bellisterent Empires to Take
• New York and San Francisco.
Col Theodore Roosevelt told the students
at Princeton in an address at Princeton,
N. J., Friday that lie had seen the
plans of two empires now involved in the
European war to capture great American
seaports and bold them for ransom. “It is
this country’s duty.” said Col Roosevelt,
“to put itself in such shape that it will be
able to defend its rights if they are invad-
ed. I myself have seen the plans of at
least, two empires now involved in war to
capture our great cities and bold them
for ransom because our standing army is
too weak to protect them. I have seen de
liberate plans prepared to take both San
Francisco and New York and hold them
for ransoms that would cripple our coun
try and give funds to the enemy for carry
ing on war.”
CALLS FOB THE PLANS.
I From the Brooklyn Standard-Union.l
“I myself have seen the plans of two
of the countries now engaged in the Eu
ropean war to invade the United States,
capture our greater cities and hold them
for ransom,” So said Theodore Roosevelt
in a speech at Princeton, N. J., yester
day.
What are the plans? What countries
have prepared them? As n patriotic citi
zen. mi less than as an ex-president,
surely it was the duty of Mr Roosevelt at
once to communicate those plans to the
war department at Washington. Mr
Roosevelt does not explain who showed
them to him. Why any king, kaiser, czar,
president or sultan should show those
Idans to ex-President Roosevelt is a mys
tery: hut no doubt they were so shown,
because Mr Roosevelt says lie saw them.
But what are they? Not only the war
department, but the public ought to know
what the plans are. so we can discuss
the best means of thwarting them. It
would be very bad if we should have an in
' salon by a foreign foe, and Mr Roose
velt the only American who knows what
the enemy's plan of campaign is.
EX-MINISTER WILLIAMS BACK.
Admits He Was Undiplomatic—But the
Last Cry for Freedom Would Out.
George Fred Williams of Boston, for
mer United States minister to Greece and
Montenegro, whose criticism of the Euro
pean powers for their conduct in Albania
led to a request for his resignation' early
in July, arrived in New York Saturday
on board the steamship Nieuw Amsterdam
from Rotterdam. Mr Williams said that
he was not forced to resign, but he ad
mitted that the statement attributed to
him was undiplomatic, and he, therefore,
tendered his resignation, and is now on
his way to Washington officially to sever
his connection with the diplomatic serv
ice.
"I had to make the statement that I am
charged with." continued Mr Williams.
“It was my last cry for freedom and
justice for Albania before the nations of
Europe began to fly at one another's
throats. Albania, surrounded by six
powers, was in the hands of usurpers
who had no business there and who were
setting one religion against another. I
have been told that Italy and Greece have
entered Albania, and if they have it
means a fight to the finish. When Essad
Pasha went to Albania it was understood
that he was backed by Italy. With Turkey
now in the field armed against the allied
powers, it means that the Balkans will
again become a seething caldron.
"As to my personal position, Albania
worships me and the people would have
made me their prophet. lam quite satis
fied with the stand that J took. In June
I protested loudly against the proposed
international commission form of govern
ment. and in September 1 had the satisfac
tion of seeing the prince of Wied anil the
entire commission kicked out bag and
ba gga geT
VILLA, THE HOPE OF MEXICO.
Carranza Weak, Vain and Opinion
ated—— An Impossible Leader.
[From the New York Tinies.]
Villa has understandable plans which
he does not proclaim with the ‘'when
e'er 1 ope my lips let no dog bark" air.
He wants a civil government, with the
military kept in its place. He wants
reprisals and confiscations to cease. At
least that is what he says, nnd experi
enced American sojourners ill Mexico are
inclined to believe him. He has been a
dangerous man. but not a shifty one. H
good advisers will help him, he may
speedily make life in Mexico worth living
again.
That Carranza is -well meaning nobody
doubts. But he is weak, vain and opinion
ated. Everything has been in his hands.
By education and training he seemed the
right man to form a new government and
carry out the constitutionalist program.
But he has accomplished nothing of im
portance, aud the dominating spirit iu
the convention of generals and governors
is against him. Th- best, hope of Mexico,
therefore, lies in the power of Villa to
attract to his support men with the ad
ministrative gift, who can prepare the way
for a civil government and the enactment
of a few laws which will enable the peo
ple to live in it state of industrial free
dom.
GREELEY DIDN’T START IT.
(From the Indianapolis News.]
Who was it that said “Go West, young
man?” The phrase lias often been cred
ited to Horace Greeley, but he was not the
first to use it and once denied that be said
it. It was written by John B. L. Soule, a
brilliant young man, who edited the Terre
Haute Express in 1851-3, On one occasion
Col Richard W. Thompson of Terre
Haut<> advised him to go West and grow
up with the country, adding: “Why. John,
you could write an article that would be
attributed to Horace Greeley if you tried."
Soule modestly doubted it. but Thompson
insisted and Soule promised to try. The
result was an article in the Express on the
opportunities offered to young men by the
West, which began by saying that Horace
Greely could never have given better ad
vice than that contained in the words. ‘‘Go
West, young man.” It was a suppositi
tious quotation from Greeley, but the arti
cle was copied and pretty soon the Suppo
sititious phrase was attributed to Greeley
himself. After it had received wide circu
lation the New York Tribune came out
with a repriut of the Express article ac
companied by a footnote by Mr Greeley,
saying that he was not the author of the
expression, but he fully indorsed it and
joined in saying. "Go West, young man,
go West”
CALIFORNIA WANTS BELGIANS.
[From the Philadelphia Inquirer ]
California wants the expatriated Bel
gians. A committee, made up of planters,
viticulturists, financiers and statesmen,
is raising money und hopes to induce
many of them to settle on California soil.
The proposition is to allot a large amount
of land in small sections, but several
times ns large as the Belgians have culti
vated at home, to supply them with seed,
food and homes so that they may begin
early next spring to raise crops.
This is a sound proposition. It con
templates getting to California the most
intensive agriculturists in the world. It
will not be nn easy step, but there is no
reason whv it should not measurably suc
ceed if there is displayed sufficient in
telligence aud enough money is raised.
Of all other classes of the population
wo now have a surfeit, hut we never can
have too many cultivators of the soil.
And the Europeans know much more
about farming than we do in this coun
try. .
"made IN ENGLAND.
[From Tatler.]
“Which is the quickest way to the hos
pital, please?”
“Go along here till you come to the
marketplace, then call for three cheers
for the kaiser.’’
Rev Walter Marion Rudolph, pastor of
the Baptist church at Marshfield. Mo,;
committed suicide the other day. He left
a long letter to the public in which he
said that he was despondent over the evil
that be found “too abundantly" on every
hand.
B. AND M. ADDS A DIRECTOR
CHANGES IN BOARD’S PERSONNEL
Five Resign From Directorate at An
nual Meeting of Rond’s Stock
holders.
The directorate of the Boston and
Maine railroad was increased from 13 to
14 and the personnel of the board con
siderably changed at the adjourned an
nual meeting of the stockholders of the
road at Boston last week. Five directors,
Richard Olney. A. W. Sulloway, Lucius
Tuttle, E. F. Greene and Alexander
Cochrane, resigned, and C. S. Cook of
Portland, Me., aud N. G. Eastman of
Exeter. N. H., were added to the board.
The five trustees, agreed upon by the
federal authorities to manage the majority
stock formerly held for the New York.
New Haven and Hartford railroad, were
also added to the directorate. One of the
trustees. Frank P. Carpenter, belonged
to the old board. The new directorate is
made up as follows: James H. Hustis,
Frederic C. Dumaine, Samuel Carr. James
M. Prendergast, Charles W. Bosworth,
James D. Upham. George H. Prouty,
Frank P. Carpenter, Marens P. Knowlton,
James L. Doherty. Henry B. Day, Charles
P. Hall, Charles S. Cook and E. G. East
man.
At a subsequent meeting of the new
board of directors, James H. Hustis was
re-elected president, Herbert E. Fisher,
treasurer, and Arthur B. Nichols, clerk.
After the stockholders’ meeting Marcus
P. Knowlton made the following state
ment on behalf of the trustees:—
“The purpose of the decree lately en
tered in the federal court in New York is
to take the control of the Boston and
Maine railroad from the New York. New
Haven and Hartford railroad company and
to rest it temporarily in a board of trustees
whose duty it is to see to it that the Bos
ton and Maine railroad is operated and
managed independently of the other cor
poration, with a view solely to the interest
of the public and of its stockholders as
members of the corporation, and to elect
officers for the accomplishment of this pur
pose. and ultimately to dispose of this
stock to the best advantage, under an or
der of the court, in such n way us shall
make the separation of the two corpora
tions permanent, and shall be to the best
advantage of the New Haven company.
“The decree expressly authorizes the
election of the trustees into the directorate
Of the railroad, and it seems to contem
plate. at least to this extent, a probable
change in the managing board of the cor
poration.
"The directors elected at the annual
meeting in 1913 wore 18 in number. Some
of them after having accepted office,
resigned at different times, several months
ago, so that, the present number is only
13. Others have declined to be considered
as candidates for re-election. The trustees
are of the opinion that for the business
of management 14 is a better number
than 18 to constitute the board of direc
tors of the Boston and Maine company.
"With some hesitation, but in accordance
with the supposed expectation of the
parties to the suit in which they were ap
pointed. they decided to vote for them
selves for directors.
“The corporation is fortunate in its pres
ident. lately chosen, whose ability and ex
perience gives the trustees great hope and
expectation that, taking advantage of im
proved' external conditions, if we are
favored with them, we shall see the dawn
of a brighter day in the financial life of
the company."
FOR SMALLER DIRECTORATE.
New Haven’s Has 17 Members—Five
New Directors Elected.
The directorate of the New York, New
Haven and Hartford railroad was de
creased from 27 to 17 members at the an
nual meeting of the stockholders at New
Haven. Ct., last week. The company
points out in a statement that no member
of the new board participated in the pur
chase of properties of the company about
which there, has been complaint. Twelve
members of the old board were re-elected.
The five new members are: Benjamin
Campbell of New Haven, a vice-president
of the company, Frank W. Matteson of
Providence. Joseph B. Russell of Boston,
Eli Whitney of New Haven and Harrison
Whittemore of Naugatuck, Ct.
The full board is now made up as fol
lows; Frederick F. Brewster, Benjamin
Campbell, Arthur T. Hadley and Eli
Whitncv of New Haven. W. Murray
Crane of Dalton. T. DeWitt Cuyler of
Philadelphia. Howard Elliott. James L.
Richards and Joseph B. Russell of Boston,
J. H. Harding and John T. Pratt of New
York Frank W. Matteson of Providence,
Francis T. Maxwell of Rockville, Augus
tus S. May of Bridgeport, Henry K. Mc-
Harg of Stamford. Edward Milligan of
Hartford and Harris Whittemore of Nau
gatuck.
Mr Elliott made a lengthy statement in
which he expressed the hope that the road
is now emerging from its troubles and on
the way to better times. By strict econo
mies. he said, there had been a gain in
net earnings during the year,
Mr Elliott spoke of the alleged injustice
done to railroads by operating from the
parcel post, citing an instance of the ship
ment from Philadelphia to Boston a few
days ago of $5,000,000 in gold weighing
614 tons, on which the government saved
its* express charges and the railroads got
nothing for carriage or protection.
JOLLY OLD NOVEMBER.
He conies when days are short and crisp
And chilly winds are. blowing,
He brings along his overcoat
And sets the clouds to snowing:
He makes us hunt up winter clothes.
Loy In a lot of fuel,
And pinches fingers, ears and toes.
Until we call him cruel.
And yet he Is a jolly chlel,
Sets tender eyes to glancing,
Puts al the world to seeking sport,
And youthful feet to dancing;
Ho brings Thanksgiving Day around,
No matter what the weather.
And is a flrst-ratc kind of month,
When taken altogether.
He joins us at the Ingleside.
When cider mull is brewing,
And scintillates with ruddy light.
All somber thoughts eschewing;
He makes himself so much at home,
Aud gives such tittle bother.
Until we bless his jolly grace
And love him like a brother.
He is the bachelor of months.
The uncle of the seasons.
And for the naughty things he docs
Gives most convincing reasons;
December follows him. you know.
And he must then prepare us
For gloomy days and freezing nights,
So winter canuot scare ns.
Jakk H. Harihsox.
Dallas, Tex, Septsmter.ian.
The bny-a-bale movement may be lan
guishing. but the buy-o-eotton-gown move
ment. started by elub women in New York
city, is quite as brilliant and worthy a
conception.
The Germans, too, have an artistic
touch in announcing a military reverse*
The statement, “the new Russian force
seems to have been unexpectedly strong,
but still not strong enough io out difficul
ties in the way of the Germiiu retreat,”
must be credited to the military expert of
the Berlin Tageblatt.