The Sun and the New York herald. [volume], February 15, 1920, Section 7 Magazine Section, Page 9, Image 91

About The Sun and the New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1920-1920

Image provided by: The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundation

                
iSSSSBSSSSSSSSSSSS
THE SUN AND NEW , YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1920.
America's Passion Play Season Starts Next Sunday
"Veronica's Veil' Has
Had Five Successful
Presentations in
West Hoboken Par
ish That Provides
Members, of Two
Full Casts
ffTrlTIt five successful seasons behind
VV it America's Passion Plajr "Veron
ica's Veil" "will enter its sixth on Sunday
fit ernoon, February 22, at St. Joseph's
Aod'torintn, West Hoboken. Washington's
1'irflidny is looked upon as an auspicious
r - on which to inaugurate the now season.
Fi ml rehearsals by the two casts carao to
oml a week ago, and tho preliminary
, devised for the little ones, is now in
l-r -ress.
It has been the practical thought of
Father Conrad, C. P., director of the play,
to make improvements year after year.
Changes are mado even in tho midst of the
s,e;ion if need be. As a rule, however, the
enure Passion Play organization is reorgan
ized in the fall of each year, fresh and
promising talent is tried out, parts are as
signed to those best fitted for them, and ef
forts are mado to enhance the stage ef
fects. There are several newcomers this year.
Charles Bigalke succeeded the veteran Pas
sion Player, Joseph F. Koch, as coach.
Mr. Koch will be seen again, however, in
his old part of Caiphas in Cast A, His
i;on, Paul F. Koch, a war veteran, has re
turned to the organization and will be seen
again as Judas, a part created by him. A
now Miriam has been found in the per
son of Miss Marie B. Hanlon of Jersey
City. Another newcomer is Miss Mildred
Tiburski, who will be seen as Ruth. Thomas
Kilduff last season's Caiphas of Cast B,
has been assigned to the part of Nero, the
Emperor, in the same cast. Cast A will have
the honor of opening the sixth season, giv
ing two performances on Sunday, Febru
ary 22, at 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon
and S :15 o'clock in the evening.
Principals in the Two Casts.
Principals in this cast are:
Christus, Joseph Halsch Caiaphas, Jo
seph F. Koch; Rebecca, Miss Helen Kel
lenberger; Miriam, Miss Marie B. Hanlon;
Ruth, Miss Mildred Tiburski; Veronica,
Miss Madeline Bigalke; Domitilla, Miss
May Mackay; Judas, Paul F. Koch; Nero,
Frank Moore; Abenadar, Edwin Coyle;
Fabius, George King; Joseph of Arimathea,
Phillip Hennebcrgcr; Cassianus, James A.
B. Gruff; Reguliu, Aloysius Ritterbeck;
Annas, James Lewis; Obed, Fred Jaeger.
The two easts give the performances on
alternate weeks. Cast B will relieve Cast A
during the second week of the season.
The principals in Cast B uie: Caiphas,
Albert Bessing; Rebecca, Reba O'Shea;
iiuih. Elsie Bickar; Judas, Leonard Mat
tlip; Joseph of Arimthea, William
Dauke; Fabius, Nicholas Oland; Abenadar,
Robert Thome; Veronica, Helen Carlin.
A huge illuminated cross built on the
tower of the Passion Play church a few
doors away from the auditorium will be a
eign;il light announcing the first night per
formance of the season. This cross will be
lit up for every night performance of the
nason. The lights were, first-tried out on
Vew Year's eve, and the cross was visible
o.i the Manhattan shore and at distant
points in New Jersey. The first night per
formance is called executive committee
night, and is attended by members of the
'ommittee end their friends.
Efforts have been made from time to time
to give this country a permanent religious
drama based on the Passion and Death of
Christ. For reasons that are varied and are
of no special import at this time .ill of these
efforts have failed. America's Passion Play
"Veronica's Veil" has attained its success
gradually. Its permanency is now beyond
Brig.-Gen.
Continued from Fifth Page.
Central Trust Company of Illinois, who
was general purchasing agent of the Amer
ican Expeditionary Forces and Gen. Persh
ing's immediate representative there, in a
letter dated November 4, 1919, which is
printed on page 1717, part 25, of the Hear
ings Before the Senate Committee on Military-
Affairs, states that:
"The central finance agency, as Gen.
Lord worked it out, I think is abso
lute ly necessary for the intelligent pres
entation of the financial situation of
the army."
Gen. Dawes, on page 1605, part 30 of the
Hearings Before the Military Affairs Com
mittee of tho House of Representatives,
further states:
After a full consideration of the cen
tral finance division plan of the Army,
I am heartily in favor of it"
Gen, Dawes in a letter to the Military
Affairs Committee again states that there
was great need ofNi central, independent
finance sen-ice in France during the war,
but thnt through the opposition of the va
rious independent supply services he was'
tinable to get it.
The Boot and Shoe Club of Boston has
indorsed tho perpetuation of the- present
CA1APHAS and ihe CENTURION -in AMERICA'S
PASSION 'Pl-AV
n doubt; that is, if the American people
continue from year to year to show they
are really and earnestly intent on making
it permanent by continuous support. It
is known now in every large centre of
North America. Like most enterprises
for good, it owes it success to the Ameri
can press. It was really discovered by
newspaper men, and newspaper men have
by their unselfish interest raised it to the
heights. In a lengthy and kindly editorial
on the morning following the opening of
Inst season The Sun announced that "it
America's Passion Play has achieved u
distinct success."
But all this kindly help would have been
unavailing were there no elements of per
manency in the play itself. These elements
exist, and they may be said to be, chiefly:
simplicity, and that means an entire ab
sence! of imitative professionalism, as it also
must and does mean the presence of a deep
rooted motive that is wholly and uncom
promisingly spiritual; a drama that tells
a story in understandable if not always
well chosen words; netion that is ever ap
parent and rarely falters-, tableaux that are
lifelike and grip the human soul; acting
that is necessariy amateur but not always
amateurish, that constantly aims at the re
cesses of the heart without the sensation of
a hammer and nails action; mechanical ef
H. M. Lord
finance reserve of the War Department in
a resolution dated November 12, 1919.
Resolved, That this club recommends to
Congress the enactment of legislation
which will perpetuate the present Finance
Service of ;tho army and establish it as a
separate bureau of the War Department.
The Finance Service of the War Depart
ment as an independent bureau has the in
dorsement of the Cincinnati Chamber of
Commerce, in a resolution adopted Novem
ber 20, 1919, from which the following is
an cxtrdct:
And whereas this consolidation ef
fected a complete divorcement of tho pur
chasing agencies of the army from the
disbursing agency;
And whereas the principle established
by the divorcement of functions is in
harmony with accepted business pro
cedures, Raokcd, That this chamber recom
mends to Congress tho enactment of leg
islation which will provide for a finance
service of the army and establish it as a
separate bureau of the War Depart
ment The New Haven, Conn., Chamber
of Commerce, under date of October 29,
1919, put itself on record as indorsing an
independent finance service for the War
Department. The following is a quotation
from the resolution as published:
Retohed, That this chamber recom
mends to Congress tho perpetuation of
tho present Finance Service of tho army
as a separate statutory bureau" of the
War Department for the purpose of so
"VERONICA'S VEIX-"
fects that cie employed for purposeful ends
and not merely as theatrical sensation.
The sacred character of Christ is the cen
tral and impelling figure of the entire
production. In this play the Saviour is
personated and seen in the historic incidents
of the Passion beginning with the Betrayal
in the Garden and closing with the sublime
scene on Calvary.
Revised by Father Conrad.
The original manuscript, still in exist
ence, was written by a Passionist Father.
That document was considerably altered
and improved by another Passionist, Father
Conrad, C. P., who has a special talent for
iho theatre and uses this talent for spritual
purposes. Among other things Father Con
rad introduced into the play these living
tableaux that are the very life of it. Al
though it frequently has been announced, it
has to be restated here that the Passionist
Order, of which Father Conrad and his as
sistant, Father Bernard, are members, is in
no way officially connected with this spirit
ual enterprise and derives no profit what
ever from its performances.
The two fathers who jointly direct it are
in charge of St. Joseph's Church, a few
doors away from the Auditorium, Father
Conrad as pastor and Father Bernard as
assistant. They built the Auditorium espe-
Describes the
curing both economy and efficiency in
operation and the separation of the dis
bursing agency from tho purchasing or
procuring agencies of the War Depart
ment. Tihe work performed by the finance ser
vice in the matter of settling the claims of
soldiers was the subject of an indorsement
of approval by the American Legion at its
arinual session in Minneapolis', Minn.,
November 10 to 12, 1919, and this hos been
supplemented by on additional resolution
-by George Washington Post, American
Legion, under date of January G, 1920,
from which the following is taken:
Whereas it is the' opinion of the post
that the work accomplished by the
Finance Service of tho army has clearly
shown that efficient administration of the
finances of the War Department requires
that such administration, bo exercised by
' and consolidAed in a service or bureau
which has no functions to perform other
than those pertaining to finance and
accounting matters; and
Whereas this principle of administra
tion is embodied in the Finance Service of
the army as now organized, therefore
it is
Betalvci, That George Washington
Post No. 1 of tha District of Colombia
Department of the American Legion go
on record as urging the members of Con
gress to adopt legislation whieh will per
pctunte the Finance 8crvice, United States
Army, as an independent bureau of the
War Department.
In the statement of the now organization
JOSEPH HIF2SCH 8S "CHRISTUS"
cially for tho Passion Play and the earn
ings are used to reduce the debt on this
property. When this debt is paid it will
take at least ten more years to do so the
receipts fljill bo used for educational and
charitable purposes. Excepting stage
hands no one connected with the Passion
Play organization, and neither the direc
tor nor his assistant, is paid. The young
and cajiable men and women, who 'have
given up their nights and days during the
last five years to make the Passion Play
what it is, count it a privilege to be associ
ated with it and have no other motive than
War Department's Finance Service
published in your paper it is said that one
of the largest food products concerns in the
country has declined to accept War De
partment contracts because of delay in
payment of invoices. A copy of tho letter
written by tho firm making this statement
was submitted to the Finance Service and
investigation disclosed the fact that there
tad been delays in payment of accounts of
the concern in question but that tho delays
were far more serious prior to the consoli
dation ot finance than since, and that such
delays as have occurred since the organiza
tion of the Finance Service we're duo ex
clusively to failure on the part of the sup
ply bui involved to function properly,
and the payments were then made more,
promptly than they would have been under
other conditions because the Finance Ser
vice interested itself in getting the vouchers
completed.
In the War Department many contracts
are issued providing for a discount of a
certain rJer cent, of the amount involved in
the contract for prompt payment An
accurate record has been kept the ad
vantage token of this provision oh. tho part
of disbursing officers and failures to tae
such advantage were immediately looked
into, and the record shows that since the
installation of an independent Finance
Service there has been nn increase of more
than CO per cent, in the amount of dis
counts taken advantage. of by the Govern
All Denominations Moved by Appeal and
Many Widely Known Persons Serve
On Committee in Charge '
that of making this world a better ono to
live in.
The two casts havo 260 members. Hard
workers during the day, nil of them, they
rarely miss rehearsals or the regular per
formances assigned to them. They live tho
life they preach, being selected as-much for
their natural piety as their ability to act.
Onco a year bofore the opening of each
season these plnyors make n three-day re
treat, which is always directed by Father
Conrad, CP. ' v
Appeals to All Denominations.
It is not surprising that a movement of
this nature should rally to its .support men
and women of all denominations. Tho Pas
sion of Christ was for all humanity, for
creed and crecdless so is this .Passion
Play. It has been witnessed and approved
by clergymen of both Protestant and Catb-
olic Christianity. During tive years nearly
250,000 people of all denominations have
witnessed it.
Membership on tho executive committee
of patrons and counsellors, under whose
auspices it is presented annually, is not at
all restricted to denominational lines. This
committee was formed three years ago.
Justice Eugene A. Philbin was the first
chairman, retiring at the end of the 1918
season. He was succeeded by Col. Louis
D. Conley, who, in turn, has been succeeded
for tho season of 1020 by W. Bourke Cock
ran. Recently Gov. "Edward I. Edwards of
ment through prompter payment on the
part of the Finance Service.
In connection with tho charge mado in
the statement quoted in your paper that
there have been delays in payment because
of an independent Finance Service it will
be interesting to note that within the past
week the purchasing agent for one of the
WarDepartment bureaus who has charge
of tho procurement of paints and var
nishes informed the Director of Finance
'hat because of the prompt payment being
made by tho Finance Service he is getting
bis supplies of paints and varnishes approx
imately 25 per cent cheaper than the other
Qovorniprni bureaus in Washington.
Tho organization . of on independent
finance service in the War Department is
an innovation in the line of good business.
For the first time in the history' of the War
Department there is a uniform system of
expenditure, n uniform system of account
ing, a uniform system of cost keeping, and
this unification of tho finance activities of
the War Department has resulted in the
saving 'of many millions of dollars for the
Government
There is no business in the world that is
entitled to any consideration for efficiency
that would attempt to conduct its finances
as
the War Department handled its
finance duties prior to the installation of
a finance service. The five statutory bn
ream with whieh we eat red iat tka war
New Jersey accepted the post of vice
chairman tendered him by Mr. Cockran.
Ecclesiastical approval of the enterprise is
yearly renewed by tho Rt. Rev. John J.
O'Connor of Newark, in whoso dioceso l
is performed. Tho Bishop is honorary
chairman. Cardinal Gibbons has gratu
itously favored ,the play with his hearty
indorsement. Mrs. Theodore Rosevelt made
tho pilgrimage to the Auditorium during
the chairmanship of Justice Philbin.
It took New Jersey a long time to wako
up to the importance of the enterprise in
its midst, but there are indications this year
that the home State of tho Passion Play
realizes that it has something worth encour
aging. The formation of the executive
committee nnder Mr. Cockran brought
about two sections, one for New Jersey,
the other for New York. The committee
meets annually, shortly beforo the first
public performance, in New York. This
year the meeting will be held at the Metro
politan Club.
The Executive Committee.
Here is the complete list of officers and
members of the executive committee for the
1020 season:
Honorary chairman, the Rt. Rev. J. J.
O'Connor; honorary vice-chairman, for
Brooklyn, tho Rt. Rev. Mgr. P. F. O'Hare;
for Jersey City, theRt. Rev. Mgr. J. A.
Sheppard; chairman, W. Bourke Cockran;
vice-chairman, Gov. Edward I. Edwards;
past chairmen, for 1018, Justice Eugene A.
Philbin; for 1010, Col. Louis D. Cohley;
director of the play, Rev. Father Conrad,
C. P.; assistant director, Rev. Father Ber
nard, C. P.; general secretary, Augustin
McNally; assistant secretaries, Willium J.
Doll and Frank Kcckcissen; chief elec
trician, Charles Sehreck; coach, Charles
Bigalko; mistress of wardrobe, Miss Mary
Coyle.
Members for New York State: The Rt.
Rev. Mgr. Michael J. Lavelle, V. G.; the
Rev. John J. Wynne, S. J.; the Rev. Dr.
tJohn Talbot Smith, Don C. Seitz, Arthur
' Williams, Dr. George Frederick Kunz, J. I.
C. Clarke, Frank B. Flaherty, Walter J.
M. Donovan, Joseph T. Ryan, Louis J.
Ehret, George A. Reynolds, Henry L.
Joyce, George MacDonald, Henry Ridder,
Dr. Harry P. Swift, Edward A. Arnold,
Martin Dyer, P. Q. Foy.
Members for State of New Jersey: Judge
James F. Minturn, Judge Philip William
Grece, Judge William H. Speer, Mayor
Frank Hague of Jersey City, Mayor Pat
rick J. Griffin of Hoboken, John H. Gavin,
John J. MoMahon, William J. Doll, Charles
Singer, Thomas F. Martin, Adolpb
Longer, John J. Eagan, James F. Norton,
George J. Cox, John F. O'Neill, Eugeno F.
Kinkea, Lawrence Fagan, John Guilfoyle,
William Weir, John J. McGovern, John
Sweeney, Joseph F. S. Fitzpatrick, John P
McCormick.
Each year on the. feast of St. Veronica
the chairman of the committee addresses a
message to the officers and members of the
Passion Play organization. In this mes
sage of this year W. Bourke Cockran said :
"In these days when this civilization which
we call Christian, beset with difficulties on
all sides, seems to be rocking on its founda- '
'.ions and in danger of total collapse it is
in the last degree important that attention
be directed to the one way by which the
perils now menacing it can be averted, and
that is by rekindling in the bosoms of men
the fervent faith of the early Christians in
the revelation from which our civilization
sprang.
"No greater service can be rendered in
this direction than by encouraging attend
ance at this Passion Play, where all the
events of the sublime tragedy on which
Christianity was founded are forcibly rip
resented, as well as the devotion which led
the early martyrs 'to water with their blood
the seeds of truth planted by our divine
Saviour."
grew into ten ipdependent bureaus before
the close of the war, each expending its
funds in its own peculiar and independent
iway and accounting for them in the way
it saw fit. As a result it was never at
any time, possible to make an accurate
check on the state of the- War Department
finances, and the Secretary' of War did
have and could have nci financial control
of his appropriations.
To-day the War Department is the one
governmental department that has its
finances so organized as to dovetail into
any budget system thnt the Congress may
decide to install. Any change in the pres
ent system that proposes putting the chief
of any supply bureau in charge of tho pay
ment for supplies contracted for giving
the roan obligating for supplies control of
the man who pays is subversive of the
best interests of the Government, and it
docs not seem that this statement needs
amplification. It is a principle acknowl
edged by all good business organizations
and all successfnl corporations, and is in
line with the best corporative practice.
Thanking you for your consideration,
and requesting that this article ft given
the same publicity as was given the article
to whieh this aims to be a rejoinder, I re
main, Very sincerely yours,
H. M. LORD,
Brigadier-General, Director of Finance,
TJ. S. Army.
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