Evening star. [volume], February 02, 1932, Page B-11, Image 27

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Amendments to Resolution
Proposed by Clayton in
Interest of Citizens.
A number of changes in the street |
railway merger resolution are expected.!
to be urged during the hearing on the
subject before the Senate District Com
mittee this afternoon.
William McK Clayton, spokesman for
the Federation of Citizens' Associations,
has laid before both tte Senate com
mittee and the House subcommittee, in
charge of the question, five proposed
amendments. Mr. Clayton is slated to
outline these revisions at today's hear
ing.
Bus Transfers Urged.
The hearing this afternoon also will
Iv attended by representatives of the
companies and officials of the Public
Utilities Commission.
One of the proposed changes Mr
Clayton will urge is that the new com
pany be organized under a congress
ional charter. Another is that the pro
vision relating to transfers be made
broader in the public interest, to apply
from bus to bus and bus to street car
That elimination of the clause pro
viding that no competitive transportation
line operate without a certificate of
necessity from the Utilities Commission
will be advocated. Another suggested
change Is that the commission be al
lowed to pass on the expenses of the
merger.
Chairman Mapes of the special Com
mittee cn Ftscal Relations which
ceased to exist at the opening of the
new year, was in conference today
w ith Representative Loring Black, chair
man of the Subcommittee on Public
Utilities of the House District Com
mittee. which has held hearings on
the legislation to authorize a merger
cf the traction facilities.
Mapes Pushes Plan.
Mr Mapes was insistent that the
recommendations in his report regard
ing tax levies on public utilities should
be applied in the merger legislation.
Representative Black promised him a
hearing.
Further hearings on the merger
measure also will he necessary. Black
said today, to consider the several
change-- proposed in writing by Clay
ton. These proposals were before
Black today and he promised to give
them earnest study.
•
CHICAGO THEATERS
PROFIT AT S3 “TOP”
Play Prices Cut, While Loop Is
Called Best Show District
in United States.
j»v th*» A^-.'-or-.atrd PrMS.
CHICAGO. February 2 F’rorr* the
viewpoint of the profit side of the
ledger. Chicago was named the best
show town In the United States right
now by those in the theatrical know.
Legitimate shows here were reported
to bo ringing the cash registers con
sistently—and loud enough to be heard
OR Broadway causing New York the
atrical producers to turn longing eyes
westward.
The representative of one theater
corporation, operators of a string of
theaters in the loop, said proceeds from
Its playhouses were resulting in entries
under a column headed "profits."
TL.p average top price in Chicago
now is $3.00. The best seat In the
house last year cost $5.50. Other seats
that last year sold for $3.85 to $4.40
ran now be had for $2.50. Prices
then scale down to $100 and 50 cents.
STRICTER TEST URGED
FOR TAXI DRIVERS
Sixteenth Street Highlands Citi
zens Also Call for Brrghter
Lighting.
More careful investigation of the per
sonal character of applicants for hack
ers' licenses was urged last night by the
Sixteenth Street Highlands Citizens'
Association meeting m the Sixth Pres
byterian Church, Sixteenth and Ken
nedy streets
Tlie association directed that a letter
be sent to the traffic director stating
that it would be desirable if the same
personal character qualifications were
required of applicants for licenses to
drive taxicabs as are required of candi
dates for the police force. It also was
suggested that stricter requirements be
placed on applicants for licenses to
drne trucks.
The present length of the amber
flash in street traffic signals was con
sidered ton short by the citizens and
they recommended that the interval b°
lengthened as a safety measure for
pedestrians.
Another resolution, requesting bright
er lighting of the streets within bound
aries of the territory taken in by the
association, was adopted.
Dr. Lewis J. Battle presided.
FUNERAL RITES HELD
8pprial Dispatch »o The Star
LANHAM. Md. February 2.—The
funeral of Richard Austin Downes. 67
years old, postmaster and Pennsylvania
Railroad station agent here for 14 years,
who died suddenly early Saturday
morning at his home here, the result
of a stroke of paralysis, was held yes
terday from his late residence.
Rev. W E Nelson, pastor of Whit
field Methodist Episcopal Chapel, and
Rev Roland, a former pastor, offi
ciated. Interment was in Whitfield
Cemetery.
First
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If you are not taking advantage
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and service will start tomorrow.
From the Front Row
Reviews and News of Washington s Theaters.
"The Band Wagon,”
At the National Theater.
MUSIC and action, unham
pered by trivialities of plot
or goal, flash by in aban
doned but harmonious dis
array while "The Band
Wagon" proceeds on the stage of
the National Theater.
Flourish and bang! There is a
design in color or some odd shape
that g 11 tters,
with strains of
soothing, often
d i s tinguished,
music on the
air. and an easy
going crew that
talks wit and
nonsense with
equal appeal to
the intellect and
the emotions,
makes rhythmic
g e s t ures that
please.
More flourish
and bang!
Melodrama that
reaches the
Artur Astaire. UPf** limit Ol
nonsense. Many
of the old phrases that once stirred
the gallery Mid some of the new
ones. Just an interlude, mixing
burlesque sorrows with penetrating
pleasures. A view of the serious
ness of what was once life frcm the
pinnacle of disdain. Holding the
mirror up to human tragedy that
has long since ceased to be tragedy.
More flourish find bang! Repeat
ing an idea with insolently intimate
remarks which are not wicked
enough to mean anything Clever
author and trained actors skirting
the edge cf Chesterfieldian regula
tion. It is all very casual, like the
whole production, but, meeting the
mood of the observer, is something
new. That is chiefly what the audi
ence wants. Its verdict, on the
whole, is that here is something dif
ferent. Just as different as all
other things that represent the
cream of what has been effective
before, with a little salad eream or
table sauce added to change the
taste.
All the time "The Band Wagon
is digging up the essence of that
form of entertainment which is too
keen to be romantic, but deals with
music that touches the sensibilities,
and sparkling ideas which repre
sent about the only form of regu
larity displayed in this magnetic
piece pf ebullition. Is it satire?
It would be just as good under any
other name. Probably it is just the
high stanza in the career of George
S Kaufman, abetted bv the simi
larly artistic and knowing Howard
Dietz, with an attempt at harmon
izing. through the musical talent of
Arthur Schwartz.
Up in the so-called Metropolis
Mr. Kaufman must be known as
the town joker. His mind moves in
a rarefied atmosphere which puts
humor into all the frenzied bluff of
life among the ambitious but rud
derless devotees of public appeal.
He sees them all in futuristic shapes
The curtain that hides, then re
veals. the numberless scenes of
"The Band Wagon” makes that kind
of curtain. Those who are not
familiar with this school of art may
accept it on faith, but will agree
that In its striking quality it har
monizes with the show.
Among the entertainers are Fred
and Adele Astaire, who hold a high
place among our excellent exponents
of motion and dance. Their under
standing of the elements of rhythm
is devoted to the cause of making
the recognized principles illuminate
a funny world. They are graceful
and give the impression that they
have just arrived, have the trunk
all packed, and are ready to move
out with the first train going to
nowhere in particular. Among their
interesting numbers are ‘ Sweet Mu
sic,” ‘Hoops” and “White Heat.”
They have their proper place in the
play, for their sense of humor is
noticeable
Burlesque with distinction is the
contribution of Frank Morgan and
Helen Broderick. The latter must
have been born to musical comedy
and farce, for her calm and indif
ferent capability is one of the most
effective of the several interpreta
tions of the Kaufman mind. Mr.
Morgan has that commanding pres
ence that makes him the guiding
Spirit, and in his several contribu
tions he is the kind of performer
that impresses a vigorous person
ality upon all beholders. Their
joint little sketch, "When the Rain
Goes Pitter-Patter," waiting for a
taxicab, is one of the gems of the
piece.
Others who have their parts in
the story are Mary Jo Matthews,
Jay Wilson, Philip Loeb. Francis
Pierlot, John Barker, Ed Jerome
and Lillian Duncan, with numerous
others. The revolving stage is pre
tentious. the ensemble numbers are
notable for grace and melody and
the opening hodge-podge Is startling.
Among the more pretentious num
bers are "High and Low” and "For
Good Old Nectar." The dancing
feature, "Confession,” is extremely
artistic. The orchestra, an impor
tant part of the show, reveals that
enthusiasm that gives the best pos
sible chance for the stage to shin*.
D. C. C.
“Blessed Event”
At The Shubert-Belasco.
“IJLESSED EVENT,” glorifying a
Broad way columnist, and
speaking its lingo in the rough and
tough patter of the day, is a comedy
of hilarious proportions.
It has been many a moon since a
Belasco audience has had the oppor
tunity of laughing its head off. But
last night as the lid was removed
from the inwards of the New York
Daily Express, and as columnist
Alvin Roberts scaled the heights
from a $50 a week Job to "a couple
a' grand” there was little excuse for
not relaxing into hearty guffaws.
Manuel Seff and Forrest Wilson
have delved deep into the secrets
of one of the pulp heroes of the
day, and not only robed him with
glory but put a halo around his
head.
The play is one of those modern
comedies which moves with incredible
speed, and just when you are about
to wonder if it can last much longer,
it suddenly takes a new lease on life
and rips on through a third act,
which is one of the best of the sea
son. Although perhaps the virile
language and the not too sly innu
endos will cause the shockable a
moment or two of grief, it should
be remembered that this is no Lons
dale opus—but a satire on the
Kauffman order and on a subject
which is not as tame as it might be.
The concocting of the phrase,
"blessed event,” and the key-hole
spying into the daily lives of vita!
personages, and telling ihe public in
print what they have been gossiping
privately among themselves is the
creed of, and the reason for the suc
cess which comes to Alvin Roberts.
Mr. Roberts has, however, his trials
and his tribulations—and his life is
far removed from the sweet fields of
Elysium. Having scarcely time to
eat, to sleep or to make love to the
lady of his choice, he moves from
one problem to another — until
finally, in his war on a certain gun
man, who has done our little Nell
foul, and on a certain “crooner,”
whose songs are anathema to him,
he very nearly gets his pass to the
next world at the click of a re
vol ver.
While all this may sound compli
cated—the thesis at hand is far from
that. It is merely a nice little skele
ton upon which to hang the troubles
of a tabloid Broadway wise-cracker.
The acting, like the setting,
is distinctly top-notch, Roger Prior,
as the much maligned columnist
w'ho very nearly gets what is
coming to him for "blessed eventing”
too much, is 100 per cent perfect in
his part—handling it in the swift
paced, restless Lee Tracy manner.
Lee Patrick, as the motion picture
critic, is more than satisfying—as
are Charles D. Brown, Isabel Jewel,
Jean Adair (the mother) and Ralph
Locke. Next to Mr. Prior, however,
it seemed as if Linda Carlon won
the golden apple—her work being
nothing short of magnificent.
E. de S. MELCHER.
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much thinner than tissue paper. It also
is so ductile that it can be drawn out
into wire so fine that 680 feet of it
weigh only one grain.
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