Indianapolis Times, Volume 39, Number 207, Indianapolis, Marion County, 6 January 1928 — Page 6

PAGE 6

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Fair Judges

Although the public will be undoubtedly surprised at the fact that Governor Jackson has asked for a different judge before whom he may be tried, there should be kept in mind the fact that he is well within his constitutional rights and the big evil in Indiana in late years has been that the Constitution has meant but little, either in the letter or the spirit. 'l’lie surprise comes from the fact that the Governor issued a formal statement of gratification when the trial date was finally set and told the people that he desired that full vindication which can only come from a presentation of evidence and a judgment by a jury. The mere fact that Judge Montgomery, from !whom a change is sought, decided adversely on the claim of the Governor and the others jointly indicted with him that the indictment was barred by the statute of limitations would not, of course, be evidence of bias and prejudice. Every man, whether he be a Governor or a pauper, when accused of crime is entitled to have his trial presided over by a judge who is without feeling or any personal animosity. That is the guarantee of the Constitution. That there may have been in the past and will be in the future those who have used this protection against bias to get rid of a judge whom they feared to be just in the hope of obtaining a friendly tribunal does not detract from the necessity of the provision. Otherwise the bench might become the seat of tyranny and the innocent suffer. The machinery of justice is well calculated in theory to give exact justice. In theory, all judges are unbiased. They sit as impartial listeners to decide upon legal questions. They are presumed to live in the realm of legal lore and to have their heads lifted above sentiment or passion. The people must rely upon themselves to obtain at the polls judges who will be impartial in all cases and likewise fearless enough to be unimpressed by either power or wealth. That is the one and only place that they can change judges. The accused is given the right, under the law, to declare his prejudice. It is always a grave accusation and not to be made lightly. There is the presumption that the bias and prejudice is real and of a nature that would turn the court to tyrannies. It may be presumed that the Governor did not make the charge lightly or until he had been convinced that he could not obtain a fair trial. The people are more interested than is the Governor personally that he receive the fairest of trials, that he obtain what he some time ago declared that he seeks a vindication upon the facts and not upon legal technicalities. The people are interested because the great majority would rejoice that the great office of chief executive be lifted from the shadow placed upon it and know that this can only be done when twelve men of eminent fairness and impartiality listen to the evidence and give their verdict. Any action which will impress the people with the complete lack of prejudice, favorable or unfavorable, is to be welcomed. Build the Ball Park Let not the snow and the cold make this city forget that spring is on the way and that spring brings with it that universal, urge to go out to the ball park and fill the lungs with ozone. Fortunately this city will have for the first time in many years a chance to put enthusiasm and civic pride behind their cheers. The new owners of the ball team show every evidence of planning to give the city a real team of which it may be proud. And never forget that a winning ball team is the best of civic assets and a great missionary of civic pride and spirit. These owners want to build a suitable home for their team. They want to erect something to be talked about abroad and enjoyed at home. That they have met with protests on sites which they propose to buy is expected, of course. But after all, perhaps those who object may overestimate the disagreeable features and underestimate the advantages of having such a neighbor. Just why the board in charge of the State fairgrounds should object to such a neighbor is unexplainable. The two should be twins in surroundings. Both need the same sort of transportation facilities. The one is no more objectionable than the other. Both should be welcomed. The big thing is that obstacles should be removed as quickly as possible. The park should be made ready. That takes time and in all probability those who may now object will soon listen eagerly for those old laminar words, “Play ball.” Indianapolis needs some ball players. It needs team work. It needs enthusiasm. It needs enterprise. The Gold Star Pilgrimage Congressmen are being asked to vote for what is known as the Gold Star Pilgrimage. The mothers of veterans killed in the World War may be given a trip to foreign cemeteries where their sons are buried, with the Government defraying all expenses. Don’t scorn this idea. Would that it were possible to send all mothers to France, so that their eyes might look upon those pitiful rows of crosses, thos* thousands upon thousands of graves wherein lie buried the very flower of modern civilization. What hopes of fair £nd brave young souls were •uded there. What futures bright with promise were

The Indianapolis Times (A SCRIPFS-HOWABD NEWSPAPER) Owned and published dally (except Bunday) by The Indianapolis Times Publishing Cos., 214-320 W Maryland Street. Indianapolis, Ind. Price in Marion County. 2 cents —lO cents a week; elsewhere, 3 cents—l 2 cents a week. R°Y W. HOWARD. PRANK G. MORRISON. Editor. President. Business Manager. PHONE—MAIN 3500. ( FRIDAY, 3AN. 6, 1928. Member ol United Press. Scripps-Howard Newspaper Alliance, Newspaper Enterprise Association Newspaper Information Service and Audit Bureau of Circulations. “Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way.”— Dante.

denied life. What beautiful, splendid bodies, filled with love and eagerness and ambition, there crumble into the cold dark dust. What a sight for Christians to behold, those graves in France! They are enough to break the heart of humanity by the stark horror of their everlasting silence. As those crosses lift their arms to the mysterious moon and the hard bright stars they seem to plead for answer to an eternal question, a question which is echoed in the heart of every Gold Star mother, a question for which we await in vain a ijeply. Why? Why did we destrpy our bravest and our best and leave the world a poorer and more sordid place? If we might all make a yearly prilgrimage to those tombs perhaps we could the better realize the awful tragedy of war, the inevitableness of the death of youth. Perhaps we should feel ourselves murderers,, we who shouted and cheered when the war god passed with all the finest and best boys of France and England and Germany and Italy and Austria and America following after. Send the Gold Star mothers to France. Perhaps they will, returning, preach peace. Perhaps they will save other mothers from a like sad journey. It would be far cheaper to send every woman In America to France to see those pathetic graves than to engage in another war and sacrifice yet again the youth of our world. Persuading Husbands "Don’t be ruthless, but be insistent,” advises a newly married actress, upon the subject of a wife’s being able to get her way with a husband who opposes a career for her. Men, no doubt, would prefer the ruthless sort. Being insistent is one of woman’s most damning traits. She can drive men to drink or murder by what is feelingly spoken of as her “gentle Insistence.” She is the sort who can never let go of a pet subject and who insists upon bringing it up over and over, week in and week out. Then she wonders why her husband gets cross with her. This actress infers most certainly that it is within the power of a wife to persuade her husband over to her way of thinking. But why should the woman always have to be the evasive one? Why not put all the cards on the table and be honest about things? And besides this manipulation will never work with all husbands. Most of them are quite set in their ways and gentle insistence only makes them more angry and determined. The only way in which to confront that situation of home versus a career, is to be ruthless about it before marriage. If the man insists upon having a wife who will stay at home, then honesty should compel the woman to make up her mind. If she feels that she can not live up to his expectations, she-should not marry him. Above all things, both should be fair and if neither is willing to make concessions then the marriage had best be abandoned. It is wonderful to watch the splendid dramas, the clever drawing room comedies and the beautiful movies and observe how deftly a smart wife is able to manage her husband. The trouble is that the ordinary husband simply will not behave like a dramatic hero. If he has prejudices he generaly sticks to them and no amount of brilliant campaigning can ever change him. It is far wiser to be ruthless before marriage than to spend a life time being gently insistent afterward. And generally the results for the woman are much more satisfactory. Our 23,000,000 Cars To the harried motorist, to say nothing of the harried pedestrian, the official announcement that there are now more than 23,000,000 motor cars in operation in the United States will come as a means for added worry. The presence on our streets and roads of this swarm of machines has already made our traffic problem one of our most pressing concerns. And when one stops to consider that Ford, General Motors and the other great quantity producers are preparing for banner years in 1928, one is compelled to admit that the situation probably will be a lot worse a year hence than it is now. What is called for, apparently, is an entirely new method of handling the problem. Expert study, expert advice, prompt and far-sighted action are urgently needed. No halfway measures, such as widening a street here, making this highway a oneway street, prohibiting parking here, and so on, are going to solve the difficulty. Application of the best brains obtainable is needed. It is time we awakened to the seriousness of the thing and began looking for these “best brains” and putting them to work on the problem. Otherwise, we are apt to find ourselves tangled up in traffic beyond all endurance in the near future. Whose War Is It? Section 8 of the United States Constitution, Article 131, declares that “Congress shall have the power ... to declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal and make rules concerning capture on land and water.” Has Congress declared war on Nicaragua, or is this a private war? Speaking of unjust discrimination, how about the bald headed man? He has to pay as much for a haircut as the fellow who is thatched like a bolshevik.— Hartford City News. Mental tests indicate that the average person retains faith in Santa Claus until he reaches the age of six. But a lot of us buy blue securities long after we have passed that tender age.—Evansville Courier. It’s our opinion now, since Lindy blazed the way, that long before there is a good motor road from the United States through to South America, motor roads will be out of date.—Decatur Democrat. . It used to be the coals from father’s pipe which burned a hole In the parlor rug, but now It’s the butt of mother’s cigaret which causes the damage.— Bluff ton Banner. It’s going to get so after a while that anew senator will have to have his clothes fumigated and his tonsils removed before they will let him inside.— Lafayette Courier.

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

BRIDGE ME ANOTHER (Copyright, 1927. by The Ready Relerence Publishing Company.) BY W. W. WENTWORTH

(Abbreviations: A—ace: K—king; Q—queen; J—jack; X —any card lower than 10.) 1. What is the most desirable distribution of cards in a no-trump? 2. When may you bid a no-trump on three blank aces? 3. When you hold A J X in dummy, Q X X in declarer’s hand, how do you finesse? The Answers 1. Four—three—three—three. 2. When fourth suit contains three cards. 3. Play small card from hand and finesse Jack.

Times Readers Voice Views

The name and address ol the author must accompany every contribution, but on request will not be published. Letters not exceeding 200 words will receive preference. To the Editor: A short while since The Times invited such of Its readers as chose to express their opinions on the approaching killing of Ruth Snyder and Judd Gray, convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of the husband of the former. Apparently, the trial was fair, the evidence convincing, a jury of thiir peers found them guilty as charged, and they were sentenced to be killed on a certain day now near at hand. The murder was sordid, brutal and loathsome in the extreme, but will it compare with the killing that will be done at the command of the law a few days hence? The murdered man was asleep, and unconscious of his approaching fate; one blow upon the head with that heavy sashweight, then oblivion; the after struggles were automatic. For that one life the law exacts two, under circumstances that far surpass in cold, deliberate cruelty to those of the crime for which they are to die. Alternating day and night, the stroke of the clock, the daily routine of the prison, all serve to warn them of the flight of time and the 1 approach of that dread hour -should they sleep, it is only to start out of it in fear and trembling—‘■‘•en near the end, comes the removal to the cell known as the death cell, which all understand lies next the b.;trument of death, with only a few hours and a few steps lying oetween. Perhaps a morbidly acute hearing notes the sounds of the .read preparations. Victor Hugo’s “Last Hours of a Condemned Man” was no fancy sketch, he had looked deeper than the average official and was not deceived by the apparent momentary forgetfulness of the condemned, nor the bravado he assumed. A soldier of the civil war related in my hearing the execution of a deserter which he witnessed. The command was drawn up in square formation, the march of the condemned with the firing squad in the rear, led along the front of the company to which he had belonged. As he passed them with head erect and firm step he called out “Boys I’ll come back tonight and tell you what he’ll look like!” What followed was afterward told the relator by some who took part in the final scene, he himself was at a little distance and had closed his eyes and ears. When the fatal spot was reached and the condemned man beheld the ghastly preparations, the stake, the open grave, the coffin, and the firing squad drawn up at ten paces the horror of the thing overwhelmed him, he collapsed and cords and the stake were required to hold him up until the volley was fired. It is related of the <reat Frederick that when a deserter was brought before him, he said, “Stay with me friend till one more battle, if we don’t win then I’ll desert too! and sent him back to his command. Frederick’s soldiers stayed with him and won. This man applied for a furlough home, was refused, took “French leave,” was seized, returned, courtmartialed, condemned and shot. Shooting deserters and hanging spies are nearly obsolete now in our arm here in the United States. Our courts, however are yet under the influence of ideas expressed by the terms “the majesty,” “inviolability” and “just vengeance” of the law. These sprang into use when there was a “sacred majesty” and a “Lords anointed” and a throne, when it was held that iaw was the expressed will of the sovereign king and any infraction of the least of these was an insult to the kings majesty, and flat rebellion against his authority. And so it followed that in England down through the reign of George 111, the pettiest of petty larceny was punished by death, and hangings on Tyburn Tree might be witnessed any day in the week—on a certain Monday, fifteen were flanged there. The good Oliver Goldsmith, saw on her way to Tyburn, a young woman whose sole offense was that she had entered a linen-drapers, picked up a piece of cloth, but laid it down when she saw she was watched, and went out, she was arrested, tried, condemned. In pronouncing sentence the judge administered the usual tongue-lashing to which she had the temerity to reply, this so incensed his honor that he ordered execution in twenty-four hours. The husband of this young woman had been carried off by the press-gang, and she v left destitue with two small children to provide for, and winter coming on; in the bitterness of her soul she could not restrain her tongue from answering some of the abuse of that representative of the majesty of the law. The record further states, that in the death-cart, on her way to the scaffold, she nursed her infant at her breast and was compelled to consign it to the tender care of a tip-staff when about to ascend the ladder. The lives of the commons were about the cheapest things in the markets of England in those days, and the courts still exhibit a remarkable celerity in despatching them—one which seems to be admired by some in this country. Our criminal proceedure with Its extreme penalty and all the attendant circumstances of execution is a relic of those old barbarous days which should be gotten rid along with a large amount of old English law bunk. JOHN N. TAYLOR, M. D. Crawfordsville, Ind.

THE STORY OF CIVILIZATION Alexander’s Energy Was His Genius Written for The Times by Will Durant

ALEXANDER scorned the old advisers who had led him to victory and ordered several of them killed on a charge of conspiring to depose him. When Callisthenes, nephew of Aristotle, refused to acknowledge Alexander's divinity, Alexander condemned him to death, and seemed careless of the fact that this brutality brought his old friendship with Airstotle to an ignoble end. When Clitus (the same who had saved him at Granicus) objected to his surrender to the Orient, and dared to quote Euripedes: “Are these your customs? . . . Shall one man claim The Troplies won by thousands?” Alexander ran him through with a spear, and spent the next three days in bitter tears. “Greek life,” said Hegel, “is essentially youthful; it was begun by one youth” (Achilles) “and ended by another.” To understand Alexander it is necessary to see him as a boy struggling with the problems of statesmanship;

Elkhart Truth (Independent) All taxpayers will oe interested in the statement made today by Governor Jackson, conveying the information that the “State of Indiana is entering the year 1928 free of all indebtedness, with the It'west tax levy it has enjoyed for many years, with a healthy general fund amply protected by a strong budget, with adequate annual investments bringing its several institutions to the front rank of those of any State.” The Governor makes the point that our per capita cost of government is considerably below the average of all the States, and he gives other data which is pleasant to the citizens who have to foot the bills. Full credit will not be denied to Governor Jackson for whatever part he played in bringing about these conditions. Os course, they are partly due to cumulative efforts of other Republican administrations and also the Democratic administration of Governor Ralston, for the progress toward removing the State debt has been going on for a number of years. In presenting these facts, Governor Jackson takes the opportu-

TT I |R|E~ LEAK

The Rules 1. The idea of letter golf is to change one word to another and do it in par, a given number of strokes. Thus, to cnange COW to HEN, in three strokes, COW, HOW, HEW, HEN. 2. You can change only one letter at a time. 3. You must have a complete word, of common usage, for each jump. Slang words and abbreviations don’t count. 4. The order of letters cannot be changed.

W|Q|R[M WORE X.O TURN

The Sum Total of It

a boy brave without limit, but inimitably vain. Energy is one-half of genius, harness is the other and Alexander was all energy. He lacked the balance and moderation idealized by Aristotle, and realized by Socrates, Aristides and Epaminondas; better far if, instead of going to Jupiter Ammon to learn that he was a god, he had gone to the Delphic Apollo and learned “meden agan.” By the age of thirty-three he was used up, having lived many years in every year. The arid climate of Asia Minor helped to weaken him; neither he nor his soldiers could drink without danger the water of the hostile regions which they traversed more and more they relied on wine, and solaced their homesickness with drinking bouts. Alexander could not be second in anything, even in drinking; at a challenge from another youth he emptied, ten times, the great goblet of Hercules. The next day, though feverish, he

What Other Editors Think

nity to declare that the present administration has fulfilled its pledges “in the face of bitter opposition, misrepresentation and unmerited criticisms from antagonistic individuals and newspapers whose obvious purposes have been to prevent public realization of administrative accomplishments.” Here the Governor is undoubtedly referring in part to criticisms which have come in connection with his recent indictment by the Marion County grand jury. Some light on whether or not the Governor deserves criticisms for his personal political connections will no doubt be revealed during the hearing of the case in court which will be tried shortly. Until then, most people will be willing to suspend judgment. (Anderson Herald) (Republican) The rays of the national spotlight will soon be focused on Indiana for the trial of Governor Ed Jackson, his former law partner, Robert I. Marsh, and George V. Coffin, Marion County politician. Indiana hopes the trial will not last long. The sooner it is over the better. The State has been more or less the target for damaging publicity, growing out of political scandals. Newspapers throughout the country have carried reams relating to the sensational political

Questions and Answers

H Y°u can get an answer to any quesslon_5 lon _ fact or information by writing to The Indianapolis Times Washington Bureau, 1322 New York Ave., Washington, D. C., inclosing 2 cents in stamps for reply. Medical, legal and marital advice cannot be given nor can extended research be undertaken. Ail other questions will receive a personal reply. Unsigned requests cannot be answered. All letters are confidential.—Editor. What branch of medicine is psychiatry? That which relates to mental diseases and studies their pathology, clinical conditions, cause and treatment. Physicians who specialize in this science are called psychiatrists or alienists. Has the term “red letter day” any special significance? It is used in connection with specially set apart days by the Roman Catholic Church for the more important festivals, so-called because they were indicated in the calendar by red letter characters. The term has come to mean any day in one’s lfie that is specially remembered. When and by whom was Taft appointed to the Supreme Court bench? He was appointed by President Harding and confirmed by the Senate June 30, 1921. What is the value of a United States half dime date 1851? Five to 10 cents. Does an alien become an American citizen by marrying a citizen of /the United States? The Cable act provides that alien women who marry citizens of the United States do not become American citizens! by reason of their mar-

rioted and drank again. Then he look to his bed, and after three days of sickness, during which he continued to give orders for his army and his empire, he died aged thirtythree. His last words were in reply to the question, To whom did ha leave his power? His answer was a summary of his time, and a prophecy of the chaos that would follow him. “To the strongest,” he said. The strongest were the Romans. .(Copyright, 1927, by Will Durant) Note:—Today chapter closes Dr. Durant s Inimitable telling of "the glory that was Greece.” Tomorrow’s installment takes up "the grandeur that was Rome. "Never has one land produced a greater dynasty than that which begins with Lecretius and Caesar, rises to its apex m Dante and Leonardo, and decrys (or is reborn? ► in Marconi and Mussolini, in Verdi and d'Annunzio,” Dr. Durant says of Italy. “All in all, that passionate peninsula has borne and bred the greatest race of all. Behold the famous boot, poised as if to play with Sicily—Sicily the footDall of the Mediterranean.’' 1 Rome live:; again in Durant’s story. It begins In tomorrow's chapters of "The Story of Civilization.”

charges. It made good reading, but it does not reflect to Indiana’s credit. The fact is lost sight of that Indiana has many things to her credit. There is not a State in the Union that can truthfully lay claim to excellency over our State. Some things “discovered” by correspondents of large newspapers sent to this State are interesting. They were sent here, of course, to find out what was wrong with Indiana. Their investigations disclosed a bad political situation and and something of the expected sort. Here are some facts they “unearthed:” Indiana leads in per capita ownership of automobiles; a high percentage of home ownership, compared to the country as a whole; more miles of railroads and improved roads; a higher percentage of college graduates, and a low percentage of illiterates, and a population of largely nativeborn Americans. The State has led the nation in enlistments in the last four years. We also claim the distinction of being the literary, population and Industrial center. What State can boast of more? When these facts are properly placed before the country, Indiana will take her rightful place as a State of many notable achievements, and not as a battle ground of political intrigue.

riage. It also provides that American women shall no longer follow the citizenship of their husbands, if their marriage occurred on or at any time after Sept. 22, 1922. Who was the leading woman in the photoplay “The Quarterback” in which Richard Dix starred? Esther Ralston. How are criminals executed in France? The guillotine is still used. How many coal cars would it take to carry one million pennies? it would take less than one car. A cubic foot holds 44,928 pennies and one million pennies occupy twenty-two cubic feet. What enables a fly to walk on the ceiling? Its feet are equipped with pads that excrete a slight amount of adhesive moisture. What is the theme of the “Hungarian Rhapsody” by Liszt? A group of gypsies are resting. Lethargy possesses them. They try to work, but in vain. A few of the leaders endeavor to arouse the others to toil but their efforts are vain. Suddenly a cry_ of war is raised. Then they are aroused. It proves to be a false alarm, a trick to wake them up. They go back to rest. But again a cry of war is raised. This time it is a real alarm and enemies are near. They rouse, fight with great fury and vrin a glorious victory.

.'JAN. 6, 1928

M. E. TRACY SAYS: “Since Actions Speak Louder Than Words, People Will Continue to Pay More Attention to What Governor Al Smith Does Than What He Says.”

People took it for granted that Governor Smith would weave more or less of a political platform into his message. Not only that, but they wanted him to do so. What they wanted, however, was a plain, punchful summary of his attitude with regard to certain national issues, especially prohibition, in the good old Smith style. What they got was a book. tt tt tt Too Long to Be Read It should have occurred to Governor Smith that a message too long for him to read would be too long for other folks to read. It should have occurred to him, also, that the same natural self which has carried hun so far would do all right on this occasion. The extended review of services rendered simply does not read like “Al.” Neither do the carefully argued recommendations. You just can’t wade through the 40,000 words without suspecting that the man tried too hard, or took too much advice. tt Snyder Case Is Hinge Since actions speak louder than words, people will continue to pay more attention to what Governor Smith does than what he says. This is particularly true with regard to the Gray-Snyder case, which, though entirely free from politics, has become a sort of political issue in New York. It is surprising what a hold this case has taken on public opinion and how often one hears people say that they will or will not support Governor Smith, according to the way he handles it. tt tt u Pardon Power Is Burden As I have said many times, it is a pity that Governors must be taxed with such a problem, that it has become the common practice to pester them with pleas and petitions in behalf of practically every person sentenced to death, and that the pardoning power which obviously was designed for use in cases of emergency has caused them to be regarded as courts of final appeal. There is not a Governor in the United States but who will tell you that the tears of distraught mothers, the ranting of hired lawyers, and the prayers of sympathetic people in this connection constitute the hardest burden of his office. St tt tt Sandino—Rebel or Bandit? The question has been raised not only in Congress, but outside of it, as to whether General Sandino is a rebel or a bandit. So far as he has interfered with our operations in Nicaragua and so far as the policy we have pursued virtually commits us to his destruction it probably makes very little difference to which class he belongs. Outlaw or patriot, he has dared to trade bullets with the United States Marine Corps and must pay the price. All that, however, does not explain why the Marine Corps is in Nicaragua, or what this Government intends to accomplish by pushing a policy which put it there and which compels it to hunt down such characters as Sandino. tt tt tt Ur S. in Nicaragua Finis Garrett, Democratic leader of the House asserts that, “No one ever yet has cited an instance when the life of any American citizen was in danger or the property of any citizen in Nicaragua threatened with destruction. “In view of the turn affairs have taken in Nicaragua within the last few days,” he adds, “It is highly important that the Administration ought to make known to the American people when an American life was in danger, or any item of property which it is, or was, the duty of the American Government to protect, was threatened.” It is, indeed, and it is also the duty of the American Government to inform the people what end it expects to accomplish. is all this stew merely for the purpose of seeing that the Nicaraguans hold one fairly honest election, or does the Government have something in mind beyond that? tt o a Chicago Censorship Chicago goes very far with censorship. Not satisfied with expurgating American histories to prevent pro-British propaganda, it now bars “The Racket.” “The Racket” is a New York play which deals with vice, gang war and the murder of an assistant district attorney. One reason why Chicago does not want this play is that it has racket enough of its own. Where the real thing is so plentiful, there seems little need of the artificial. Chicago theater managers appear to take this view when they say that “The Racket” probably would prove a financial loss. a it tt New York Drama Free Speaking of plays reminds us that a free one, “The Ladder” is running in New York, with Edgar B. Davis as its “Angel.” This play deals with a theory of reincarnation which Dr. Davis ran across when he visited India some years ago and in which he is said to believe. Asa comercmial venture, the play proved a failure whereupon Mr. Davis dispensed with the box office and invited the public to step in. Though reported to have spent something like three-quarters of a million dollars. Mr. Davis gives no sign that he intends to quit. } What would not the average playwright give for such a backer?