New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-15

said Mr.. Yeats yesterday, as he leaned on the
brass foot bars Of his bed IN his apartments az
the Plaza Hotel AS I say that my
work is to educate the Irish people with the
Irish theatre the American always asks:
Has not Ireland had theatres always?
You may be surprised when I tell you that until
q few years ago Ireland had no stage which was
characteristicalIy Irish IN Dublin there were
music halls and theatres. TO be sure. but the pro-
auctions that one found there were not Irish The
actors were Englishmen who had crossed the
Irish Sea from London. and the performance was
that conglomerate mass Of nothingness which 5
advertised as the comic opera. Such productions
filed London theatres year in and year out. and
their managers thought. accordingly. that they
must be good enough for Ireland They have
finally found out that they were mistaken
These comic operas. as we all know. not
intended TO educate. 7 have only seen one in all
biac+ed TO their frivolous character, but the great
majority came TO regard them inimicaIly, because
NJ their poIitfcs Some cOckney IN the show would
ALWAYS get off something about his majesty the
King and the audience would begin to boil
The thin face OF the poet began to relax into
smile
81 remember on one occasion" he said. that
comic opera company playing at a large
Dublin theatre and the ballet had just marched
on the stage for the tout ensemble. when the
leading lady uttered the line
Hail to Britannia. Queen the ocean,
AT once there was riot. The ballet beat a
retreat. which was especially humiiatng after such
an announcement and the scenery. I understand
looked much like a Kansas farm after a cyclone
There were twelve arrests. and one young roter
VAS sentenced 10 an especially long term OF I'M
attainment Just before the Judge pronounced this
Young mans sentence the prisoner said:
.Oru till wy I boosted oop the show. Ot deedn't
Ioike its marals.' "
AS II TO explain better how ne himself first be-
gan his work a dramatst, Mr.. Yeats told OF the
political questions which had kept the Irish people
IN A ferment until about ten years ago The
F-enian movement and the land question had
aroused such passionate interest he said. that
they had had no time TO think OF other things AT
the preseut time however the masses were com
ing n the conclusion. Mr. Yeats said that their
leaders would take Of their political controver-
sizes and consequently they were craving educa-
ton as they never did before
This birth Of new ideas and ideals. he said. mad
had a profound effect upon Irish literature and
national life. Associations were organized TO
carrv on the educational movement along various
lines and thus there came into existence the
T-,sb Literary Society Of London. the National
Literary Society OF Dublin. the Irish Literary
Theatre. the Feis Cecil Committee. In DunEH'
AZ whose annual concerts OF irish music singers
and pipers from all parts OF Ireland compete the
Irf.h Agricultural Organization Society under the
leadership OF Horace Plunkitt. and the GaeI'
League which under the presidency OF Dr. Doug
las HYDE has worked for the revival OF the native
language OF Ireland
n was at this time that Mr. Yeats conceived the
IDEA that the stage could be made most potent