The San Francisco call., 1905-06-18
BL7NCFtE BARTENGTON

prevalent sound is the horselaugh. The
spirit underlying this is sordid and mean
In business subterfuge and indirection
reign. Not only creeds (that must diel
are attacked, but spiritual faith and hope.
Needless luxury rears its head in all d.
rections. A "seditious. boisterous and
dangerous foreign element is exerting its
pernicious influence in politics. Youth is
trained not to earn by modest effort
and labor, but TO take by craft and the
strong hand Manners do not exist.
The cars gather their crowds like cattle
in a pen. Reckless newspapers print
whatever they feel. The ''erotic delirium
and sentimental rot of a Zola are de-
voured unashamed by the young person
even in public places. 1t is TO these
things that the prevailing coarseness
and triviality of the drama are due-AND
TO the reign of the theatrical syndicate.
THE syndicate" said the lecturer, lis
draining the life blood of a great art.
Under its rule acting has become mat
ter Of barter like pork or beans What
will pay is first considered. Duty 20 dra-
matte ideals has gone to the wall Give
EN- what they want, says the CONNER
cial manager, not what they should have.
"Illiterate and unscrupulous,' Mr.. Win
ter designates the six managers that die
tate the policy of siNty-five of the best
theaters in the United States Without
their consent, is in the case OF MIS-
Fiske, now here. no actor may play in
these theaters. No manager of any but
these theaters can obtain attractions in
the hands of the syndicate. For the priv
ilege of obtaining plays and players each
manager Of these theaters must renounce
SO l-3 per cent of his profit.
That managers had been thus driven
out of the field, browbeaten, broken,
overwhelmed. the lecturer averred;
that many actors had found themselves
driven out of the profession that
critics for unfavorably reviewing syn
dicate plays. had been ousted from
their positions. He instanced Grover
Cleveland's dictum that of the trusts
that should earliest receive gov
ernmental attention the theatrical
trust came first, as 1t most
nearly assails public morality" He
then fnstanced the historic fight of Mrs.
Fiske against the institution and her and
Harrison Grey Fiskes management of
the Manhattan Theater as an exhibition
of matchless courage and energy AS
authentic leaders of the drama of to-
day he tslen classed these leading op-
ponents of the trust.
The audience swiftly applauded. 1t
applauded all through here. 1t ap-
plauded Mrs. Fiske sitting there in
trepid and brilliant" 1t applauded the
name OF David Belasco. now perhaps
debarred from his native town. Above
all, 1t applauded the gallant old cru
sader, holding a manuscript that some
times trembled. fighting a great fight
in a voice that sometimes quavered, but
sweeping all before him with his
sledgehammer fact and compelling sin
cerity.
The press next came in for Mr.. " IN
ter's attention and in few keen, pointed
words he outlined the critics duty to the
drama, to himself and his public.
"A newspaper is not a stage manager"
he said, "Details of stage management
do not interest the reader, and that is
one of the critics duties. Sympathy
should govern the relations between actor
and critic. Nor omniscience nor ON
impotence should be assumed. To say the
true rather than the smart. the peppery
should be the ideal. No critic can make
or mar an actor. Nor is the newspaper
a teacher of actors. But it must de-
mand beauty purity, truth, nobility,
upon the stage, or it fails in its high
est duty and purpose"
That the remedy for the evils existent
lies in the peoples own hands the lecturer
again insisted. With all his eloquence he
made a plea for beauty in the drama, for
purity, for nobility. To the managers he
says, Give the people what they should
nave. IL tic dClOl llS Sds =, 0lNC Oil
the truth and worth of you to your art.
Live up to your highestr ideals" To the
critic he says, Tolerate only the best"
To the public he says, Demand the
beautiful. the pure, the noble, and you
will get it
After some personal recolIections of his
actor friends, with shrewd and delicious
criticism by the way. Mr.. Winter then
closed the most significant talk upon the
drama that We have here heard.
1t was after this that 1 found myself
privileged to a few moments of Mr. Win
ter to myself. From the Palace 10 Mr.
Winters hotel we drove, Mrs. F'iske, Mr.
Winter, Jefferson Winter and myself. Mr..
Winter told of meeting a man with whom
he had been at schol in 1912 after the
lecture.
81 was a bad boy he said quantity.
I'm bad boy now: used to play with
all the quarrelsome boys at school: was
always getting whipped" " with all an old
mans pride n his terrific young days.
Carefully his son Jefferson took him to