The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-23
BLANCHE WALSH IS
 WISE IN POLITICS
ACTRESS IS DAUGHTER OF TAM MANY LEADERSHIP HASN'T A VERY FLATTERINo OPINION OF NEWSPAPERS,

There is perhaps no acrtress on the American stage today-or actor, elther for that matter-so familiar with the de- vious ways of American politics as Miss Blanche Walsh. All the intricate details of election machinery and ward pohtics are open books to her. When this tavor- ite star rises about II or 12 o'clock on election mornings and sits down to break fast in New York with her newspaper, depend upon 1t, she knows what she IS reading about when she sees that smith or Jones Is expected to "come down to the Bronx with 10000 majority Psaw!" says Miss Walsh, taking another bite or toast-her breakfast Is always toast ana tea. or something equally dainty-"the Sixth would almost take care of that by itself The way these people talk about majoritles nowadays makes me groan'
 No one has a better right than Miss Walsh to understand New York politics. She was born in the midst of 1t, brought up on 1t; the fever of politics was In her blood. Her father was Thomas F Walsh, familiarly known as Fatty Walsh, who was once a famous fighting Tammany leader of the Sixth ward, and later, lead ing spirit of the county democracy.
 Every member of the family was inter- ested in the approaching February elec- ton when the future actress was born, January 4, 1873
 "Election nights were the only nights in the year." she said in her dressing Tafea theatre last night. "when I was allowed to stay up. l didn't need to go to bed at all then IT didn't feel like it, and I never felt like 1t, because there was always plenty of ex- citement around the Walsh household.
 "Did I understand what was going on? Well. I guess I did! I knew the date of avery election and every primary and every convention; the number Of voters in the precinct and the majorities that my father could count on in the ward. Before we had the Australian ballot remember sitting up and folding tickets when wasn't more than three feet high Suddenly Miss Walsh became aware that she was talking for publication, and her freedom of manner and wealth of remi- nlScdnC6 VdulSltu III thh iii7Ao'N' 'Stt0 N'-' dently does not think much of the dignity of the press
 You know how 1t would be-" she said apoligetically. If I were to give that story to the newspapers they would laugh at 1t, snatch a paragraph here and there to put up at the front in blacker type than the rest and make it all look like joke.
 Well, believe me, I don't regard 1t In that light. It is a very serious matter with me, and if l ever tell the story, as I may some day, I shall turn to the quiet dignity of the magazine"
 Many persons. even some who are well acquainted with Miss Walsh, have be- lieved that she owed much of her suc- cess on the stage to her fathers politi- cal friends. One of the stories most fre- quently heard Is that Big Tim" Sullivan cleared a way for her in the professional world and acted as her financial packer on more than one occasion.
 "He-did--notl' exclaimed Miss Walsh, bringing out each word like a pistol shot and closing with a bang quiet, digni- fled magazine known as the Smart Set, which she had been glancing through while awaiting her cue to appear on the stage.
 ''I want to say right here as emphat- cally as I know how to say 1t, that no politician, living or dead, had anything to do with my professional career, and that I attribute whatever success has come to me entirely to the training and the ceaseless efforts of my mother" Miss Walsh began a story about being pro- fessional accident, but 1t was time for her to go before the footlights in the third act. The star in "Kreutzer Sonata" was greeted with applause. and she was never allowed to complete her story. While she was off the stage for moment at the time she said something about starting at d s6 house, and she was laughing when she told of the time she wore boys bathing suit.