Arizona republican., 1906-02-07
THE SCHUBFRTS
 AND THE SYNDICATE
An Interesting Bit of History in Con-
 nectiOn With Miss Nielsen'S Tour.

To the Editor of the Arizona Repub-
 lican,
 Sir:-It appears that occasionally the impression still exists that Miss Alice Nielsen Is under the management of Messrs. Schubert. and now ask the hospitality of your columns for the purpose of making it clear to the pub lie that tais IS not the case. I also take the opportunity of entering into q few personal details with regard to Miss Nielsen's relations with the SchubeTts, which I feel cannot be without general interest to your readers. bearing in mind the place of affection which she holds in the hearts of the American people.
 It is generally known that Miss Mel sen sacrificed over four years of hcr life to enable her to rise to the artistic heights which she has now attained. Those who remember her comic opera successes must know that she abruptly terminated her reign in that work at the very moment in which sle was un- rivaled, and therefore able to command almost any price that she chose to name as a salary. During the whole time she was studying in Europe, American managers continued to make
  ble sums of money to induce her to return to her former work. But ever since Miss Nielsen rose from the ranks of the chorus she displayed a grit and strength of will which I think I am safe in saying is a distinguishing fea- ture of the American woman's charac- ter.
 Nearly three years ago the late Mir. Sam Schubert made me a handsome offer to bring Miss Nielsen back to this country in concert, but I refused to do so. Finally after yielding to con- siderable pressure Miss Nielsen con sented to sign a contract with part ner of Messrs. Schubert, namely Mr. Ziegfeld, Jr., who agreed to arrange C tour of grand operatic concerts, which were, according to him, to begin at the Metropolitan opera house in New York supported by a great symphony chorus.
 When Miss Nielsen returned in Oc- tober to the country she loved so well, she was told that no arrangements had been made for her debut, that she would appear under the Schubert man. agement; and the strongest represen- tations were made to induce her to sing in comic opera and abandon the other contract. I naturally refused any such proposition. and then it was that Miss Nielsen was made to feel all of the horrors of playing under the Schu- bert regime She was compelled to travel in an ordinary accommodation car. very often standing for two hours, and after having been buffeted by workmen passing through the cars, sine was called upon to sing in some lit,le town of three thousand inhabitants way down in the state of Arkansas.
 e .L-s aF... initiative when I arrived at San Fran cisco and cancelled the contract in which Schubert was a partner. When the New York papers published the news MT. Lee Schubert, in the desper- ate effort to escape the unfavOrable comments of public opinion, was fool ish enough to deny that Miss Nielsen ever had been under his management Seeing that the name of schubert appeared in large letters on every bill, the futility of his denial was self evil dent
 As soon as I had cancelled the con- tract I immediately communicated with Messrs Klaw & ErlanFer, who m an incredibly short space of forty-.i eight hours supplied Miss Nielsen with a tour of the principal cities of the southern route enabling her to con tinue her performances for a period of over three months.
 While I dare to say that a personal acquaintance with MT. Klaw may have helped us to obtain this remarkable booking, one cannot refrain from com menting on the astonishing perfection of an organization which is able to ac- commodate in less than forty-eight hours an operatic company with nearly