The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-06-23

stage and what his comments upon
things away from the glare OF foot
lights might be and what life meant to
him.
The views OF q man or a woman who
has achieved the worlds applause are
always interesting, and when the visitor
was ushered into the little office recep-
ton room to meet Mr.. Tree, there he
stood and cordially extended his hand
and smiled a frank, sircere smile Of
welcome. The visitor felt that this was
Tree TIE man. not the mere play
actor"
Marvelously Young.
To begin with, he is surprisingly tall
and robust, and narvelously young In
manner and physique. He stands at
least six good feet in the air and is built
like an officer in His Majesty's Army
rather than an actor in His Majesty's
Theater"
He seemed the correct, the agreeable
English gentleman who is at home in
pink coat" riding to hounds. or asking
lone lump or two" at tea table in an
English garden. But with all his nat
told me he detested IT. adding that life
The first question asked Mr.. Tree was
why he had not been 20 America in ten
years and when he was again coming 10
US?
He was frank; he said II was because
the British public might not like II.
You see, to keep a hold on your public
you must be, like a woman with her
lover, true. love my own people, and
have proven II by remaining here in
England and playing only TO them
Americans Stolid."
But Irving loved his England" was
suggested. and yet he was worshiped in
the States, where he came 50 many
times"
WAS Irving really loved or was IL an
echo of his English triumphs?" queried
Tree.
1T was more than tradition" was
the reply. Irving was loved not be-
cause the English knew him first, but
because we thought him a genius. But
tell me, Mr.. Tree" went on, did your
American audiences respond to you as
those before whom you now play here
In London?"
No he said, you as a people have
not the demonstrative quality that we
have in England; you may have your
enthusiasms. but you do not show them
as our people do. l felt in accord with
my New York audiences. but felt that
lack of enthusiastic outburst that we
find among the people who all our own
theaters.
of course, do not know your New
York of today. Ten years with you. 1
am told, has counted as a century
might in England, and now you have a
most wonderful city. Some day shall
leave the best for the last and revisit
New York
His Tall Daughter.
This is my daughter Viola,' he add
ed. as a tall, fair. blue-eyed girl OF
perhaps twenty came into the dressing
room from the stage, where she had
just been acting the part of an Ameri-
can girl. She is tall, isn't she?'' asked
Mr.. Tree rather proudly. although she
halted at having the impcrtinence of
growing within an inch OF my height
Seer
They measured up and the talented
young daughter was just a shade less
tall than her athletic father.
What Of your audience?" he was
LIZ gOu NNptuu ApOn gOuE W.
men or your men for approval2'
I'm everything woman is the deciding
power" said Mr.. Tree. decisively. "She
is the dominant note; she makes or mars
by her intuition everything that is given
IN the name of art, be It a painting, a
sonnet, a play. or the name and fame
OF an actor. Ny audiences always are
made up, in the critical sense. Of vo-
F1rl 20 LA z
like to impersonate the 'detestabIe'
things. as some people might call them
-Caliban, Fagin, Demetrius In The
Red Lamp King John and Gringoire in
The Ballod Monger.' Women are quick
est 70 perceive the art In a thing-most
sensitive to the values, whether they
be agreeable sensations or unlovable
That is why they dominate in all fine
things-why their opinions are OF such
vast Importance"
American Women Too Obvious"
DO you know American women-are
they like your own countrywOmen7'' Mr..
Tree was asked.
He looked at his questioner. candidly.
with a half smile on his lips. as he
said:
You wish me 10 answer truthfully. I
suppose, and I will. The American
women. many of them 1 have met, 1
have known them always. is a measure.
and I will say that delightful as they
are, they lack a quality that our women
possess / do not find in American wo-
men the half tones. the chromatic quail
itv- let me say, of my own women. Do
you understand? They are not so elu-
sive. not so subtle. more obvious Per-
haps 1t is better so. for your men like
them that northumberland 1t better,
maybe.
''On the other hand. your actresses are
very great-far greater than the Ameri-
can men of the stage. They are more
vital In fact the American woman is
a far more remarkable production in
every way than the American man OF
the period. She is more thoroughly ar
t.stic; she has more leisure. / take II, for
self-improvement. mental and physical
while your men slave away az business.
at money-making. Is II not so2" asked
Mr.. Tree.
Detests Society.
Asked how he spent his leisure. Mr.
Tree said that his life off the stage was
a most simple one. Il detest society;
it takes so much time and is so unsatis-
factory in the last analysis. On the
other hand. am fond OF my own par