The San Francisco call., 1908-09-06

original Hungarian. looks like an erup-
ton and seethes with chromatic fumes
OF sulphuric fire.
That's why i say that The Devil''
is press agent. and the proof lies
In the yards and yards-front and back
which the New York press is giving
to the two versions OF AZ Ordog.s
meaning The Devil" When a story
about the play Is not on the first page
OF New York newspaper il may be
confidently looked for on the last. for
-self-respecting Journal published in
the metropolis could not possibly over
look the fight in a single issue
Mr.. F'iske comes forward with a let-
ter from Louis Valentin, who is stated
TO be, in the published play.-the only
authorized agent for the author (there
being no copyright laws internationally
recognized by the United States and
Hungary)A This is the letter which
Fiske quotes. under-date of Budapest.
January 26, in reply to Rudnyanszky's
application for the American rights
Julius Rudnyanszxy being. according to
Ffske, Valentins American representa-
tive. This is the letter.:
Yesterday 1 spoke with Ferenc
Molnar (author of The Devil') and
submitted to him the contents of your
letter relative TO the production in the
English language of his play, AZ Ar
dog" (.srhe DeviPD.
! Molnar readily gave his consent to-
your production OF his work in New
York and America, and noted with
pleasure that. though we have no con-
veption with America, you are still de-
sirous OF respecting the writer's fees
and desire to pay. Therefore. you are
now at liberty to produce the work
without any scruples. and. what Is
more, If you can procure place for
this work on the book market you may
profit thereby, too I will not fix the
prices: this will leave entirely to you,
and Ferenc MoInar said so. too"
! Anybody would think that a letter
| like that would settle the contro-.
versy. but 1t doesn't. Savage has is
sued the following statement and
backs it with a cablegram. subse-
quently in this article to be given.
| from Molnar This Is Savages state
ment and Molnar's message:
There is only one real accredited
Devil in New York and that is Henry
| W. Savage's Devil that is turning
them away nightly at the Garden the
ater. II doubt about who has the real
| Devil still fingers IN the mind of any
Zone in the face OF the published am
davits from Franz Molnar. the author.
his publishers. Franz Bard & Bro. OF
Vienna, and Julius va1entin OF Buda-
pest. perhaps the following cablegram
from the author himself to Mr. Saw
| age following that nrSt remarkable
performance last week at the Garden
| will help to set him right:
Budapest, Aug. 20. 1908
ITO Henry w. Savage. New York:
".Tou and you alone were author
lied by me to produce The DeviF' In
lAmerica. Any one else who presents IL
4 does so without my authority and
without paying royalties to me- Any
one other than you who claims / gave
him rights to The Devii' Is an un-
mitigated liar
My very best wishes for your sue
cess. and my thanks for the splendid
production which Herr Herzka tells
me you made
's'FRANZ MOLNAR.'"
Herr Herzka. referred to in the Mol
mar message, is the director general OF
the Vienna volks theater and came to
4 America to direct the Savage produc-
ton of the disputed drama As he
was the stage director OF the original
production in Vienna Savage main
tains that his presentation Is parallel
with Molnar's conception of the play.
Savage. in addition TO this boast, pub
fishes the following:
Mr.. Harrison Grey Fiske insinuates
that Franz Molnar. author OF The
Devil is guilty of double dealing Mr.
Fiske says Konta (Mr. Fiske's adapter)