New-York tribune., 1909-01-16
HAM NJ ERSTEIN In FOLD
Reelected Member of Theatrical
Managers Council at Lore Feast.

Theatrical managers, amusement promoters and
one great impresaro gathered around the annual
love feast of the Association Of Theatrical Man
ayers of Greater New York. which was spread
last night in the main dining kali OF the Ho-
tel Astor. Charles Burnham. president OF the
association and manager Of Wallack's Thea
tre, presided. Flowers strewn the
feet of several OF the important managers
Oscar Hammerstein. for instance. declared Mr..
Erlanger. OF Kiaw & Erlanger. to be the greatest
theatrical manager" In the country. Mr. Hammer
stein. by the way, returned to the fold. and the
brethren retOiced- He withdrew from the associa-
ton several years ago He elected to member
ship five minutes after he had made his brief
speech He advised the association to make an
effort to abolish the humIliating licensing OF thea
tres" The theatre manager OF to-day Is a bene
factor. he said "and should not have to apply for
a license amuse and instruct the public
One OF the notable speeches OF the evening was
made by Daniel Frohman. It was a temperate de-
fence of existing conditions in the theatre Of its
management and all that pertains to public emuse-
ments. He saia:
be oRy aae Tee the y aee m e to
tain kind Of consolation for their yearly mis-
he to * an to H
Of ye@s ne can free his mnd W with sense
hard TO praise. For. after all like the painter,
is doing the best he can: but, Unlike nany pro.
s feSsional men. he stands more in the limeght Of
art Art is one Of the chief charges brought against
what constitutes public amusement is the chief
source Of trouble. .,.. H..
CARDS z what is good to favor what Is regarded as
5 best he nam ean taf e % has and % or e Is d0 p
lie 1t must be remembered that the public i
ously assorted one, HeteTogeneous might be the
Be WerG to ae9y 10 It at AT the se and an ho
qrg. at the II bottom ito and those who & fayoT I'll the st De
dignihed and attractive plays
In closing he said:
Now. the question to whether ne does his
part well is answered by the splendid character
that shelter all kinds OF Embellishments. and SO I
that we may draw out of the baked meats Of this
our decriers would have it appear. who say that
the drama might thrive II it were not for the
managers.
author Is increasing in number. and big h3nsst !9.
competition. conducted on sound business methods.
gives greater opportunity TO all
Mr. Erlanger made the longest speech OF the
evening, and 1t was instructive. He told his audi
that "as matter of fact. the theatrical bus-
ness of this country started twenty years ago Be
fore that time the theatres were operated In a
haphazard way. The theatre OF to-day outshines
the theatre OF twenty years ago in as marked de
gree the newspaper palaces do the shacks OF the
palmy days Of the press
Speaking OF the financial side OF the theatrical
problem, he siad:
More investments have been made in the theat-
ricaI business during the last twenty years than
history. We make more big productions in Amer
lea than made in Germany, France and Eng
the most prosperous IN the world. We have
enough competent experienced enteFp91isns raR ske
care of all that the author the composer and the
have over ffty successful stars touring this coqn
try all Of whom were exploited by our pFoducing e R
iured from the experienced managers by false
s "a snf d. no 6ngG sv hae s Sn Themselves
to blame for lost opportunities
Mr. Erlanger does not view with favor the New
Theatre.
What are they going to do UP there" he asked
Create new stars? No. they going to offer
positions to the stars that made through
your energy experience and capital They are
going 10 take the fruits Of your labor and use them
as their latest hobby horse and give them back to
YOU as soon as they tire OF them They certainly
do not want US 10 think that the New Theatre is
intended as a place OF amusement for the people
Marc Klaw. his partner. declared that the assO-
citation would never cease until 1t had driven the
ticket speculator off the street He said the city
authorities could put end to their operations. II
they wished.
Mr. Hammersten told of his experience in Piila-
dephia with the selfish rich
Among those present at the fastivity, besides
the managers already mentioned were Patrick
F MCGOWAN. President of the Board OF Alder
men: Borough President John f. Ahearn. Senator
Thomas r Grady. Justice EranGer. Victor Her
bert AL IIaylns,n, Paul Keith, Otto Well, Percy O.
Williams. L. zieGfeld jr.. Eugene Presbrey. s F.
Nixon Andreas Dlppel. Senator p. H. McCaTen'
H. C. Miner Little Tim Sullivan. Joseph Brooks.
Abe Gruber. James Forbes, Fire Commissioner
Nicholas ] HAYES Justice Gon. Henry b. Harris.
Hollis Cooley John Murray. Frank Mckee, Edward
I.auterbach. Martin Beck Justice Gerard. Frederic
Thompson. Jerome SiegeI. Rhineander Waldo A H.
Woods C. WistaCh and Sam Harris.
At exactly II o'clock Charles Burnham received
message from wallacks Theatre. He whispered
something into Daniel Frohman's ear: then sud
denly declared the love feast at an end Every
manager present jumped into = taxicab and reached
his playhouse in time TO bear witness to the nights
receipts at the box Office.