New-York tribune., 1909-04-13
DAVID BELASCO.
Offending the Syndicate!''

The disclaimer from Mr.. David Belasco OF any
objection 10 giving offence to the theatrical syn
dicate," has duly arrived. and II Is only what
every at all familiar with that managers
course would naturally expect Why should Mr..
Belasco trouble himself TO whether the synd-
cate is Offended not? Nothing that he has done,
in his business policy a theatrical manager.
could properly offend any other manager. Mr.
A. Lincoln Erlanger has made it known
that I'VE Ghe syndicateJ mind bust
ness" Possibly that statement may be true. But
then, the syndicate believes that the theatrical
business Of the country is "ovr business" Mr.
Beasco has persisted in conducting business to
please himself The result is that. from the almost
helpless thing called "a producing manager he
has raised himself to independent position, con-
trolling and managing two theatres in New York
and one in Washington besides having under his
direction some OF the best actors and the
profitable to manage, in this country.
There can be doubt that Mr.. Belasco will con-
tinue to conduct his business he sees fit. That
he Will Offend" the almighty syndicate by doing
so is highly probable and Is it that Mr.. Beasco
will be pleased in giving such offence. He has
hoed a long. hard row. and he has an exceedingly
good memory. There is much blather uttered
about Mr.. Belascos absorption in artistic mat
ters" and his ignorance of business affairs" He
Is beyond dispute. consummate stdge-manager,
and an expert dramatist- But he is much more
than that. He is Of the few managers who
unite a knowledge of the drama and of the history
of the theatre with entire familiarity with its
ditions to-day. He is OF the most shrewd.
sagacious far-sighted. hard headed managers in
our country. He has surrounded himself with able
vigorous men, work under his direction. He
early saw the futility OF trying to attend himself
to every detail of a great and complex organiza-
ton and so he employed persons who can, and
will carry his orders. But any one who thinks
that Dav vid Belasco is not perfectly well of
what is going on and is not the master OF his own
destiny in the Theatre needs to be awakened. 1t
Is melancholy and deplorable that Mr.. Belasco
should have lent his great reputation to the sup
mort of the vicious play which now disgraces his
Stuvvesant Theatre. But that too VIII pass-the
sooner the better! Other managers before him
have made mistakes Lester Wallack for example
trailed the banner of the noble Wallack traditions
In the dust when he produced the tainted play
of Forbidden Fruit: and he was told in this
place and in those words. at the time There is
another and a brighter side TO David Belasco's
shield The American public has much to expect
from him When Mr.. Lee Shubert condescendingiy
intinlates that he does not think anything can be
ACCOMPLISHED by the methods OF opposition fol-
lowed by Mr. Beasco. he talks nonsense. If it
had not been for the opposition OF Mr. Beasco, and
stlu more OF the shrewd, able, indefatigabie,
and resolute Harrison Grey Fiske and his intrepid,
brilliant accomplished wife. the subjugaton of the
American Theatre to injurious monopoly would. IN
ali human probability, been complete that
Mr. Lee Shubert and his associates would
have found an opening through which to break.
W. w