Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-10-16
WINTER AND FISKE QUARREL
Percy Hammond Points out an Easy
Way to the Final DispOs-
~


Percy Hammond, always sane and re-
freshing in his commentaries on the passing
show, thus discourses anent the recrudes-
ence of the row between Willie Winter and
Harrison Gray Fiske:
Mr.. William Winter and Mr. Harrison
| Gray F1ske are in the throes of an acrid
controversy which, originally inspired by
q Jusutiable difference Of artistic opinion,
/ has degenerated into an unidentified futile
and, on the one side, somewhat vulgar and
Htuperatve case Of verbal hairpuling. Mr..
| winter, who is an eX-dramatic critic and
who therefore, must be Identified VA
| once the gracefully vocabularious and nm
compromisingly old school reviewer Tor the
| NeW YORK Irbune-a reviewer who saw
virtues in THE Lady Of Lyons" etc. and
worshipped the florid and picturesque his
trionism of the players who acted in such
dramas. lie was and still IS a venerable
crusader OF the pseudo-ideal In the theater
Tor plays with lovely language in theme,
win the nero staunch and handsome and
me heroine distraught and always chaste.
ttls adoration of the Shakespearean drama,
too, Is beauteous and helpful thing, but
the works of lsben, Hauptmann, Suder-
mann, Plneros and other vital dramatists
ne regards with splenetic aversion with
the change in dramatic taste he becomes
read more for the manner than for tine
mater or his utterance; and he let's the
period pass him, frothing and Illuminating
against II, ever musically, though the music
Is sometimes the harsh dssonance Of the
defeated and disappointed warrior
MI flSho IS the editor OF the Dramatic
Mirror and the husband Of and producer
for Mrs. Ffske. one of the eminent torch
bearers OF our theater. Through his journal,
which effectively combines the material
and esthetc sides of the stage he has
exercised a helpful influence over those
who are concerned with IT, and In his d.
Ieouon OF Mrs. F1ske he has been a
courageous and effective producer OF the
better class In the drama. He has done
some things uusuCcessfully, but he has
DONE no thing badly. Mr.. Winter was once
al 1Yt1 Hgvk
shadow came between them, deepening into
an angry cloud some years ago when Mr.
blske, much to Mr.. Winters displeasure
presented Nine Kahch as Sappho, a char
nice. 10 ''o'
Since then they have been at each others
throats! Mr.. Winter with the vicious tenac-
ity and vtrulence Of a talkative mad dog
ana Mr.. F1ske with the velVety, suave and
deathly caress Of python Because Of the
Fascinating fashion OF his dictlon, the great
est asset of a writer on the drama Mr.
winter has had access 70 important weekly
periodicals OF numerous circulation in which
20 publish his unfaVorable opinion OF Mr.
tlske. His opponents rejOlnders have been
confined to the columns OF his own journal
ana therefore have had less general effect
SO when Mr. Winter charges MT FIske
with falsehood, personal animositv dis-
honesty, malice and literary perVersiOn.
t 5,,e accusations 90 much further than Mr.
imputes to all those who do not agree with
MIN an unfortunate habit by which he
himself Is deeply enslaVed.
lt Is one OF the peculiarities OF those who
write about the arts that they are impa-
uent OF the presumably honest views OF
other writer's on the same subject who dis
agree with them. Wo have known dramatic
critics in the minor center of the theater
10 resent the differing opinions Of other
critics 20 the extent that the civil formali-
ties or everyday Intercourse were forgot in
sneering indignation. 1t seems 70 be a char
actertsuc OF the writers on the drama to
regard themselves as inYulnerable. Bless
lhelr petulant souls, even the men who
interpret the constitution OF the United
states DO not agree; and Mr.. Justice Har-
ian ana Mr.. Justice White have their lunch
con together IN amity after the one mas
eoncurred and the other dissented IN a mat
ter equally as important as an actors eIo-
cuuon. Peace rules the day where reason
rules the mind. Let the contentious be amt
able and so mutually helpful. Both OF the
belugerents have their useful functions if
they viii but stick 10 them Mr. Winter.
We think, adds no sweetness to the memo
RES OF which ne is 80 fond by calling Mr.
F1ske mar and he wins few adherents 10
his opposition 20 the advanced drama by
that violent, bat unconvincinE form OF
argument. And Mr.. Fiske. though we appre-
ciate the provocatiqn. might be in better
business than that of calling Mr. Winter.
gently but with considerable finality, that
he Is another.