The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-03-18
CHASE
In A Nix Up With Govern
mGRt Officials At Washington
Refuses To Admit Uniformed
Men In His Theatre
And Secretary OF The Navy
Is To Compel Him
And prpSidpni Taft Stands RV
And President Taft Stands By
The Secretary
Mr.. Chase Gives Out State.
mGnt To The Newspapers
Washington Starr

That George Won l.. Meyer, secre-
tary OF the Navy, Is determined to
compel p. d. Chase, proprietor of
Chase's Theater, to abandon his rule
of excludeing men in the uniform of
the United States service from the
theater, was the emphatic assertion
made by officials this morning.
In this determination, II is reported,
the Secretary has the sympathy and
Endorsement OF the Administration.
II IL becomes necessary. Mr.. Meyer,
II is asserted, will use as compelling
agency on Mr.. Chase the fact that the
United States Government Is about to
become the owner Of the Chase thea
ter property. which has already been
condemned, with the other property
on that block, to make way for the
new government building.
The Secretary believes that Mr..
Chase would have hard time discrim-
mating against the countrys uniform
when the wearers of that uniform
eTty.
Mr.. Meyers stand in the matter can
not be put too strongly. He and the
president look with the greatest dis
approval on discriminating against the
men who wear the country's military
uniforms. and MIR. Meyer Is descrlb.
ed as considering 1t "absurd" that any
such tactics should be followed.
At the conference which was held
yesterday afternoon between Mr..
Chase and Beekman Winthrop, Assist
ant Secretary Of the Navy, nothing
definite was done. Now, however, the
Secretary himself has taken the mat
ter into hand.
Assistant Secretary Beekman Win
Ghrop stated this morning that the
statement contained In the morning
newspaper thatan order had been issu.
ed to the Marine Corps directing the
men to purchase tickets for the thea
ter in civilian clothes. and go to the
performances In any dress they like,
is absolutely absurd. ridiculous, and
without foundation.
Pending the receipt of advices from
the Judge advocate general, Mr. Win
throp announced that he would not
discuss the matter.
Mr.. Chase says he regards the sltua-
tion az tempest Is a teapot. Two
.narinao hut ticLniu far uanfa In tha
tenth row OF the orchestra Of the per-
formance last evening, When ques-
toned as to how they obtained them,
they admitted they had not purchased
the tickets for less conspicuous seats
and declined to do so. whereupon
their money was refunded.
There IL not frst-class theater in
the United States that has not the
same rule against conspicuous dress
that prevails at my house" said Mr..
Chase this morning "The rule that
requires men In the uniform OF the
United States to seat themselves else
where than in the orchestra or the
boxes holds good In almost every first
class theator. 80 far as ! am aware
"The theater IN n social institution.
u Is not street car. We have num-
her of rules at Chase's that are unus.
ual, perhaps There has never been
a stag box party In the house. There
cannot be. No block OF seats exceed.
ing six may be purchased for the par
ty. This theater has never Iid for or
permitted to be sold to college stud
ems after football games or baseball
games large blocks OF seats. Why2
Have you ever been IN a theater that
has sold such blocks Of seats2 Then
you shoud know the answer
There is no more patriotic man
In the country than I. nor one more
demonstrative. have the highest and
deepest respect for the soldiers and
sailors and for the uniform OF the
country But no one In conspicuous
dress can gain admittance In the more
conspicuous parts Of the house.
have been asked n the Chinese and
japanese come under this head. They
do no., for the simple reason thai
when garbed In the costumes OF theil
country they are wearing the ordl