The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-13
MARC KLAW
STATES STAGE
CH|LD'S CLAIM

At the annual banquet of the Asso-
citation of Theatre Managers Of Great
err New York, held on January 5th at
the Hotel Plaza, Charles Burnham,
president of the association, called at
tention to the unjust laws in force
in several States against the appear
ance of children on the stage and
urged the Importance of holding a
mass meeting of all those who are
interested in the upbringfng of the in
fantile player that may enlighten his
own and future generations.
Mr.. Burnham's opinions received
the hearty endorsement of Marc
Klaw, who in an interview said yes
terday:
This matter is of a danger now
of certain misguided persons to mar
row the big work of the American
drama by practically eliminating
therefrom all stage children. The So
tee of this country, with misdirected
zeal, has been enabled to have laws
passed on the statute books of Him
OILS, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Kan
has and the Province of Ontario, pro-
hibiting children under fourteen
at ALL Mr.. Francis Wilson, Mr.. Rob-
ert Hilliard, Mrs. Minnie Madden
Fiske and other of our most reput-
aable artists can testify to the handi-
ing some of the very best products of
American authors. Already under the
operation of this law the States men
toned cannot enjoy such plays as
King John "A Midsummer Nights
Dream Maeterlinck's BLUE Bird
Rip Van Wrinkle and> many other
dramatic classics.
I'VE have sat idly by while bigot-
ry has run riot in this direction, and
while the men and women compos-
mil mo " hc
most reputable, they are going about
their work with fanaticism, an in
discretion and a mercilessness worthy.
of the Salem witch burners.
1.-The stage child of this country has
been neglected all too long. There
has always been too much or too lit
tie done for it, both operating to the
disadvantage of the child. There
turks suspicion that back of this
Child Labor Committee there are
many people who are simply using
this agitation to gain little publicity
and to serve personal ends. 1t re-
minds me of the story of Dionysius, |
the tyrant, who robbed the statue of
the Olympian Jupiter of it's mantle |
of gold and replaced it with a WOOL |
en- cloak, saying that the gold COW
ering was too cold in Winter and too
heavy in Summer, and we must look |
after Jupiter
I'VE have struck safe, sane and
happy medium in the operation of |
the Gerry Law, which governs the |
conduct of the Society for the Pre-
vention of Cruelty to Children in New
York State, and for the purpose of |
meeting the unjust demands of this
National Child Labor Committee,
there has been formed in New, York
a National alliance for the protection
of stage children.
This organization, Of which Mr..
Augustus Thomas is the Chairman.
and whose general committee in
cludes Mr.. John w. Alexander Of the
National Academy of Design; Rev. P.
S. Grant, Pastor of the Church of the
Ascension; Mrs. Kate Douglass Wig
gin, the author of the 'Rebecca'
books; Prof. William Lyons Phelps of
Yale; Miss Julia Marlowe, Mr.. Ham
lin Garland, the Rev. Thomas r. Sill
Ger, Mrs. Edith Ellis Furniss, Miss
Society and Mr.. Hamilton Mabie of
The Outlook, we believe can success
fully combat these unjust demands.
This alliance proposes an honest, sin (
erning the State of New York, which
we consider ample and sufficient for
q child's protection, engrafted on the |
statute books of every State through
out the Union where legislation is
necessary.
1.-The theory that a child should not
be allowed to walk upon a stage I'M
til it is fourteen years of age, if it's
career is to be that of an actor or ac-
tress, is simply absurd. 1 am in
formed that at the last meeting of
our committee with the committee of
the Child Labor Law even so emin-
ent a man as DR.. Felix Adler made
the assertion that there was no mel
cessity for child to go on the stage
until it is fourteen; he hoped to have
a law passed prohibiting it until It
was sixteen, as the dramatic schools
would fill all the bill of preparation
i'm fact, he had, dramatic school
attached this Ethical Culture Socie-
ty.