New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-03
TROUBLE IN FEDERATION
OF THEATRE CLUBS
Sidney RosenfeId at Odds with
Women Colleagues Over
Expenses.
SEVERAL MEMBERS QUIT
President Says Work of Pro-
ducing Native Drama" Will
Go On, but Not Along
Tea Party" Lines.

Tea Party" Lines.
II looks as If the fate OF the native
born American drama would depend here
after on the exertions of Sidney Rosen-
field alone unaided by the prominent club
women who were lately his partners in
Rltruism.
That enthusiastic little Federation of
Theatre Clubs founded last spring for the
purpose of fostering the American drama
has lost a good deal Of it's fervor since 1t
discovered that it costs much money to
produce plays by unknown though doubt
less inspired playwrights. One by one the
presidents of the women's clubs in the
federation have dropped away and more
are contemplating it, until ii looks as If
Mr.. Resented would be left high ard dry
with the bills and the future Of the
drama on his shoulders.
1t all happened after the first perform
ance of the federation's rrotege, THE
Higher Court" a play by Henry Irving
Dodge, a new found American playwright.
The performance took place on sunday
evening, October G, and was successful
enough from the artistic point of view
But il takes more than art to produce
Iplay on Broadway.
Women Saw Trouble Ahead.
The story goes that just day or two
before the performance Mr.. Rosenfeid'
president Of the federation, informed his
lforninine colleagues that ne would have
to borrow 1900 to pay the expenses, and
assured them the receipts from the box
office would more than cover this amount.
kSo the women were content. The night
Sot the play came. There was a big audi
.ence. There was much money. Every
body was happy.
A cay or two later, however, according
10 the historians, Mr.. Resented an
.nounced that the association was 5000 in
the hole, and in the same breath SAID
that he intended to give mere maunees IN
the menner of the first performance. see
ing rocks ahead, Mrs. Belle de Rivera
president Of the New York Theatre Club
promptly resigned from the federation.
SO did Mrs. George Howes, OF the Actors
Church Alliance; Mrs Edwin Arden, OF
the Twelfth Night Club; Mrs. Dore Lyon
Mrs. Gerard Bancker and other leaders oil
clubdom They influenced large NUMBER
of women who. it is said, will follow them
The future OF the federation is clouded
with uncertainty.
Resented Opposes "Tea Party"
Mr.. Resented says that me designations
of Mrs. Belle de Rivera as vice-presloeht
of the federation, Mrs. Gerard Bancker as
historian, Mrs. George Howes ana MIS-
Edwin Arden as members of the board
of directors have been accepted and olh-
ers elected in their places.
Mr.. RosenfeId declared that the resig-
nations were quite likely the result OF
something he had said at the last meet
ing Of the board Of directors Of the fedora
ton. on October 25 Knowing that some
of the women members Of the federation
were opposed TO some OF the measures
proposed" said Mr. Resented, i said
that hoped all officers of the organlza-
ton who regarded the federation as tea
party would get out of 1t. After the
meeting Mrs. de Rivera and some OF the
others came up to me and asked IL was
referring to them, and / told them that
# they thought the shoe ht they coulu
put it on"
Mr.. Resented added that Mrs. de HI
vera, in forming the federation mad the
tea party idea from the very beginning
"She had had some success in federatihg
Uouter's clubs, and she got the idea that
she could do the same thing with num-
ber of women's theatre clubs said MI
Rosenfeld.
A meeting of the newly incorporated
Federation Theatre Company Whlch was
,organized to produce the plays seiecleu
Inv the National Federation OF Iheare
Clubs. was held yesterday, and the ioi-
lowing directors were chosen; ba"aro
lIauterbach, Mrs. Dore Lyon, James n.
,suI,pnan. May Irwin, W. $. Nj. Mead ana
.Sydney Rosenfeld.
Mr. Resented intends TO continue his
mans for producing plays, even without
The support of the club leaders ana tnelt
!-o,ousrs He announces another play
o. THANKSGIVING week. This Is Ihe
lpoad 10 Already" by Edith Sessions Tup-
per. -.,. - -,,r-
a., evening. November IL, at when lhe
sneakers will be Edward Lauterpaeh'
lanes w. Osborne, May irwin fatnel
Iobn Talbot Smith, John Mason, Johh
TEMPLE Graves and sydney Rosenfeid.
cards Of admission may be secured
through members Of the federation
The officers of the Federation Theatre
.Comnany are Edwar- Lauterbach. presl-
dent: Mrs. Dore Lyon, Vice-preslueh' !,
sydney r. Rosenfeld, secretary ana
lanes r. Srliman, treasurer.
II 8, OFFICIAL SHOT IN QUARREL