New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-04

~HIS is the crowded hour of the
theatrical publicity agent, and the
Il man in the street is inclined to be-
lieve that never before has the genius OF
the brotherhood of dramatic boosters had
freer course or been more strenuously
glorihed. In fertility, acumen and origi-
nality OF devices many Of the publicity
manufacturers of the modern school are
past masters, not to say past grand com
manders. They can give cards ana
spades to the futurists post-impression-
lists and cubists Of kindred imaginative
art. II is no reflection on their skill that
they do not always produce really monu-
mental results. for in this blase age they
are obliged TO work with somewhat dulled
tools or more or less unresponsive ma
terials.
When one Of the most astute and re-
sourceful of operate impresarios made
it possible fey years ago for one OF his
prima donnas to issue ultimatum.
pledging herself TO break her contract
II rival prima donna should assume any
one Of certain roles which the issuer Of
the ultimatum claimed TO have made
famous, everybody thought II was a stun
staged "battaille de dames." vivid and
piquant while it lasted. But it was a
mere breach within the family whose
wounds were soon poultced The rival
ries excited did not divide tho public into
two hostile camps, and there were no
street riots, no arrests and no bloodshed.
MODERN NEAR RIOT"
When the Irish Players first came here
and presented Synge's THE Playboy Of
the Western World" racial sensibilities
were offended, and some irate co-natlon-
ais attempted to rebuke the players by
disorderly demonstrations and threats Of
violence. 1t might hatter the brotherhood
Of publicity promoters to contend that
this particular advertisement was tour
de force on their part Undoubtedly, II
represented a real grievance felt by a
small part Of the public, which was quick
ly turned TO use in attracting general at
tention TO a dramatic venture. But the
hostility which THE Playboy" aroused
was short lived, and led only to a few
ejectments and a few summonses TO the
police courts on charges Of disorderly con-
duct.
Lie AMERICAN puOiIS 10 ihNNh WV
sophisticated nowadays 10 take seriously
either the libels OF dramatists or the per-
sonal feuds Of singers and actors. 1t Is
not conceivable that a venomous personal
quarrel between two we'll known TRACE
dams should so excite partsanship as to
lead TO the cracking of heads and the call
ing in Of the police. II some press agent
could contrive to get regiment of mill
tia ordered out in order to protect the
theatre in which his star was acting from
mob infamed by a rival actors jeal-
ousies, he would think himself "Tody'
Hamilton and an oscar Hammerstein
rolled in one. The days for dazzling OPP
portunities like that are past, and the
most successful modern publicity promo
ter in this rnromantic age would gladly
give ten years Of his career TO have lived
in New York between 1910 and 1850. when
mere theatrical feuds stirred men to
frenzy and drove the maddened follow
ers of one rival. trying to express their
disapprobation OF the other. under the fire
Of the 7th Regiments muskets.
The Aston Place riot Of May 10. 1s4s.