New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-30
WAY Of GUILTY MAN.
PROVES HARD, INDEED
Members Of Committee in
CHARGE Of Sociological Play
Lose Courage.
J. D., JR., STARTS TROUBLE
Denies He Has Anything to Do
with Production-Others
Demand That Their
Names Be Not Used.

Ndl4S5 Az @'SS
.he wey OF 1.-The Guilty Man Is haro
e.oec,ally when his doings are put IN
MAY. even though the production Of the
play 10 announced as being under the
Christening auspices OF the sociological
fund OF The Medical Review Of Re-
views" assisted by committee com
posed OF such persons as Norman Hap
good. chairman: Mrs. o. HIP. Belmont,
DR.. c. Ward Champion. the Rev. John
Haynes Holmes, Hamilton Holt editor of
The independent; Or. Frederick c.
Howe. director OF the Peoples Institute;
Mrs. w X. Vanderbilt, Ella Wheeler
Wilcox and DR.. Ira S. VILE.
Trouble for the production OF the play
began with a low rumble yesterday morn
ing and ended by nightfall in the almost
complete collapse OF the committee. The
first rumble was a statement OF repudia-
ton issued by John d. Rockefeller. jr,
denying that he had any part in the com
ing production.
Mr.. John d. Rockefeller IT." his state
ment ran. has taken TO part In the re-
ported plans for the presentation OF a
play called The Guilty Man Last
,pring he was a member OF committee
organized on the initiative Of the man
ayers of The Medical Review of Reviews,
and known as the committee Of the
sociological fund. Mr.. Rockefellers mem
bership on this committee had 10 do solely
with the effort 10 make possible Brieux
play called Damaged Goods
Robinson to the Rescue.
This first setback was for tins
smoothed over by Frederic II. Robinson.
pl esident OF the sociological fund commit
tee. who hnstened to explain that ii was
entirely through an error that Mr.. Rock
efeller's name had been announced among
those on the committee He agreed with
out a murmur with Mr.. Rockefeller's
statement that ne had nothing to do with
THE Guilty Man"
But this did not end the trouble. Before
the day was over Mr.. Robinson received
written and telephone communications
from several others whom ne said were
properly announced as members asking
that their names be withdrawn.
The first OF these 10 be heard from was
Hamilton Holt. who rang up Mr. Robin
son. and explained ne was willing to be
a subscriber TO the fund to the extent OF
buying two tickets TO the performance.
hut did not consider himself qualified to
act on the committee 10 boost II. since he
had never read the play. Mr.. Robinson
thought this was fair enough. and was
eth not greatly worried.
Then in rapid succession he learned that
Dr. c. Ward Champion, physical director
IN the New York schools Mrs. Charlotte
Perkins Gilman. a sociological writer; DR..
Ira S. Vile. a member Of the Board of
Education and an editor OF the Medical
Review OF Reviews" which was standing
back OF the play. and DR.. Frederic c.
Howe. director OF the Peoples Institute.
We're not completely at ease about the
appearance of their names on the COM
mittee.
Some Of them asked point blank 70 have
their names taken of, while others said
they wanted to think II over. The ex-
plantations were either that they az first
did not understand the nature OF the play
TO be produced or that they were TO be
on the committee intending TO appear
only as subscribers TO tickets.
Then things began TO look serious. and
Mr.. Robinson at once wrote a telegram Ia
every member Of the committee, and sent
them flying IN an effort to stop further
defections.