New-York tribune., 1916-02-28
Stage and Public Join III
Tribute at Waldorf to
Veteran Actor.
PRESIDENT SENDS
LETTER OF REGRET
DIR. Butler. George AIDE and Gen.
Wood Speakers-Comedian
so Years Before Public.

William H. Crane, who IN ie"
weeks will have finished his hfty-thIFd
successive year Of active labor on the
American stage. was gues; at COM
nlimentarv dinner b, nearly four hun
dred friends at the Waldori-As'oria
last night.
An idea Of the representative gatner-
ing 70 pay tribute TO the comedian VINO
has for a half century been before 'he
public can be gotten from the HS' ot
speakers, which contained tne names oI
Daniel Frohman, Or. Nicholas Murray
Butler. General Leonard ,i NOoui'
Fibert H. Gary. VIII lam Winter. David
Relasco. Dudley Field Malone, George
N Chan. William Courteigh, Joseph
Rrook Leo Ditrichstein Melville +.
stone. George AIDE. sam II. Harris, Jel-
forson Winter. Charles Burnham, Jo-
semi Cowthorn and Victor Herbert.
Sir. Herbert led his orchestra for
the first number Of the programme,
and Mr.. Frohman was spokesman oil
the evening
A letter OF regret from President
Wilson 10 Collector Malone was as io'-
lows:
my Dear Dudley:
81 wish most unafectedly that l
could come 20 the dinner TO Mr.
Crane. and you may be sure tha'
warmly appreciate and rejoice at
the attitude of the actors and
theatrical managers towatd the Ad-
miuistration. But 10 is. really my
absolute duty 20 decline all lnNl-
tations which have nothing direct
IN 10 DO with my public duties.
think the whole country demands
tho fNtnN
right. the best thing | can DO IS 10
saw wood. Will YOU not convey 70
Nr. Crane my warm consiaVui@
tions and personal regards
Regrets from Three Hundred.
Letters and kilograms of regret were
received from more than three hundred
persons. among them eX-Presldent iait
and Colonel Henry WatteTson;
In his opening address Mr. Frohmah
hailed Mr.. Crane as one OF the greatest
Of American comedians, an artist rep
resenting the best of his time. Mr..
Crane was further distinctive, said Mr..
Frohman. for the reason that he had
passed through the vicssitudes OF ms
long career with only one WIFE. inns
remark called for cheer Tor Mrs.
Crane. who was proudly seated IN the
balcony. together with the wives OF
many Of the diners.
"The theatre is for wholesome enter
tainment, not for morbid sex dramas,
nor pathological questions" said Mr.
Frohman, "and Mr.. Crane has always
been the champion of good and whole
some plays. So, just as we welcomed
Jefferson, so do we now welcome HIM.
After an enthusiastic greeting which
was almost political in its proionga-
tion. Mr Crane said that Of all mo
mentous first nights which he was able
10 recall there never was one that com %
pared 10 this.
"As q great many Of you know, he
said. "in a few weeks ! shall have
finished ffty-three years Of active ser
vice in my profession. Naturally, IN
these later days / have been often
asked why did not retire. ! have al
ways answered such a question by say
ing that if they would allow me to
make a simple statement and ask them
a question I would 90 into any explana-
tion that they might desire. And
have said: "My health is perfect. my
work is my pleasure-whv should ! re-
tire? Up 70 the present time no one
has answered that question.
NATURALLY. ! have but a short time
left, but ! assure you, gentlemen,
shall not wait to be told / must quit
hope ] shall know when IL is time
for me 20 stop. before you do
Ade Talks Drama.
Mr.. Crane then sketched his career
which started n Boston with the HOl-
man Opera Company. From the Hol-
mans he went TO Mrs Oates's Opera
Company. He was then successively
with Hooley's Theatre, Stuart Robson
Charles Frohman and Joseph Brooks
his present manager.
"But, gentlemen. this wonderful trib-
ute tonight | consider more Of as
tribute to desire to keep the stage
clean and wholesome than as per
sonal tribute 20 myself" said Mr
Crane, In closing.
DR.. Butler greeted Mr.. Crane IA g;
human being who can typify so much
that is human"
BLESSED are the funmakers, Cor they
shall inherit the earth," he said. "Wha
fine thing that one great branch O
literature has been given over TO por
traying the lighter side of lifel Nh
Crane is the happy possessor of one o
the greatest powers in this life, tn
power of reaching the head :hrougl
the heart.
Joseph Cawthorn sang his famou
song, al Can Dance with Anybody tu
My Wife" in spite of the injunction
announced in yesterday mornings pa
pers, and George Ade made q humOrou
speech which was perhaps the hit o
the evening.
"Drama Is divided into two parts,
said the well known author Of tn
Fables. "Just now 10 Is divided NOR
roughly than ever.
"The distinction used 20 depend CT
the last act II the actors curled "
and died, it was tragedy IL they stoO,
In long line and bowed. il was com
. edy.
"But, thanks 10 the Southern Cali
III fornia School Of Art. all of that ha
~ been done away with. II is now n,
longer tragic for any one to get hi
over the head with a brick or drown il
lake. It's funny. Comedians like Mr.
Crane, who used TO study in the library
now study In the gymnasium. Gent
who couldn't write home for money tal
years ago are now writing scenarios
and there are more moving picture the
atres than delicatcsscn stores"
Miss Virginia Fox Crooks and Nis
Viola Gillette sang songs. and spccis
quartette, composed OF George MacFar
land. John PARK. Van Rensselac
Wheeler and Frank Roxton, gave a spe
cial selection composed for the ocea
sion.
Others who spoke were Henry Miller
Melville Stone and General Leonar
Wood who made an appeal for pre