The sun., 1917-04-18
COCHRAN KISSED
AT WAR DINNER
Illustrators Resent Remark
That Allies Did Not Know
Why They Fought.

Bourke Cochran jumped into the lime
light at war dinner" of the Society
of illustrators at the Hotel Majestic
last night more effectively than the dis
tinguished orator and lawyer has done
since he devoted his talents "A year ago
last summer. to trying to save Charles
Becker, murderer Of Herman RosenthaL
from the. electric chair. Mr.. Cochran
came to the dinner of the illustrators
(who had gathered solely to devise ways
and means OF helping the country by
appointing commuters to supervise the
designing OF recruiting posters. &c) with
speech that was just about as joy
fully received as Il Mr. Cochran rad
brought in an epidemic of the German
measles.
The whole European war, said Mr.
Cochran when called upon by Toastmas-
ter Charles Dana Gibson. was, until the
United States decided to take "A part III
Il, "a sordid spectacle" The nations OF
Europe. all of them, were tghtns solely
ito be destructive" SIX weeks ago,
continued Mr. Cochran amid silence
that was a Serfectly good silence, none
Of the natioms-France. England. Russia
or any OF the rest OF them-knew what
they were lighting about Prolonged
stlnessD Then IN came the United
states "and lifted the war 10 the level
OF crusare--a fight for democracy
Remarks Arouse Wrath.
1t so happened that large part of
the 400 or more painters, illustrators
and architects present had learned the
technic Of their arts in France. Where
a, Itn 10
say. A handful OF those present ap-
paluded with patter OF handclaps
when Mr. Cochran spoke well OF me
United States, but there were some
others growing among themselves wh.!"
Mr. Cochran had been lacing into Inc
Allies for what he seemed to think "A
lack of ideals. who promptly let loose
hissss that must have awakened the
sleeping squirrels in the park across the
way.
''Cut It out-he's our guest" some
| body said in "A sibilant whisper to the
hissers.
He ". Is heo Well. what of IT."
asked the chief hisser who happened to
be one of the leading artists OF the
! country.
And then Cass Gilbert. designer of the
J Wooiworth Building. the Custom House
/ and other notable edifiCes, arose. lnl-
{ mcdiately Mr.. Gilbert ceased to be Cass
! Gilbert. Architect, and became Cass Gill
bert, Orator. In simple. Conversations
! tones Mr. Gilbert, who hadn't known
that Tcastmaster Gibson was going Ia
call on him for a speech, told of the
= glorias that are France and the
grandeur that is Britain. And the ar
lists, which included many artists Of
! literature also. got up on their hind legs
/ aud yelled their collective heads off.
Applause Rebukes Cochran.
I Il differ with Mr.. Cochran in one re-
spect," began Mr. Gilbert, and that : as
! far as he got for some time, The Hotel
/ Majestics banquet hall promptly en-
/ ploded The diners saw their chance 10
! repudiate what had gone before and they
took advantage OF 1t. They yelled.
! And next Dudley Field Malone stood
/ up and made a speech that further
squared things Early In his rema rks
the Collector of the Port male the HAT
statement that "sll the port Is busy
preparing the Austro- German merchant
fleet recently seized by him for the Gov
ernmsnt. so that the hundreds OF thou,
sands Of tonnage can be sent forth tilled
with food for our allies lCheers and
! with ammunition--for our enemies" I'm.
I'll Mr. Malone's speech last night there
had been no official statement AS Il
whether or not the Government was GO
iIrs to send the German aud Austrian
ships to sea
There were warlike speeches also by
Lord Aberdeen, Theodore Rousseau. who
spoke for his chief. Mayor Mitchell a few
non n-committal remarks by Rear Admra
Bradley n. Fiskc, L. ). N, retired, anc
by Commander X, NJ Bennett and Col
Walsh Of the army, and speeches by
Augustus Thomas, Henry Reuterdahl anC
others Mr.. Gibson read telegram from
George Creel asking that the illustrator:
get together and make pictures for IN,
cause.
Chile to Tax Copper Exports.