The sun., 1919-08-23

table in response to loud demands from
| the Equity group that they wanted the
brother himself "Ie didn't think the
| incident important enough 10 come here.
But any man who would take six
teen-year-old boy, put him UP against
the wall and say, Now. what do you
| know? deserves to b exposed, and my
father intends to send him up. You can
go to him and tell him that-and his
name is Ned Sparkes."
Explanations of Horror.
While ordinations of horror rent the
air Miss Kingsley shrilled. THAT con-
Germs Ned Sparkes % Immediately she
disappeared to bring him to the inquisi-
ton. though they both failed to appear
later. The young actor then went on
to say that both his brother and him
self were members OF the Equity, but
question as to his brothers loyalty had
arisen few days ago, and he had
instructed Gardner to go to strike head
quarters on West Forty-fifth street to
have a little confidential chat with Har-
rison Hunter. head Of the striking
company.
| "As he got in the door on Forty-fifth
street" said young James with a culver
| in his voice, two men nabbed him and
said, Show us your card My brother said
no. he wanted to see Harrison Hunter.
| Then they took him into n room where
no one else was. and Ned Sparkes put
him up against the wall and jerked his
neck up and down. He has bruises on
his neck and scratches on his arms
and that's why he's down in the coun-
try"
In the ensuing clamor nothing could
keep Mr. Leftwich of the platform, and
he warmed UP Immediately with the as
| sertion that the actors had been sacri-
eced "in order that the vanity of these
damned heather might be satisfied"
Two weeks ago tonight" he con-
tinued. ct incurred the proudest distinc-
ton of my lhe--that OF being branded
as the leading scab of the acting pro-
fession. Not one OF the A. f. A. would
come to me, though my Office was only
sixty-five feet away from their head
quarters. But they went down into the
country. behind my back. and on my
fifteenth wedding anniversary they took
my wife and my boy away-this was
under orders from the Equity head
quarters. and I'll prove It before any
court in the world.
They took her out of the bed, where
she had been lying sick. with a nurse
watching her for days, while had been
trying to earn enough money to send
her to the city without giving her a
chance to get fully dressed. They sent
her in to me on the stage OF the Cohan
& Harris Theatre knowing full well that
her health was going and that she was
splitting blood. They meant to use her
as a catspaw to get me out Of the
theatre.
Threatened with Ostrncism.
"She said before Mr. Cohan and my
self that she had Just come from the A
f. A. headquarters, where Francis VIII
son. Frank Gilmore and John Cope haC
told her I would be ostracised and rid
den out of the theatres so long as / live
unless ] walked out Of that house"
Interjections Of Same here!' broke II
upon this dramatic discourse Then Mr.
Leftwich said that he told his wife;
Go back and tell Wilson, Gillmor,
and Cope that I'm going to stick to thii
man. to whom have given my word, til
I'm the last actor in the world"
| Another tempest of feeling wa
brought TO close by a suggestion from
an actress named Katherine Hagan tina
an organization should be formed. Tha
gave Mr.. Mann hio cue to announce tina
he would send for Mr.. Cohan. who hac
assured him he would retire from the P
NJ. A. and devote his time to such an or
ganization.
The mere mention of his name brought
the audience to their feet in a hurricane
of cheering. While the manager was be
ing brought from his Office janet
| Beecher filled in the interlude with a
speech urging the actors not to linz
themselves with money and labor and
all these stupid things, but to higher
nobler things''-quoting Shakespeare tc
stimulate them.
A storm OF applause that lasted fol-
more than a minute broke out as Cohar
was ushered in amid waving hands. yell,
and even slaps on the back. The drama
tic tension sagged for a minute while
Mr.. Mann made another speech explain
ing the previous events to Mr.. Conan
whom he addressed as George" Bu
1t revived with Mr., Mann's peroration
I'VE want you to lead us out o.
the desert and into the oasis that W,
know full we'll you with your master
mind can do"
Conan. looking flushed and haggard
with knitted brows rose and delivered
this address:
I'm not representing any one bu
myself here to-day. Up to two week.
ago it was always said I was a frienS
OF the actor and sympathetic with m,
profession as far as could afford to be
olnCe tHen I've Deen Cdlleu a DanQlt,
cutthroat and a scab, but In spite of al
that think more Of the actor now thar
ever did before.
''Mr. Belasco said few days ago 4
wind blew in a certain way he woult
never produce again. 1 think that what
ever way the wind blows / shall ne> l.
produce again" Cries of mo. not!
I'VE think Mr.. Cohan is too big
man" began Mr. Mann.
order orderI" shouted a score O.
voices. which increased Mr. Mann
color. He hurled back at them through
his teeth
The chair Is never out of order.
was about to say Mr.. Conan is too bill
a man not to reconsider his decision"
81 want to do all can to benefit thu
: theatre" Mr.. Conan added, land to brinl
} back the old friendly relations between
} manager and actor. A few days ago
man approached me and asked me VIII.
I didn't do something TO lead the actor
out of this trouble. ! told him that l
my time. my energy and my money cal
do anything for them the can have
ALL want You to know that I'm witt
you all the way to the grand finale"
After Mr.. Conan was elected tempo
rary president and David Warfield mad,
a speech. the meeting was adjourned 70
lAk ,twaw