New-York tribune., 1919-10-21

tonight. The war is over"
Now" said one of the soldiers to
his companion, "well get the gang"
Soldiers Tell HEADQUARTERS"
A one-legged soldier in a group that
ings from the two who had just
emerged from the lobby, went stump
ing away at top speed
"W, better notify headquarters
right away" he painted.
The entrance to the auditorium of
the opera house was draped with a
large American flag. Inside were a
score or more of policemen in uniform
on guard. The curafh rose at $3.50, ten
minutes after Henry B. Herts, busines 8
manager Of the company, had raced
back stage from the lobby shouting:
The performance will be given to-
thrash this out in court" The COM
pany, led by Otto Goritz. general di-
rector, had just time to cheer him be-
fore the curtain went up.
"The Star-Spangled Banner" was the
first number played by the orchestra.
The audience, which filled the house
completely, rose and applauded "Amer-
lea" was followed by the "Meister-
singer" overture and "Wach Auf" by
the chorus. This brought the audi
ence spontaneously to it's feet, wild
with enthusiasm. For five minutes
they stamped and applauded, creating
an uproar which penetrated the walls
and was heard family on the "battle"
lines block away.
Like Belcaguered Garrison
When the curtain was rung down for
the lntermission the audience found
themselves in the position of beleag-
uered garrison Attendants guarded all
the doors to the outer lobby, which
ordinarily is used as smoking room.
They informed every one who sought to
go out that if he did so he must not
return. This precaution was taken in
order to avoid filing the outer lobby
with throng which would be plainly
visible through the glass -panelled
doors to any one on the street.
few minutes before the perform
ance came to An end the counsels of
the peace makers prevailed upon the
riotous soldiers and sailors and they
began to dispersc. BY the time the
audience emerged the trouble was over
however, who evidently intended to
steal march on the besiegers by
leaving before the rest of the audience,
walked into difficulties.
He had lef. his automobile at Forty
eighth Street and Lexington Avenue,
terrain which still was held by the
rioters. They watched him climb in
and as he started off turned loose. a
volley of bottles and brickbats which
shattered the windshield of his car and
most of the other glass about it.
Another Performance Tonight.
Mr.. Herts, general manager Of the
opera company, asserted emphatically
that another performance would be
given tonight. The curtain would 20
up at 8:15, he said, and the principal
singer would be Viola Graham, whose
father, Captain Stephen Graham, COM
mands the United States destroyer
Wheeling.
Every seat in the opera house was'sold
last night, the manager continued, ex-
cept two rows in the gallery, which were
reserved for other opera singers. Twen-
ty-five hundred persons occupied seats,
he said, and about two hundred more
stood throughout the performance. The
nights receipts were about $4,000, he
said.
Soldiers, sailors and marines who did
not join in the uproar about The opera
house but were thought for some time
to have the intention Of doing so,
marched up and down Broadway during
the evening in the vicinity Of Times
Square. They were led by maSine who
wore the Croix de Guerre. Their parade
attracted crowds who cheered them all
along their line of march,
Propaganda Not Proved
Mayor Hylans order indicated that
the police had been instructed to al
low no German opera in New York
ftor {bo a.
treaty.
"Although the American Legion
failed to produce proof Of German
propaganda; and / am convinced that
there is no propaganda connected with
the Star Opera Company" said the
Mayor, "yet it is my judgment that
the opening Of this opera should be
deferred until after the ratification Of
the treaty Of peace"
The Mayor reached his decision just
an hour and thirty minutes before the
curtain rose at the Lexington Thcater
For three hours in the afternoon, IN
the rooms of the Board Of Estimate,
he conducted public hearing on a
petition Of the American Legion that
the opera be stopped. Members of the
legion contended that opera in German
was "insidious propaganda" and that
$4,000 New Workers within Il week had
signed protest against it. Wounded
soldiers were produced to show that
"the men now in the hospitals suffer
ing from German bullets would shud.
der at the thought that German songs
we're being sung"
e Deny German Affiliations
Officials Of the opera company de-
nied>that they had any German af1ilia-
tions. They contcnded that the pre-
paration for last nights performance
represented an investment Of $4,000
Surprise was expressed by the le-
gion officials when the Mayor at the
outset announced that he had called
the hearing to find out whether this
is a fight between the Metropolitan
Opera Company and the Star Opera
Company and whether the Metropoli-
tan wants to exclude the latter from
doing business"
"This is a fight by American citizens
against German propaganda" asserted
Major Robert McC. Marsh, spokesman
for the legion. 81 am surprised to
hear any suggestion that We have any
other motive"
Referring to Harold NJ. Schwab.
chairman Of the legion's anti German
propaganda committee, the Mayor In
tcrrupted: "My reason for calling
this hearing is that it has been stated
that Mr.. Schwab WAS accused Of being
on the payroll Of the Metropolitan"
Calls Company German
-