The daily times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1902-1936, 1919-10-21
A MIXED
:. SOLUTION N
Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines
Battle With the Police in
effort to Stop
GERMAN OPERA SHOW

New York, N. Y, Oct. 2O.-De-
spite decision by Mayor Hylan that
German opera should not be given
in New York until the peace treaty
was signed Idle Meistersinger" was
presented in German at at Lex
ington Treater tonight while thous-
ands of soldiers, sailors, marines
and civilians fought with the police
in an attempt to reach the theater
and op the production.
Several shots were fired as the
former service men time and again
charged the police lines or laid down
2 barage of bricks, stones and other
missiles in an attempt to force theft
way through.
Soon after the performance stated
a crowd of about 800 service men
were driven away from the vicinity
of the theater but after reaching
Times Sqaue reinforced and, about
1000 strong started back only
to be met by a squad of mounted
poIicezgwhich scattered them. During
the remainder af the performance
the crowd fought valiantly to reach
the theater, but failed.
Reports during the early evening
as to whether the performance would
be presented were confusing alike
to service men and patrons. Police
stationed around the treater noti-
fed both that the play would not
be given. Mayor Hylan had prohibi-
ted it, they said, Mayor Hylan said
so himself in statement early in
the night after he had been re-
quested by the American Legion
to stop the opera. But the sale of
tickets continued and the curtain
was rung up at the scheduled time.
An announcement was then made
to reach the corporation counsel
to learn whether he had the legal
right to order the police to prevent
patrons from entering the Lexing
ton theater. Because of this fail
ure the mayor said he therefore
advised the police not to interfere
until 1 could obtain advice of the
corporation counsel to the end that
1 may proceed legally
Just before the curtain was raise
ed on the opera, Henry B. Hertz,
manager of the opera rushed to the
stage and announced:
''The performance will be given
tonight. I am arrested. I want to
Unrest this thing out in court"
The fighting beween the police
and groups of service men lasted
until midnight, but only a, few per-
sons were injured as far as the po-
lice could learn, although scores
had felt the weight Of the officers
night sticks and few officers had
been struck by missiles.
Hundreds of soldiers, sailors and
marines gathered in front of the
theater, and when the doors were
opened they raised howl of derision
and anger.
Then with an American flag at
it's head, long column of uninform-
ed men swung down the street. At
their appearance a call for police
reserves was sent in. The service
men were led by a marine wearing
a Croix de Guerre. A few minutes
after the curtain had been raised
and the strains of German music
sifted out through the doors, the vet
erans pressed forward only driven
en- back and temporarily dispersed
by mounted police.
On Tearing that directors of the
Star Opera company intended to
give the performance regardless of
his order, the mayor issued a state
ment in which he said that he had
directed the police not to interfere
with the opera "until could obtain