The New York herald., 1920-01-15
Mr.. MAETERL|NCK
JOINS ISSUE WITH
MR.. POND IN COURT
Appears as Plaintiff in One
Action Over Lectures and as
Defendant in Another.

The Blue Bird of Happiness has been
fluttering all over the city recently, except
into the apartment of A. a Anderson, in
the Beaux Arts Building, where Maurice
Maeterllnck, the creator OF the joy symbol.
Is stopping. The peace and quiet usually
associated with poets was shattered BY
litigation begun in the Supreme Court yes
terday, in which the Belgian poet appears
both as plaintiff and defendant.
The actions may delay for severaI
months longer than anticipated the stay
Of Mr.. Maeterlinck and his wife in Amer
lea, and may bring about complete can
collation. of his already disrupted lecture
tour of the United States and Canada.
Mr.. Maeterinck Is being sued for s35, ,0GC
damages on account of an alleged breach
OF contract in an action begun by Guggen-
heimer, Untermyer q Marshall in behalf
of Major James B. Pond. head OF the ]. b.
Pond Lyceum Bureau Of No. 80 East
Forty-second street. Attached TO his COM
plant Mr.. Pond has notice requesting
Mr.. Maeterlinck to show cause on January
q why he should not be restrained from
lecturing for any other person or agency
than the Pond Bureau or from appearing
on public platform for the purpose OF
lecturing without the consent OF Mr.. Pond
Mr.. MaeterliHck himself is plaintiff and
Mr.. Pond defendant in an action begun
for the poet by Stanchfield and Levy
which charges Mr.. Pond with breach OF
contract, and in which damages in excess
of $4,000 will be asked. This action was
brought to light in the court when Mr.
Ponds attorneys filed a notice of appear
ance and demanded the papers in the
action to be served on them
"A persistent and systematic campaign
has been carried on to effect q breach
of the contract and OF the friendly rela-
tons which hitherto existed between the
defendant and myself" Mr.. Pond asserted
in an affidavit attached to his complaint
He said that person had "instilled In the
mind OF Mr.. Maeterlinck and poisoned
him with the idea that he had made a
bad bargain
In Mr.. Ponds action he makes 1t known
that the contract between himself and the
poet was made on June 80 1919. under
which Mr.. Maeterlinck was to deliver
series Of lectures in the United States
and Canada, to begin on January I, 1920
and continue approximately three months
Because of Mr.. Maeterlincks special
talents and international reputation as
lecturer Mr.. Pond says, he regarded his
services as unique and extraordinary"
and made thirty-eight contracts for his
appearance. and has spent large sums Of
money in advertising.
Mr.. Pond alleges in the complaint that
IN January 10 Mr.. Maeterlinck repudiated
the contract and made an agreement with
Iitniy huSStiI, IeCGHlly lNlpTeSdTlO the
Boston Opera Company, and others, to
give lectures under their auspices The
injunction will be asked to prevent such
appearances. one of which already took
place on Tuesday afternoon in the Ritz
Carlton Hotel and another is set for Fri
Iday morning at Carnegie Hall.
In his attached affidavit Mr. Pond ey-
plains the financial terms OF the contract
he declares broken. To Mr.. Maeterlnck
was guaranteed a minimum of 10000 as
his share of the net profits OF forty lee
lures. the guarantee to be reduced II
fewer were delivered, but not less than
$500 was to be paid for each lecture.
Seventy per cent of the net profits Of
the tour was guaranteed to Mr. Maeter-
liz. whether this amounted TO his flat
$4,000 guarantee or not. and Mr. Pond
was TO pay the poets travelling expenses
and his hotel expenses IL they did not ex-
ceed SIS a day.
In his counter action. Mr.. Maeterlinck
alleges that the contract has not been
lived UP to in that Mr.. Pond has failed
to pay his travelling expenses and his
living expenses while in this country
Mr.. Pond said yesterday that so far no
bill had been presented to him covering
the poets travelling expenses, hence ne
hardly could be expected to pay what he
did not know about. and that so far Mr.
Maeterlinck has incurred no living exc
penses. as he has been the guest of Mr.
Anderson.