New-York tribune., 1920-01-15
Pond to Ask
$4,000 From
Maeterlinck
Manager Begins Action to
Prevent Poet Speaking
Under Any Auspices Ex-
cept His; Hearing Jan. %
Counter Claim Is Filed
Authors Attorneys Demand
His Expense to U. S. and
Proceeds of 3 Lectures

Both sides in the Maeterlinck-Pond
controversy sought the aid Of the law
yesterday. Papers we're served upon
Mr.. Maeterlinck's lawyers, StanchAeld
& Levy. by Mr.. Ponds lawyers. Gug-
genheim, Untermyer & Marshall, re-
quiring the poet to show cause on
January % why he should not be re-
strained from delivering lectures under
other management than that of the
Pond Lyceum Bureau. Mr.. Pond plans
to ask $4,000 damages. his complaint
shows.
At the same time Messrs. Stanch-
field & Levy served papers on Mr..
Ponds lawyers demanding that Mr..
Pond hand over to Maeterlinck the
proceeds of the three lectures already
delivered and pay the expenses Of his
passage to this country.
No Bill Rendered, Says Pond
Glow can pay his passage, when
have never been presented with bill :"
demanded Mr.. Pond yesterday. $50
far as I know Maeterlinck has incurred
no expenses in this country, as he and
his wife have been the guests of A. A.
Anderson in the BRYANT Park Studios.
and have not been informed as to the
amount Of his expenses for the
journey"
The harvest which Maeterlinck was
to have reaped in his travels through
America was discovered yesterday to
have been a minimum Of $4,000 for
the poet, at the rate of $500 for each
of forty lectures. OF the money re-
ceived above this sum, Maeterlinck
was to have received 70 per cent and
the Pond Bureau 80 per cent.
Mr.. Pond in an interview yesterday
by Henry Russell, "Maeterlinck's inti-
mate friend and man Friday in this
land of savages," with what seemed
to him obvious intent to break the
contract
Proposed Contract Offensive
"Mr. Russell drew up new contract
after the first lectuse at Carnegie
Hall, containing many provisions which
could not be accepted by amy person
of spirit" Mr.. Pond said. Among
them he stipulated that l was not to
interfere with or intrude upon Maeter-
linck's mode of living, social activities,
visits or engagements so long as he
does not make speaking engagements
other than those referred to in the
contract was prevented by wiles
from seeing Maeterlinck upon his ar
rival here, and now they try to write
it into the contract that am not to
see him."
While the lawyers pored over the
legal papers yesterday, however. Mr..
Maeterlinck and his wife enjoyed the
performance of Miss Ethel BARRYMORE
in "Declass6e." Mr.. Maeterlinck pro-
nounced the opinion that Miss Barry
more should go in for Shakespeare
at once, that she was wasted in
,'Declassee," which was an interesting
but not great play.
an hour with Miss Barrvmora 'ets et tSa Oa
end Of the performance, discussing tho
plans for the production of his new
play, "Monna Wanna" He asked Miss
barrymore to play the LEADING mart
in that play. f"-'
Boston Lecture Cancelled
The original plans for Maeterlinck,s
visit called not for an afternoon at the
theatre yesterday, but for trip by rail
to Boston. The lecture there had been
cancelled pending the termination Of
the !! legal battle now raging. Maeter-
llnck will give his lecture for the
League for Political Education to-mor. ne
row at Carnegie Hall. according to
schedule. The proceeds are to be
placed IN the hands of Henry W. Taft
for the trustees of the league until the
courts determine their rightful owner.
Mr.. Pond called the attention of The
Tribune yesterday to a statement pub
ls llshed s, in connection with photograph
or Mime: Maeterlinck on January II. in
which it said, "Whosc (Macte Rim ck's)
manager has Cancelled his lecture tour"
Mr.. Pond said: "Mr. Maeterlinck's
contract has not been Cancelled by me.
His representatives have. however.
made painstaking effort to terminate
the contract, such effort having been
commenced before the beginning of the
tour. Although the break in contract
was made by Mr. Maeterlinck. his rep
resentatives in trying to win public
opinion have given out erroneous state
ments that the contract was termi-
mated by me-"