Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-03-05
T7iE 0IIh'IN INCIDENT.
tBy Jemts Weldon johnson, CoMri.
butiug Editor.)

Che sensation OF the thea n cs,4 seas
on lis tho report TINT tho Drama I,cog
ne deo!de1 that it would not invite
ChalSes Gilpin, The oot0rca star OF
THE tnpNF Jones" playing NJ the
Princess TiHiatre 20 its anRual din.
Aer.
Tho Drama League is an OTgaIIZa
ton which has for its purpose the
fostering Of what liz best in ,he theatre.
Hach year II passes OR tic various
productions and issues white hist"
of plays considered worth while, Also
each year 1t gives q dinner In honor
OF tho membership as the most .listix
guiahed contributors to dramatic art
IN tlre preceding year.
AS tho ba1lotlng proceeded this
year it was found a{tat (Silpln, the
eoiored acton; who played the pari Of
'Custis" In Drinkwatcrs grea. play,
abraham Lincoln" and who created
the stellar character In "rhe Elmpef-
or JONES'" which Is regarded by most
critics AZ tho 1noat note worthy play
Of the scasor. was likely to Rink
third or GurSlh on tho hist. This threw
come OF the members of tho Drama
League Into CONSERVATION. They
thought not only Of what Il terrible
prs"edent would be In this grea,
democracy TO give a Negro such
rank, but also Of what blow 1t
would be to "Angio.Saxon supren,.
acy' TO have him ait beside his follow
artists ut the dinner To be leiv.n III
the IAotel MnAlpin.
(S%tra IN, VoNyar,a1,a,, H., 49,.
busy Immediately to y head of this
double catastrophe. Their first hope
was that al2 management Of the Ho.
tel tMcAlpin would rcf,,se to allow q
Negro at its tables. But Whom up.
proadiad the management declared
that1it had no objecLions. They uien
decided to write Mr.. Qilpin q "seal
MOO" detter telling him what II fine
artist tfSoV considts>e him TO be,
whtlo at tho same time, negleottng
to send hi man invitation to the DIN
nor.
but thia clover little plan did not
work. The whole matter got QUA. Tho
Incident was carried with headlines
OH THO frSat pAgcss Of the New York
newspapers and the reaction has been
as gReat rs Mr. Gilpin and his friends
could wish for. Prominent ACTORS
and artistS Ut once voiced their pro
tests. and declared that they would
not offend the dinner II hr. Gnpin
was not invited. Mary Garden in pro
testing said: II would be viking to
sit with GLpin. I would like 20 know
who kn New York would not sit with
himY" Gilda Vnresi autographed the
Drama League, II you will inpite Gil
pin II be proud 10 alt next to him :.
God forbid that artists shonld do the
American etag,e such a wrong us has
been Imputed 10 you with rapect "a
0ilpin.' Several OF the New Yerk
newapapbrs have carried oddtormls on
the indictment.
Tribune closed its editorial by re.
marking that tho only thing left for
tho Drama League to do TO redeem Il
self was to give the dinner in honor
Of Gifpin.
AS unfortunate as Is this whole in
cfdent, 1T nevertheless reveals some
encouraging sfgna In the first place,
tho race has produced q great actor.
In the second place, this actor has In
spite Of the obstacles and handicaps
or the critics, his fellow artists, the
press and tho public In this great
city. In the third place, the narrow,
snobbsh attitude OF certain members
or ahe Drama League has met with
overwhelming rebmke. We may well
stop and ask If all OF tal1s could have
beam poaSiiha a generation ago.
Tho race might have produced the
great antOr a generation ago-in fact
1t did produce him more than n gsn
Grafton ago i'll Ira Akiridge-but
such an actor could not have gnined
recognition in t1la United States, and
much less could he have had admins
tered in his behalf the rebuke which
has been administered to the Drama
League in tho Olpin incident.
The most gratifying phase OF this
affair Is the dignified and sensible
position which Mr.. Ghpta himself has
nlaint aiHod through 1t all. Many men
Under tho circumstances would have
made some aafhlly foolish remark i.
When the aor1n broke Mr.. 4ilp,n
kept silent. When Mt last he was
prompted 70 say something, he gave
o,ft u statement In which he took very
high ground. H6 said that he was
honestly striving to present his art
rather than himself to tho public.
Regarding the embarrassing posi-.
ton In wf1ici, he had been placed, Mr..
Gi1pdn referred only briefly. He said !:
"Aesainat those who do not care to
ait in tho same dining room with me
have ne complaint. hThis only will I
say Thus far in the worltt's hihory
no pase or profession has ever been
given re&etaye rank permanently and
none has ever been permanently pre-
vented fFosA winning equality OF nat
Ing for ataolf.
'"kaA people everywhere, without
regard to coaor os estdSe, rxsaize thaa