The Washington times., 1922-11-13
Mary Garden Admits Failure
AS Boss of Chicago Grand Opera
Diva Says Directing Singers Is'
No Job for Woman-ls Will
ing to Serve in Ranks-Ssar
Declares Few First-0ualiiy
Voices Are Left In Europe.
by A. J. LORENZ.
Universal service.

Universal service.
CHICAGO, Nov. 1S.-Mary
Gardens one regret in life is that
she was born woman and not a
man.
Beauty, fame, achievement
mean nothing to her in compari-
son to the disappointment she has
suffered in being a woman, the
noted opera singer declared to-
day on arriving here for the
opera season.
:" would rather have built a
railroad or won battle than be
Mary Garden" she said.
Names Her Ideals.
Men, to me. seem 30 much more
capable OF greatness than women
that can hardly name one great
truly living woman today. No mat
ter where ! look. whether into the
past or the present, mon are greater.
They have achieved things or which
women are wholly incapacible. His
tory and the Bible have given WON.
an her rightful place. at the side or
man, but always a step inferior TO
him.
THAT is why do not vote.
do not feel capable Of judging Is
sues, because I am a woman"
Characterizing the supro m
achievement OF men as the power
of organizing" Miss Garden said:
THE world recently lost one OF It's
greatest organizers In the death OF
Lord Northcliffe.
Als and to
Randolph Hearst, with the power
welded by the press, TO me seem
The example of greatness of which
men are capable.
Condemns Her Sex.
Now Mr.. Hearst remains alon'
as the leading factor in the news
paper life CT the world"
Merciless in her indictment OF hel
own sex. Miss Garden was just az
merciless in setting her own sell
AS an example.
Il had The opportunity to direct
the Chicago Grand Opera Company
last season. hut / see now that II
was mans Job and not a womans.
II am glad that the opera ar
a rs are aga.n in the hands Of men
and / am willing to be their ser
want"
Voicing her relief at being reduced
ito the ranks" Of singers, Miss Gar
ion declared that she was supremelv
happy.
Il can live again. instead Of
merely exist, as l did last year." she
declared.
Her interview of more than two
hours was the longest ever granted
20 the press in her entire career.
"As much as / love France for
it's climate, am glad to be back in
he United States, where trains hug
the rails and one feels sense of
security" Miss Garden declared.
Europe does not do things thor
oughly, its operas are haphazard af-
fairs, the once glorious Opera
comique and the Paris Opera are
ravestes today.
Won ut Gambling.
There is hardly big singer left
II Europe today. Opera and or.
chestra in Europe are mediocre. and
there seems no hope for their future.
The whole world of art Is pivoted in
America"
Confirming the reports that
reached America during the summer
that she had won large sums at
Monte Carlo, Miss Garden said that
her winnings, although not fabulous,
-otaled 100000 francs in two nights.
"One night in less than half an
hour ] won 10000 francs, the next
night I won 10000" she said. But
1t Is not true that broke the
bank"
The largest winner of the season
was Russian nobleman, who i'm
less than week took SOC, 900 francs
back to Paris. gave II TO the Rus.
sian refugees. and committed
suicide.
Miss Garden said she is greatly
interested in politics.
"Al Smiths election to the gov.
ernorship OF New York thrilled me
as much as first night. re.
ceived the news in mid-ocean." she
said. And l could not help but
shout when I read the bulletin"
Her meeting with Sir Oliver
Lodge, she declared, almost made
a convert OF me-"
IF ] were convinced there were
no future life, I should not want
70 live another day." she said.
Miss Garden will open her season
with the Chicago Civic Opera Tues.
lay night, singing the title role Of
Carmen.