The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-02-22
THE PEOPLES SAY
Fep. 21, 1922.

Editor,
 The Bridgeport Times.
 Bridgeport. Conn. Dear Sir:-
 At the concert given Monday at the Bridgeport High School by the l Orpheus Concert Artists of New ork, under the auspices of the Bus1- | ness and Professional Women's Club | of this c1ty. considerable embarrass- ment was caused to members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and their friends by reason of the fact that Mr: N Mark Byron. Jr. manager of the 1 admit ladies accompanying Veterans on the complimentary tickets he had sent to be distributed among mem bers of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
 These tickets were all marked Complimentary" and were to be ex- changed for reserved seats at Stein scented to the V. F. W. no stipulation was made by MT. Byron as to who would be admitted on them, but when V. F. W. members accompanied by tickets with the reserved seat checks at the door for admission they were refused by MT Byron. Likewise several ladies who had been given the tickets of members of the V. F. w. who could not go themselves were barred admission unless they dug down for $4.60 Ito pay for their 'Ecomphmentary'' tickets.
 It made it very embarrassing for members of the V. F. w. who had given out these tickets to their friends in good faith to have them thus spurned at the door, arid the writer, as an officer of the Raymond W. liar ris Post, V. F. w., used all his powers of persua sion and exhausted a good deal of patience trying to. convince MT. Byron that it would be better for all f4-s fo ,11 i4 Iod that they had the reserved seat checks, than to turn them away dissatisfied and play to empty seats But MT. Byron was inf1exible and even became very insulting personally.
 The writer explained to him that the Business and Professional Wo- mems Club is a respected body in this community and that we did not wish fleet discredit upon them, under whose auspices the concert was given. MT. Byron remarked that he did not care anything about our opinion, and that the opinion of myself or any half dozen people like me made not a whit of difference to him.
 The president of the Business and Professional Womens Club was ap- principle upon which she wished the affair to be run and she showed that it was not. She was in favor of ad- uniting all who presented the compli-
 
 checks, and so stated to MT. Byron. But the aStute manager from New York was unchangeable and held that all patrons outside of bona fide mem bers of the Veterans of Foreign Wars bay for their "complim entary" tickets or go home. The result was that many people did go home or went to other places of amusement, as did the writer and his friends.
 Will you please publish this letter for the information and guidance of prospective recipients of future "corn- plime entary'' tickets from the Orpheus Concert Artists? It looked very much like an attempt to hold up the people for money after attracting them to the concert by the ruse of issuing "com- tickets under the guise of altruisn.
 We wish to thank the Business and Professional Women's Club for the tickets that were used by members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and for their efforts in behalf Of those who were turned away.
 Very truly yours,
 ELWIN H. F'INDLAY,
 Adjutant, Raymond W.
 Harris Post, No. 145,
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