TIIE SUNDAY ukkuusiaj, .runxtiAau, Jims 1, ivii5.
EUGENE WOLTER TELLS REASON
' FOR WRITING "FINE FEATHERS
ft
Playwright Says His Idea Merely Reflected Public Mind, and His Acute Calculation as to Its Success Led Him to
Put It in Play Porm Sex-Industrial Question Always Big Issue.
........... i
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....w.,,.., -.,J.-J-.. ., - - " J --, J
j SCKXK FROM "FIMJ FEATHERS." LEFT TO KIGKT, WILTON LACKAVE, ROBERT EDESOX ASD LOLITA i
I ROBERTSOX. ,,
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FIANOS .
$S.OO
Cash
$ 1 .O O
Weekly
If You Are Going" to Sift tne
Player Piano Market for trie Best
in Player Pianos for Quality;
and Price t He 14 Kinds of tne
Best Makers' Player Pianos
REPRESENTED IN THE STOCK OF THE
PLAYER PIANOS
$15
Cash
.$ 2.00
Weekly
GRAVES
MUSIC CO. RE
MM
SA. JE
will give yra such a sifting there axo as many kinds of Player Pianos represented in this sale as you will find if you visit all the piano stores in
Portland, particularly since, as a rule, but one or two makes of player pianos can be found in each of the other piano stores.
BY EUGENE WAVTETt.
IN writing "Fine Feathers" and hav
ing H produced, with its tragic end
ing, there was no particular element
of courage exercised by either myself,
as the author, or Mr. Frazee, as the
manaper; but with a degree o modesty
I think I can say that the decision to
write a play of thiH character and carry
it out to its logical conclusion is simply
the result of a certain curtness of cal
culation and an appreciation of the
rapid trend of public opinion within the
last decade.
The drama munt, after all. If it be
timely and characteristic of the coun
try, reflect to a certain degree the
state of mind of the public of that
country. "Within the last 10 or 15 years
the prcat wave of revolutionary
thought that was sweeping the Nation
was sure to find its expression in the
theater. "When any one fdven subject
or condition is made the mainstay of
editorial or newspaper comment, of
magazine dissertation, of common con
versation between ordinary people,
some one will be shrewd enough to
know that the exploitation of this
subject in any of its phases in the
theater will appeal to a responsive
chord, which will mean a success, the
attendance of the public In large num
bers and consequently an innovation as
far as the stage Is concerned.
But the drama has always been re
actionary in its relation to public ne
cessities. It is the last to come into
the fold of distinct aspects of evolution,
and the author or manager who is
shrewd enough to see this change, to
hold the public place with a certain
definiteness of contention, is the first
who reaps the harvest. So in Its es
sence, one who writes a play of the
day and handles It fearlessly. Is mere
ly putting upon the stage the general
public attitude on topical questions,
bo tli as regards parties, social organi
sations and individuals.
It is true that the sex question has
always been and ever will be the
eternal cornerstone of dramatic con
flict and when presented with a cer
tain degree of skill upon the public
stage will always excite interest and
comment and will find a sufficient
public who will respond to its senti
ment, providing that the exposition of
thts subject matter is done with excep
tlonal skill.
But the great question before the
American public today Is the intricate
co-ordination of all sex and economic
questions. The system of government
and Industrial advancement in America
has so vitally affected the inter-relations
of male and female that really
the sex question Js reduced, not to
the plain basis of morals as they affect
physical relations, but to the ground
where woman and her mode of living
powerfully influence the man's mode
of industrial attack and progress In
order to moet her peculiar desires and
temperamental necessities.
Thus it is that a great era of pros
perity has in Its way taught the wom
en necessarily to indulge in luxury,
which, as the price of living has ad
vanced, made It more difficult for the
husband to meet.
But Instead of confronting the prob
lem fairly and squarely in the family,
frankly fighting it out, there still re
mains inherent in the man a latent
quality of chivalry, a heritage of
past age. of past thoughts, of past
codes, that lead him into the Indiscre
tions of Indebtedness, financial diffi
culty and frequently dishonesty, in or
der to gratify these demands of the
woman. This is as true of the daugh
ter and sister as it is of the wife: and
these business men who have built up
what I claim an oligarchy of industrial
rule, have either subconsciously or
with malice aforethought early recog
nized what a powerful aid this weak
ness of the woman is to their system
of selfish aggrandizement and indus
trial exploitation, though in "Fine
Feathers" I have endeavored to take
a woman who ha fallen under the in
fluence of better appearance and who
Is unconsciously but inevitably pushed
forward to a standard of extravagance
beyond the means of the man who is
providing her with a home, food and
a bed.
The first infraction of this rule of
economy which would tend to ultimate
embarrassment and -perhaps destruc
tion is passed, by the man, not because
he doesn't know its error, but because
that same lingering love and chivalry
comes foremost, and he passes the
mistake and -deception in the hope that
It will not occur again. But immedi
ately this is done he condones a wrong
-establishes a false system of living.
He goes into consumption beyond his
means of production, and as surely as
he does this there will be a day of
reckoning.
THE GRAVES MUSIC CO. REMOVAL SALE STANDS TOR BEST CHOICE in 88-note, up-to-date player pianos, and yet yon need pay but
$365 for the $550 kind, $415 for the $650 models, and $465 for the artistic $750 Player Pianos.
Therefore, $365 upwards gives you the most desirable, the newest, the latest (up-to-date improvements), the best in Player Pianos in fact, every
thing that will go to make you a great pianist. The "hurry-up time" has now arrived. Open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evenings.
The Supremacy of Piano Value Giving
Is Reached by the Following Piano and Player Piano Values
FRANCES STARR COMES
ROSE FESTIVAL WEEK
Talented Actress, Whose Work With David Warfield Aroused Interest of
Belasco, Is Star in "The Case of Becky," Opening at HeUig June 9.
The Whole Family Enjoys tne PIujit Plana; 3fo End of Pleaanre.
J-.very Member ot tne Family Cam Play It
Usual Sale
. Price Price
Prlmatone Art Mahograny, 88 nots ..S BSO S2tt5
Pianola Piano, style 200. mahogany 650 20
Weber Pianola Piano, style 23. walnut- 750 355
Lester Player Piano. 65 and 68-note combination... 1100 5 35
Krell Auto Player Piano, style 10, mahogany ; 8S0 " 525
Geo. Sterk & Co., style 302, in fine mahogany 950 635
Lester Player Piano, in splendid mahogany.... 1100 - 565
Krell Auto Player Pianos, style 30, tn mahogany, each.... 7S0 -435
One Krell Auto Piano, style 40, in mahoganv 8.-.0 565
Krell Auto Grands, style 26. tn mahogany, each. 1025 655
Universal Player Piano, in fine mahogany 650 " 415
Gaylord, 88-note, in Circassian walnut. 650 365
Kranich Bach, style 3, player pianos. In walnut 1000 7 95
Your piano taken in part payment, full present retail value allowed. .
KRANICH A BACH AXIJ CHICKKRIT. BROS. I'PRIGHT
PIAAO OPPORTUNITIES.
Usual
Kranich & Bach, Circassian walnut 5 595
Kranich & Bach, In beautiful mahogany.. ,. 595
Chickerlng Bros., in elegant art style 650
Kranich & Bach, rosewood . . f,oo
One Kranich & Bach, San Domingo mahogany, grand 850
One Kranich & Bach, in Circassian walnut, grand 950
One Kranich & Bach, In fine mahogany, grand 1U50
If you cannot arranKe to pay rash, we Kill arrange the terms of
mrnts to ault your convenience 1 or weefely If you like.
Kale
Price
9435
465
485
10
690
765
795
J -
MISCELLA.VEOlll PIANOS
1'sual
Price
. 250
. -100
Snle
Price
S 55
210
145
15
210
195
A. B. Gale & Co.. old style
Gerhard massive carved mahogany
Gamer & Sons. UDrieht. In mahosranv. ............. .
Gaylord uprights, in fine mahogany, each 350
Webster, mission oak 375
Gaylord upright, in burl walnut. 350
Three Gaylord uprights, in splendid mahogany, each 375
Mallet & Davis, large upright, ebony 400
Smith & Barnes, oak 425
Stoddards, in handsome Circassian walnut, each 375
Kllsworth, style M, In plain mahogany sou
Bradford, large mahogany 375
Stoddard, cabinet, grand, upright, each 350
Burmeister, in mission oak.. 350
Lester upright, splendid model, in oak ; . . 525
Lester upright, large, fine style j... 550
Rlcca & Sons' uprights. In finest Circassian walnut........ 375
Kstey. chapel style, in walnut. Parlor Organ JM)
lerms or payment arranged to suit your requirements: ir you like, $.1.
$10 monthly, or $1. $2, $3 weekly. All that is necessary for you to do is to
pick out your piano, and if you don't want to pay cash we will make such
terms as are convenient to you. However, if you are not prepared, it will
pay you to arrange to get the money from banker or parent to secure the
present $140 to $425 savings.
Every piano or player piano purchased carries with it the Graves Music
Co. guarantee of satisfaction, as also the usual guarantee from each manu
facturer of these new instruments.
215
2lO
260
2 35
155
215
210
1S5
315
365
260
Hi
GRAVES MUSIC CO.
Ill Fourth St.
UNFAIRNESS IS CHARGED
SEPARATION OF GRADE CROSS
TSGB PROTESTED,
Kabt Side Improvement Associations
Declare Measure Aid to Railroads
at Cobt of Individuals.
FRANCES STARR'S first appearance
in Portland at the Hetlig- Theater,
which will be for the Rose Fes
tival week of June 9, in her new play,
is significant. "The Case of Becky"
probably has a more vital bearing on
her" career than anything she has done
since : becoming a star under David
Belasco's brilliant direction.
Discoverer of geniuses, developer of
talent, he has probably done more for
the American stage than any other one
man in its history. David Warfield
and Frances Starr. These have come
to be names with which, to conjure,
for theirs is the ma.sric of the boxoffice
as well as the f 00 1 lights. The public
goes to !ee them and proclaim their
eternal popularity.
The personality of the star counts
for much, even for more than the value
of the I day. 1.1 ut more important Than
all is the knowldkrp that behind them
Mands In golden letters the magical
name of Belasco.
Delaaco Laud. Actre.
For this season Miss Ftarr's return
in a new role is regarded by play
goers as an event of more than ordi
nary importance. David Belasco has
recently jrone on record as saylnpr that
Miss Starr Is the most accomplished
and versatile artist on the Enelish
upeaking stage, and t hat she needed
only to create on) other important part
to establish this fact. This part he
brlleves she has in "The Case of
Becky. " which is to be presented the
first time here soon.
Because Belasco has said this, the
play-groin? public listens and gives
heed. They know he has made few
mistakes, and that, in his long list of
achievements, failure is practically un
known. They know that themes and
subjects no other manager would tlare
attempt are handled by Belasco with
triumphant results, pointing to his
newest play, with which David War
field so lately star tied America "The
Return of Peter Grimm" as final
proof of that contention. So when
Belasco asserts that Frances Starr, in
spite of her great success in "The Rose
of the Rancho" and "The Easiest Way,"
is yet to surprise the world with tal
ents that have been-held in reserve,
his word is accepted, and the coining
, of "The Case of Becky" is awaited with
interest and confidence.
Frances Starr is distinctly a product
of the Belasco method. When only
seven years ago she was playing, the
leading part with David Warfield in
"The Music Master,' there was a cer
tain magnetism about her personality
and a certain appeal in her work that
aroubod comment.
Uelasco Wat chew Development.
Who was she ? Where did Belasco
find her? "The wizard"" s-aid nothing,
but all this time he was watching her,
observing the sensitive play of her
temperament, noting: the musical
cadence of her voice, watching the fre
quent flash of intuitive genius that lay
behind her impersonation. He saw in
hr possibilities for a true artist of the
stage.
There were crudities, but these could
be eliminated. The real fire was in
her work; that was the main thing.
With beauty and charm to reinforce
her natural gifts as an actress, Mr.
Belasco knew at a glance that Frances
Starr had all the requirements for
ttage greatness.
In "The Case of Becky" It will be
come evident how much farther this
opular little favorite has advanced.
She is playing the most trying part of
her stage life one that calls for dis
play of dual personality.
FIRE PERIL JSJ5RIDGE PLEA
Commissioner Perry I'ries South
Portland Proposed Structure.
In connection with the proposed South
Portland bridge, strons comment in
favor of it was received yesterday from
Fire Commissioner Perry, who regards
the bridge as one of vital importance
to the city because it will give added
fire protection where it is much needed.
"The great and important question in
the Fire Department is its ability to
get to a fire quickly, and, when neces
sary to concentrate all Available
strength at a given point without loss
of time," said Fire Commissioner Perry.
"Give a Are a start and it will often
do much more damage than the entire
amount of the cost of a bridge. If for
no other reason than for lire protec
tion, the South Portland bridge is a
necessity which everyone must recog
nize and which should commend itselfj
strongly to the voters on Monday.
"I believe in additional parks and in
all the many worthy requirements of
the city, but so long as it is impos
sible to have all of them at once, It
seems only good business policy to
choose first those things which are the
most vitally important. When we
neglect the construction of a bridge to
connect these miles of populated ter
ritory, we are deliberately risking the
lives of men, women and children and
courting the horrors of a sweeping
fire. It is well enough to take action
after such a thing has happened. I, for
one, sincerely hope that thinking peo
ple will foresee this danger and will
appreciate the value of being able to
concentrate fire fighting strength when
and where it is needed. For that rea
son, if forno other, I, as a Fire Com
missioner, hope to see the South Port
land bridge bond Issue accepted."
? ' 'J '" -
r-tJ
xa1-""
-r.
PORTLAND, May 31. (To the Edi
tor.)Much opposition exists among
the resident of Laurelhurst, Ross
mere. Hancock-Street Addition and
neighboring ' additions to the proposed
amendment offering a method of elim
inating street grade crossings and pro
viding the manner of defraying the
cost thereof, No. 120 and 121.
The title as it will appear on the bal
lot will be attractive but the amend
ment .Itself is defective and unfair.
The same measure was Introduced in
the last Legislature as Senate bill No.
187, and, after careful consideration
and a persistent attempt on the part
of the railroads to force it through. It
was defeated on the ground that the
railroad companies and street railway
companies combined are required to
pay only 60 per cent of the cost of
grading, approaches, bridges and via
ducts, while the people of the city are
required to pay the remaining 40 per
cent, and the Legislature considered
that corporations holding railway fran
chises should pay their own expenses
in adjusting their tracks to the condi
tions occasioned by the increasing
population, which adds valne to their
franchises.
The primary object of this measure
is to procure a viaduct at Sandy bou
levard and Thirty-seventh street by
which the grade of the street will be
raised 3 5 feet, or as high as an ordi
nary building. The O.-W. R. & N.
Company is bending every effort to
pass this amendment so as to be re
lieved from the ordinance requiring It
to sttop its passenger trams. Since
the railroad, retains all receipts under
Its fast mail contract. It should pay the
cost of any improvement it urges for
tne purpose or increasing its speed
through the city. To raise 40 per cent
of such improvement by taxation and
special assessment is unfair and un
necessary, and even though the elimi
nation of the crossing be desirable.
there is no occasion to enact a law
which contains Buch an unjust pro
vision.
The law further authorizes a change
of grade without considering damages
to adjacent property, but permits as
sessment of benefits against any prop
erty, and the usual, method Is to assess
the nearest property most heavily, al
FRACE8 STARR, WHO IS APPEARING XX THE CASE OP BECKY."
of money in enormous sums for such
improvements should be most careful
ly investigated, and we urge as a mat
ter of economy and justice and com
mon sense that the voters of Portland
protect themselves and this locality
from this project, which will increase
the taxes, ruin adjacent property and
spoil one of our mont beautiful boule
vards with an unsightly hump, not to
mention similar humps on other streets
running east to the city limits. Re
cent articles in The Oregonin by of
ficials of the railroad company show
the interest and desire of these com
panies In attempting to procure . a con
tribution of 40 per cent to the cost of
the necessary viaduct. The whole cost
might be served by routing the street
railway down Fast Broadway and. over
the new Broadway bridge, if it is
actually necessary to avoid crossing
the railroad.
We urge a careful study of this en
tire amendment before it receives the
support of the people.
H. S. ADAMS,
President Roosmere-Hancock Improve
ment Club.
NAZIMOVA'S CAREER ONE
OF BRILLIANT PROGRESS
Educated for Violinist, Actress, Who Never Saw Inside of Theater Until
14 Years Old, Commands Eye of Producers From First Appearances.
MAYOR RUSHLIGHT AND HIS
BILLBOARDS.
"Tour taxes were lower tills
year than last; they will be low
er next year, if Rushlight is on
the job." Rushlight campaign
billboard, 1913.
"It is a fact that the taxes of
the city are higher than last year
and that they were higher last
year than they were the year pre
vious. This is not any fault of
mine. I have done my best to
hold down the cost of conducting
the city." Mayor Rushlight in
campaign speech last Thursday
night
SUCCESS I" WELL-KNOWN
ROLE WILL BE REPEATED
ROSE FESTIVAL WEEK.
t
$ '
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i - - it
! VE . , J
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though It may not be benefited, but
greatly damaged. The people of this
community have recently been com
pelled to pay an assessment for the
widening of Sandy boulevard to 80
feet, and the street last year was paved
throughout with an eight-Inch asphalt
pavement; sewers and other Improve
ments have been installed, making
heavy street assessments.- Blocks of
this pavement will have to be torn up
if this crossing is eliminated. The
crossing is safeguarded by derailing
switches on the street railway and the
ordinance requiring all incoming down
grade trains to stop, and is not dan
gerous. Gates could be installed with
a watchman and maintained for far
less than the Interest on this proposed
amendment, but the crossing has not
been considered dangerous enough by
the authorities to warrant even this
expense.
J' is time that reckless expenditures
Henry Hall.
"While the Broadway produc
tion of "The Man From Home"
was still running and people all
over the country were reading
of the enormous success of the
play, Liebler & Co. decided to
send it out on the road. The
New York run was still at high-
i water jnark and it became nec-
essary to And a successor to
William Hodge in the role of
Daniel Voorbies Pike, who could
T make of it the same personal
I triumph on the road that that
I well-known character star was
doing in the metropolis. Henrv
Hall was the one chosen, and
that this astute producing firm
made no mistake in the selection
was apparent from the begin
ning. For, duplicating Hodge's
success in New York, Mr. Hall
was received with acclaim every
where he went, even ' including
Canada, where it would naturally
be expected the American patri
otic sentiments of the play would
count against It. His tour ex
tended clear to the Pacific Coast
and was one of continual tri
umph In every city.
Manager Baker, of the Baker
Theater, has been negotiating
with Mr. Hall for several weeks
with the view of having him here
for a limited season and now is
ready to announce that, for Rose
Festival week, the theater-goers
of Portland will have an oppor
tunity of seeing him at the head
of the Baker players in a special
production of 'The Man From
Home," which will be staged Just
as it was on the road when it
played everywhere at high prices
and without any change from the
regular Baker prices or condi
tions. Mr. Hall's engagement
will open one week from next
Sunday, Immediately following
the production of "The Wolf."
MADAME NAZIMOVA, who comes to I
the Heilig Theater next Thurs
day, Friday and Saturday in
"Bella " Donna," was intended by ' lier
parents for a 'iolinfst, and all of her
early years were given over to the
serious study of that instrument. She
had no thought of the stage. In fact,
she never saw the Inside of a theater
until she was 14.
Alia Nazimova was born, at Yalta, a
small but wonderfully beautiful city on
the Black Sea. Business took her
father to Switzerland and the family
settled at Montreux. (Byron's castle
Chillon is at Montreux.) From there
the family went to Zurich, where a stay
of several years was made. Now
French Is spoken at Montreux and Ger
man is the common language at Zurich;
so with the ease of a Russian child
Nazimova acquired both languages. But
in doing so she forgot her Russian, for
when the family moved back to Yalta
she was obliged to have a private tutor
for six months before she regained
enough Russian to enter the Yalta High
School. At 1 4 she was sent to a con
vent in Odessa. Three years later her
brother was induced by friends to per
mit his sister to enter the philharmonic
school at Moscow, for she had already
evinceu a decided talent for the stage.
Nazimova was the honor pupil of lier
class, winning gold medals tor both
tragedy jpd -omedy. One night she
presented "I.lttle Kyolf" and the next
u oniedy culled "Gold." After her
graduation the young actress was of
fered engagements in nearly every
large city in Russia, but she declined
them all to become a supernumerary
at the Artistic Theater in Moscow,
where she realized that she could wit
ness the work of the finest actors and
stage directors in Russia.
Later Nazimova appeared at the
Nernettl Theater in St, Petersburg, and
after this season she went with the
Orleneff players to Berlin, London and
finally to New York, where eight years
ago next month the company appeared
at one of the small East Side theaters.
Robert I'nderwood Johnson, then con
nected with the Century Magazine, saw
her act. He took Richard Watson Gil
der down to the theater and in a few
months Nazimova was under contract
to appear the following year in Eng
lish. This contract was made in No
vember and she presented "Hedda Gab
ler" at the Princess Theater the fol
lowing May six months to learn the
English language.
jjuring Her ut. Petersburg season
madame appeared in "IVAiglon."
Zaza," "Camllle," "Magda." "Hedda
Gabler." "Trilby," "The Second Mrs.
Tanqueray," "A Doll's House" and "The
Master Builder." all In the Russian lan
guage. It was In May, 190, when she
appeared in "Hedda Gabler." Since that
time she has played "A Doll's House,"
"Countess Coquette." "The Master
Bunder." "Little Kyolf," "The Comet.'
"The Passion Flower," "The Other
Mary," "The Marionettes, and now
"Bella Donna."
Madame Nazimova's English is de
lightful, for she never uses a useless
word and is always direct to the point.
She still retains a very little accent,
but that is most charming:, and .her at
tention to detail In her performances
is really most remarkable. Upon - the
stage she doesn't take a step or make
a movement that has not to her some
explicit meaning, and she will not
play a part that she has seen anyone
else play, for fear It might have a cer
tain effect upon her own conception.
DRYAD AND DOTY FAVORED
O.-W. It. & V. and Mllwaukte Roads
to Touch Washington Towns
CENTRA LJ A. Wash., May 30. (Spe
cial.) Both Dryad and Doty are to be
well supplied with railroad facilities
In the near future. The O.-W. R. & N.
and Milwaukee each have five crews,
each crew averaging SO men, working
55; f-
Jf'
Madame Alia Nazimova, Who
Haa Had Remarkable Career.
between Rochester and Raymond. Dot
and Dryad will be the " only towns
touched by the two systems.
The Milwaukee has purchased nu
merous tracts of right of way neai
Dryad. Both roads are figuring or
crossing Bunker Creek to Dryad ano
proceeding thence up i-lk Creek, mak
ing an easy grade and short cut to
Haympnd.
In addition to this Doty will be a
terminus of the Klk Creek & Grays
Harbor Railway, articles of incorpora
tion for which have been filed in Lew
is County. This company is backed by
the Doty Lumber & Bhingle Company,
and already has six miles of right of
way in use. It is the intention of the
company to build to Cosmopolis, giving
It water shipping facilities.