GEST BREAKS CUSTOM TO TALK AT HARVARD

When Leon Gordon was forced by a legal engagement to quit the organization meeting of the Theatregoers, Morris Gest made one of his few public appearances. The members of the embryo club, when told of Mr. Gests advent, were incredulous. Ten unbelievers left the meeting.

Mr. Gordon spoke, but very briefly, attacking stage censorship as practiced in Boston. Said he: "Actors should be permitted some say in the censorship. There is no reason why they should be treated as children." After inviting all members of the club to attend, without charge, a performance of his play, "White Cargo," Mr. Gordon left for his lawyers.

Upon Mr. Gordon's departure, Mr. Lewing, member of the cast of "White Cargo," spoke for a few minutes. Then preliminary plans for organizing the theatregoers were outlined. Eliot B. Long '26 was named chairman of a committee which, today, will go about organizing the club. The interest in the organization appears from the 200 in attendance.

When Morris Gest, producer of the "Miracle" and the several editions of the "Chauve-Souris," was introduced, the students were exceedingly impressed with the importance of the club-to-be. Mr. Gest devoted his talk he insisted that it was no speech to an autobiographical narration.

Just after he came to this country Mr. Gest worked in Cambridge as a bootblack but he declares bootblacking in Cambridge an unprofitable profession. "Harvard men," he said, "either black their own boots or go without." He later secured a position in the Dorchester Opera House, where he worked as all-around handyman. Once he was the waves in a performance of "Way Down East," and was required to roll to and fro under a great canvas. His later experiences were more impressive, but less appealing.

At the end of his speech, Mr. Gest declared himself greatly in favor of the proposed organization of theatregoers. He advocated the education of the theatrical public. With great good humor he illustrated this, saying "When I was paged today by your chairman, the desk man at the hotel said, 'Sure I could recognize Mr. Guest if I saw him. You mean the poet, don't you?'"