Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In 1916, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Hurried to New York City, made a hasty model; closed a contract for $5,700.00 for Allied Ball Decoration.” Later that year he wrote, “…on to the big Allied Ball work…November 25th, Mama and I started for New York. We expressed the scenery and November 28th it was all up. I did the society stunt while Nadier and Pausback put all the work up, and for a wonder everything fitted.”
The event mentioned by Moses was the Ten Allies Costume Ball. On Novemebr 28, 1916, the “Evening Sun” reported, “America’s greatest single effort on behalf of relief organizations of the Entente Allies will be staged tonight when the Ten Allies Costume Ball will be given in Madison Square Garden. Ten boxes will be decorated to represent each of the ten nations of the Allies. In each will be prominent persons f these nations. At a given hour the hall will be darkened and a spotlight turned on the French box from which Madame Chenal will sing the chorus of the “Marsaillaise.” Next will come “God Save the King” then the Russian, the Italian and the rest. Finally the light will be directed as the box draped in the Star and Stripes and the “Star Spangled Banner” will be sung. All of the national soloists and a chorus of 2,000 will join in the singing of the American anthem “ (Hanover, Pennsylvania, 28 Nov. 1916, page 3).
Among the organizations that benefitted were, the American Ambulance Fund, the British-American War Relief Fund, French Heroes LaFayette Fund, the Millicent Sutherland Ambulance Three Acts Fund for the Crippled and Maimed French Soldiers, the Blinded in Battle Fund, Refugees in Russia Fund, National Allied Relief Committee, Vacation War Relief Committee and the American Fund for French Wounded.
As I searched for more information, I came across a really interestingly article in the Chicago Tribune on Nov. 26, 1916 (page 36). “Chicagoan Goes East with Scenery for Allied Ball” was written by Mme. X, and the first few sentences say much of the theatrical relationship between New York and Chicago in 1916:
“When New York wants anything out of the ordinary accomplished it is not from the ranks of home talent that it seeks its organizers and leaders. Chicago supplies much of its bone and sinew. George W. Perkins, T. P. Shonts, Frank A. Vanderlip, Elbert H. Gary, and a host of others are all drawn from the ranks of Chicago capables. And now one more proof that the great metropolis is dependent on us, not alone in the realms of finance and big business, but in the domain of art and adornment is the departure of Mrs. John A Carpenter last Tuesday for New York and the much heralded Allied ball, which takes place next Tuesday in the Madison Square Gardens. Mrs. Carpenter was escorted by huge rolls of scenery for the East Indian background and setting for the ball, which had been painted here from her designs and under her direction. She is developing a genius for this sort of artist expression, which is making her name famous on both sides of the Atlantic…It is rather a stupendous affair, a costume ball, with remarkable stunts, and its proceeds are to go to the same cause as the big New York allied bazaar last spring and ours is coming this January.”
The day after the event, the “New York Herald” published an account of the eventnon November 29, 1916 (page 2):
“15,000 See Pageant at Ten Allies Ball. Brilliant Costumes Worn by Society and Stars at Fete. Notable in the Parade.
New York may be neutral, but not when there’s an Allied Ball going on. At least there were 15,000 or so Gothamites at Madison Square Garden last night who didn’t talk neutral, didn’t act neutral and didn’t dress neutral. And the old Garden, that has held everything from aristocracy’s horse show to Col. Cody’s Wild West in its day, never sheltered such a gathering before as far as brilliant costuming and bizarre disguises go.
The Ten Allies Costume Ball started at midnight according to the programme, but it was really nearer half past by the clock. It is true the doors opened at 9 and the music started for dancing some time after 10, but the real thing was the pageant.
A group of buglers sounded a fanfare and out from between hanging curtains at the east side of the Garden came the pageant. India led, with Rajah Ali Ben Haggin at the head on a big black Arab steed. Ben Ali had planned to ride in on an elephant, but the floor wouldn’t stand it. Behind him came Mrs. Haggin and Mrs. William Astor Chanier in palanquins borne on the shoulders of Hindus and surrounded by an entourage of military looking Ghurkas and Sepoys in khaki.
Next came Great Britain, with Lady Colebrook as Britannia, and Miss Louise Drew with a company of girl scouts. John Drew and sixty members of the Lambs and Players club stood for England of to-day, every man of them in khaki. In fact khaki was the color scheme for the men and there were many who wore the little cloth stripes that mean real service.
Ireland, color scheme green and leader Miss Elsie Janis, came next with some of the best known actresses on the Broadway stage in the train. Scotland of course was Burr McIntosh and William Faversham, with Bruce McRae and Cyril Scott and the like.
Canada was represented by a
train of Red Cross nurses, and Mrs. Charles Greenough who led them, had culled
the pick of society’s debutantes.
For Belgium marched Miss Ethel Barrymore, with a score or so of the “Four
Hundred” and Miss Marie Louise de Sadeleer, daughter of the Belgian Minister.
Alla Nazimova led Russia’s contingent, with a company dressed in costumes from “War Brides” and “Women of the People.”
The theatre had charge of Italy, with Mrs. William Faversham leading a group of screen actresses and actors with Blanche Bates and the Washington Square Players in their “Bushido” costumes marched for Japan, and Miss Cathleen Nesbit and come others were for Portugal.
James K. Hackett as Louis XVI and Mrs. Hackett as Clothilde had charge of France’s pageant, and in the ranks were every one from Jeanne d’Arc to Robespierre. And at the end a big bunting covered tower was shoved out and Miss Anna Fitziu of the American Opera Company gowned as Columbia and wearing the Liberty cap closed the show with “The Star Spangled Banner.”
Up to the time of the pageant it was all music and dancing. The loge and arena boxes were filled with people whose autobiographies are in “Who’s Who,” while behind them, in the seats of the gallery, where the hoi polloi, who could only pay $5 for a seat. And everybody was there.”
To be continued…
