TLS: Wednesday, January 15, 1919

West Point Pleasant, N.J.
January 15, 1919.

My dear Mr. Madden:

Your letter with enclosed agreements reached me this morning. I have signed and am returning them herewith.

The plays referred to by the terms of the agreement are long plays only, are they not? From what you said in our conversation I judge you do not care to be bothered with one-acters. Should a "long" be inserted before "plays" to make this matter clear? If so, I rely on you to make the change. Of course, if there should be any demand for one of my short plays in vaudeville, or as a curtain raiser, or as part of a bill for a run in any regular professional production of one-act plays - to be brief, anywhere that means real money - I would be only too glad, if you thought it worth your while, to have you make all the arrangements. As for such organizations as the late W.S.P. and the Greenwich Village Players, there is little financial nourishment for anyone in them, as your know; and I can handle all my Art-for-Art's-sake business myself.

If Williams loses the play I think Hopkins would be the man most likely to be interested in it. He has probably heard of it from John Barrymore and from George Jean Nathan, the critic. Many things I have heard lead me to believe he would be glad to read it. And I certainly would rather have him produce it than any manager I know of.

George Tyler would also like to read anything of mine, I am sure. Belasco sent me word last spring that he wanted to see me, but as I was in the country at the time, and as Williams already had my play, I paid no attention to his summons. (There was another reason - which is that I have an aversion to his methods of production)

Don't think the above gossip comes from any desire on my part to tell you what to do. I merely give it as something which may, or may not, be of use to you should Williams fall down.

Of course, I understand that any new contract you made would be on a ten percent basis.

With very best regards,

Very sincerely yours,

Eugene G. O'Neill.