New York Clipper (Feb 1923)

THE NEW YORK CLIPPER MUSICAL UNIONS STILL AT WAR WITH N(j CHANCE OF S ETTLEMENT American Federation Will Not Treat with E3q>elled Union and Reports of Meetings Between Business Agent of M. M. P. U. and A. F. of M. President Are Denied. The Mutual Musical Protective Unioa, formerly I.ocal 310, of the American Federation of Musicians, which was ex- pelled from that organization three years MgOj has no chance of swallowing up or bking into its fold Local 802. which u fhe present local recognized by the Fed- oation. according to executives of the parent organization. The M. M. P. U. has been expelled, ifiey say. and the A. F. of M. will in no way treat with them as an organization. If they have any offer .to make which will Jbvolve Local 802 they must take this matter np with that organization and if flie latter feels that it should come to the attention of the A. F. of M.. they are at liberty to take it op with the parent atranization. Reports that meetings have been held between Paul Vacarelli. bnsiness agent of the M. M. P. U., and Hugh Fiayne, of (he American Federatioa of Labor and Toseph N. Weber, president of the American Federation of Musicians are without credence. Weber has not been th touch with either of tfasse men with resi>ect to the subject and says that no appcintanent has been made by him to discuss the matter with Vacarelli. As far as the A. F. of ilL is concerned it is said (bis organization is not at all perturbed oyer reports that unless th'ey will allow (be M. B£. P. U. to lake over the ofiScial local and regain recognition from the Federation that they may call a general arike. Officials of the A. F. of M.. say (bat should the M. P. U. take an arbi- traiy stand in the matter and attempt to force a strike that the Federation wiU use ■11 its resources to combat their endeavor. They say that though members of 802 are also members of the M. M. P. U.. tbat these men or members will obey the orden of the A. F. of M„ and that they will remain loyal to the oiganiation and win refuse to heed the request of those ffistrmnental in calling a strike on behalf (if the "outlaw" organization. They also declare that if the M. M. P. V. desires to in any way provide for the f-lure of its dob botisc on East 86th street, \ I-xh is valued at $1,500,000. they must d-.:.l with the recognized local, and that organization, if it chooses, will be privi- leged to take up the matter with the A. F. of M. At the present time No. 802 fias Its quarters in the Flske bnilding at Broadway and' S4th street. The M. M. P. U. has a membership of about 9,000, with a good portiaa of its mnibers holding membership cards in Na B0& This, of connc, means that the are compelled to pay does in both oTRam'ations. Then certain benefits are available from the M. M. P. U„ which cnmot be obtained at present from the nearer local, sudi as sick benefit and deaih burial amngements. The older union is said to have more than $1,000,000 to meet any such contingency while the other omanization has made no sttcb pro- -STEP UVELY. HAZEL," GOING OUT "Step LiveW, Hazel.' a new force by Bernard J. McOwen, which was recently tped out by the Alhambra Players at the Alhambia theatre, Brooklyn, has been ac- cepted for early production by the Beaux Alts Productions, Inc.. who plan to place die piece in rehearsal within the next few weeks. The producers are negotiating with a former film star to appear in the leading role, of the piece. MINSTREL MONARCHS ROUTED The Minstrel Mooarcbs will again tonr die Orpheum and Interstate Circuits next teasooL They-have obtained a route that win lun from August ontil March, 1924. visions for its members. Therefore, the heads of the movement to eliminate No. 802, feel that it would be to the interest of all concerned to allow No. 310 to have its charter restored and -absorb the other organization. The A. F. of M. heads says that they will not consider the proposition under any circumstances as far as the M. M. F. V, is involved, for that organization has no standing in the Federation, and they must protect the interests of No. 803, which is a member of the body. If any endeavor is made by the M. M. P U. to get the Vaudeville Managers' Protective Association, the Producing Managers' Association or other managers' bodies, which employ musicians- to recog- nize the now defunct organization, it is said that other organizations that are affiliated with the American Federation of Musicians in the American Federation of Labor, will pledge their support to the Federation and act as they do upon the matter. Joseph N. Weber, president of the American Federation of Musicians, made the following statement to a CXiffeb rep- resentative : "The position of the American Federa- tion of Musicians is that Local No. 802 is the recognized local tmion in Greater New York. The affairs of the M. M. P. U. are no concern of the A. F. of M., neither will the A. F. of M. consent that a local union not affiliated with it shall have any control over decision of the Federation in matters which purely con- cern only the local union affiliated with the Federation and the Federation. "As to the headquarters of the M. M. P. U., as the affairs of the M. M. P. U. are not the concern of the Federation, the Federation cannot possibly have any coa- cem therewitli. "As to the statements, which the Fed- eration has reason to doubt are authentic, that unless the Federation will do the bidding of the M. M. P. U., the M. M. P. U. will involve all of the theatres in Greater New York in strikes, the Federation must assume the position that if such attempt will be made, it has good reason to trust to the fealty of its members in Greater New York to their own organiza- tion. Local 802. "In the entire matter the Federation assumes the position that if members of Local No. 803 desire to confer with the Federation or its officers in a matter of interest to the Federation and the local, they have a perfect right to do so, a right which members of the M. M. P. U., as such have no right to claim." Paul Vacarelli was recently elected to membership in the M. M. P. U. for the purpose of taking over the business rdns. He is also business agent of the Long- shoreman's Union, which he piloted victoriously through several strikes through strenuoit.<! tactics. "PARADISE ALLEY" HELD OVER Carle Carlton has decided to hold over his production of the musical comedy, "Paradise Alley," until the early autumn. Carlton had planned to assemble the show for a summer run at a metropolitan thea- tre, but has acquired a new operetta of foreign extraction which he will produce at an early date. "Paradise All^' was tried out in Philadelphia several months ago and was closed for repairs. Guy Bol- ton has rewritten the libretto and every- thing had been set to place the show m rdiearsal for another try. Carlton's acquisition of the foreign musical piece was responsible for the switch of plans. The cast for the new version will be as- sembled in August or early in September. AGENTS ASS'N TO PROSECUTE ^ The Theatrical Agents' and Representa- tives' Association has called a special meeting for next Thursday evening, at which they hope to formulate plans for weeding out dishonest booking agents. The Grievance Committee has received a number of complaints from performers who have been victimized by unscrupulous booking agents. An investigating body has been checking up the complaints and plan to forward them with whatever additional testimony they can gather to the Commissioner of Licenses and offer the co-operation of their legal department in prosecuting the offenders. They have compiled a list of twenty names of agents who have been chronic offenders, but would not give these names out until they had first been put on .record ¥vith the license departmenL This organization includes one hundred and fifty representative booking agents, who handle vaudeville, burlesque, musical comedy and cabaret artists. The organi- zation was founded a year ago to bring the managers together on a uniform plat- form and to work together in harmony for the betterment of the booking business. The effect of the offending "ouUaw agents" has spread its tentacles into their body in that they have been corresponding with many of the places their members have booked for years and have been undersell- ing them by supplying acts at a ridiculously low figure. With scarcity of work for variety performers this season many were compelled to accept the bookings for little or nothing. ^ This would give the employer the impression that his regular agent ^vas bleeding him and he would turn bis busi- ness over to the "shyster." One agent in particular has been reaping a harvest on club work, getting performers to appear for nothing saying that a power in the vaudeville field was behind tile affair and that it would be a good opportunity to show themselves and get in solid vrith him at the same time. Of course no act fell for this line of bunk more than once or twice. Still there are a sufficient number of acts laying idle to continue to bring him a lucrative income for some time to come. VOTE TO TRANSFER THEATRE The stoddiolders of the Roosevelt The- atre Corporation decided last week to turn over the operation of the Transfer Station Theatre in West Hoboken to the Roose- velt Operating Corporation, a subsidiary of the Blumenthal interests of which Mar- ctts Loew is a large stockholder. This action was opposed by counsel for some of the stockholders, who expect iji- creased overhead operating expenses as a result of the transfer of the Blumenthal lease to an organization formed by him and in which Loew is interested. Stock- holders who were not in favor of the trans- fer, point out that the proposal entailed an increase in salary for Manager Greenwood' A. Robinson, and that it also placed no actual limit on the expenses of running the house. It was also charged that the operating company would have control of the book- ing of pictures and vaudeville and could charge whatever it pleased from the thea- tre's rcMipts. A more attractive offer was turned down, it is also charged, which if accepted would mean more financially to the stockholders. Monbers of both Actions refuse to dis- cuss the details of the transactiop, neither the board of directors, nor Judge John Warren, when questioned, would say any- thing, but put it up to the corporation's counsel, William F. Burke. GRACE GE0R(;E CLOSES Cnic.'VGO, Feb. 12.—Grace George who closed here Saturday night in Paul Geraldy's play "To Love" at the Play- house, left immediately for Palm Beach, Fla, where she will remain over Lent. She was accompanied by Mrs. Samuel J. Tnsull, wife of the president of the Chicago Opera Association. The two members of Miss George's cast, Robert Warwick and Norman "Trevor returned to New York with John Turck; company manager. February 14, 1923 CARR ALIMONY SETTIED Alexander Can* and his former wife Mary Carr, have settled their controversy for the time being at least, Mrs.. Carr having accepted in a settlement out of court $6,500 in cash tor the $17,933 the actor is said to be in arrearages in alimony. Through her counsel Frederick E. Gold- smith, Mrs. Carr has been trying for sev- eral months to collect the alimony due her and last week she announced that she had accepted $6,500 to be paid her in three installments, in March, April and May, and that all future alimony is to be paid as provided for in the decree of divorce entered in favor of Mrs. Carr by Justice Kapper of the Supreme Court, Brokiyn, at the rate of $5,200 per year. The last legal move in the case was a hearing in the reference before former Jud^e £dward B. Thomas, appointed by Justice Lewis of the Supreme Court, to in- ciuire into charges of fraud in the obtain- ing of a general release from Mrs. Carr by the attorneys of her former husband. C2TT was at that time represented by Harry Saks Hechheimer and Emanud Morganlander. Subsequentiy when the case came up the hearing was adjoined until pending negotiations for a settlement were concluded. ARRESTED AT END OF ACT For failure to pay his wife her allow- ance of $10 per week, Henry Bier, of the vaudeville act of Harry White & Company, was taken into custody by local detectives just as he concluded his performance last week at the Strand Theatre, Bayonne, N. J. Bier had just finished his closing num- ber, "Toot Toot Tootsie, Goodbye," and was waving to his partner when he walked into the police, who were waiting in the wings. Acting Detectives Mean^ and Galla- gher, wno made the arrest on the charge that Bier had violated his parole and failed to pay his wife, turned their prisoner over to the Hoboken police, which is the city where Bier's bondsman resides and who has been paying the $10 a week since tiie actor defaulted in his payment last June. His wife's sister discovered her brother-in- law at the Strand, which is the first that had been- heard from him since June, 1922. Bier was in the midst of his turn when the detectives arrived at the Strand. As he launched into "Toot Toot Tootsie" the cops laughed in the wings and Bier thought he was making a hit with a couple of agents. _ Later they complimented him on his ability to select appropriate songs. "DAISY" OPENS FE& 20 ~ ^<riIliam Hawthorne's musical comedy road show, "Daisy Won't Tell," will open in Reading Pa., on Tuesday evening, Feb- ruary 20.' The cast is headed by Helen Devlin and includes Frank Taylor, Arthur Walsh, Florrie Tremayne, Burt Sawold, Ralph Frank, Marie Estabrook, Reed Slo- cum and a chorus of sixteen girls. The show will play two m'ght stands through Pennsylvania at $1 top. after which it will work toward the middle west, where there is said to be a dearth of popular priced attractions. When this production has been properly launched Hawthorne will produce a new comedy by William Cohen called "The Wallflowei ." which will also be sent on tour at popular prices. FLUEGELHIAN SUES FRIEDLANDER Max Fluegelman file suit last week m the Municipal Court against Wm. B. Fried- lander seeking to recover the sum of $350 due on a promissory note made out on Aug- ust 16, 1922, and due Janvarj 2, 1923. The note was originally given to H. Mahieu & Company, costumers, and unoe endorsed over to Fluegelman who fi^mm the note went to protest MOSCOW ART CO. TO TOUR The Moscow Art Theatre Company at the Jolson theatre will at the conclusion of the New York engagement make a short tour, opening in Boston on April 2hd for a week, with Philadelphia to follow and at the conclusion of a week in tiiat city will play two weeks in Chicago.