New York Clipper (Apr 1923)

CopTright. 1923, ud paWibcd wcddjr bj tbc ClipRtr Copondea, l<M Bnadnj, New York. Eatcnd at tk« Vtm Ote M Ni MCood daH mill matter ndcr act of ICarcb 3, 1879 r«v Tart. Joe 34. 1879, aa FoQsdttl by rSANK QUEST, IBS] NEW YORK. APRIL 25. 1923 VOLUME LXXI, Na 12 PricT Klficrn I'enta. 85.00 a Yaar' THEATRE EMPLOYEES TO DEMAND WAGE INCR EASE FOR N EXT SEASON Stage Hands, Picture Madiine Oporaton, Musicians Are Pre- paring to Demand Raises Ranging fnnn Ten to Twenty Per Coat —Musicians in the Lead. Managers of theatres and road attrac- tions will this summer be confronted with demands from stage hands, motion picture machine operators and musicians for an increase in wages beginning with the 1923- 24 season in September. Though no offi- cial demands or inkling of a demand has as yet come to the notice of the managerial organizations, overtures for increases are expected from the stage craft and musi- cians which will run from 10 to 20 per- cent according to the prevailing wage con- ditions in other industries in the various parts of the United States and Canada. During the past month industrial corpo- rations, mills and factories throughout the country have been announcing that they had increased the wages of their employ- ees, voluntarily, from ten to twenty per cent. Then recently the United States Railway Labor Board announced that it was holding hearings for the establish- ment of an increased wage scale for rail- road employees. Receiving reports of this nature, the theatre employees decided that as long as a reign of prosperity was returning and that men employed in industries, factories and mills were getting an increase in their wages, living conditions would be changed 9pi the cost of living would naturally be increased with the increase in pay of resi- dents of a community, so therefore, the men employed about the theatre in cities and towns throughout the country in dis- cussions they have had inside and outside of union circles have signified their in- tentions of demanding an increase in wages so that they could adjust their mode of living according to the prevelant costs of commodities and necessities. From indications, it is likely, that the American Federation of Musicians will come forward with the largest average demand for increase of wages of its mem- bers throughout the country. This in- crease will not he sought for the organi- zations separately by the parent body as each organization, with the exception of local 802 of New York, has local .auton- ■omy and may bargain with the managers on their own account Local 802, in its treaties with the managers will be com- Dclled to get the consent of Joseph N. Weber, president of the A. F. of M., for any demands that they may submit to the various manager's . organizations with which they do business. The Kew York organization, however, will probaUy demand a larger percentage of increase than any of the other organi- zations affiliated with the A. F. of M. They will do this on the ground that men working in Chicago, Philadelphia, Newark and other cities throughout the country are being paid a minimum scale of wages which is from ten to thirty-five, per cent in excess of that paid the members of the New Yoilc men. It is likely that their demands will call for an average increase of twenty-five per cent for men employed in New York theatres. They will also make demands for very liberal increase of the wages for men travelling with road comi»anies. They claim that local men playing in theatres in most of the larger dties of the country are better paid than a musician who is compelled to travel with an attraction and pay for their own subsistence and lodging while on tour. The road scale for musicians travellbg out of New York with an attraction is $65, while in most of the larger dties in theatres which play musical attractions the mintmnm scale is $75 a week. It is said, that the New York local will submit a scale calling for a minimum of $90 a wedc and sleepers for men on tour next season. For men playing in theatres hous- ing musical attractions in New York, a tentative demand will call for an increase of $17.50 a man minimum which will place the wages of the men at $75 a week which will be equivalent to the scale being paid men in Philadelphia. The present mini- mum the New York men receive is $57JO a week for dght performances. For vaudeville theatres and high class motion picture houses which employ large orchestras it is exi>ected an average of twenty-five per cent increase will be asked above the present scale of wages. It is expected that the matter of a coun- try wide increase of wages will be taken up at the meeting and convention of the American Federation of Musicians on May 7th in St. Louis and that resolutions will be passed calling attention to the in- creased pay men are recdving in other in- dustries and setting forth the fact that the musicians who have taken up their pro- fession as a life's work should be given equal recognition by their employers and have their wages increased as well. These resolutions will he the advance "courier" of the demands that will be pre- sented late in June by the numerous locals to the managers and managers' organiza- tions, throughout tlie country, with whom they do business. In Chicago the musicians, stage bands and motion picture operators all will make requests for substantial increases in wages. In the other larger cities the demands will be not as much as those made in Chicago but will average in the three branches of stage craft ab(Mit twenty per cent The New York local of the Internation- al Alliance of Theatrical Suge Employees and Motion Picture Operators of the United States and Canada which covers the stage employees of greater New York will shortly appoint a committee for the (^Continued on page 6) I. T. A- ANNUAL MEETING « _ The International Theatrical Associa- tion composed of theatre owners and managers of the United States and Canada will hold thdr annual meeting and elec- tion of officers at the Pennsylvania Hold on June 18th. It is expected that more than 1,000 theatre owners and managers from all parts of the country will be pres- ent As yet no plan or program for the meet- ing has beeii outlined. This will be done at a meeting of the Board of Directors which will be hdd witiun two wedcs. It is expected that some of the impor- tant problems and questions that will be submitted will be the mstter of revision of railroad rates and the legislation of state tax on amusements. Labor conditions ^d wages will probably be included in the discnssioa. 20 PER CDTT TAX FOR SHOWS The South Carolina legislature has passed a law adding a ten per cent tax on all traveling shows that come into the State, which' added to the Federal tax of ten fier cent makes a total of twenty per. cent' .or enough to prohibit theatrical at- tractions from cntenng the State. Both the Prodocing Managers'. Assoda-. tioa and the Actors' Equity are maldng a coiKerted effort to have the South Carohna governor and a committee annul the law which they have the power to do. Frank Gilmore. executive secretary of the Actors' Equity, and George Nicoha, of the Pro- ducing Managers* Association, have been in communication with Governor McLeod of South Carolina requesting him to re- move "the obstacle" that adds sufficient money onto the box office price to prevent outside shows from entering the State. The restdts of the protests are being watched dosely by all managers. PHILA. ORCHCSTRA IN FILM HOUSE Philadelphia, April 23.—Leopold Sto-' kowski, with the famous Philadelphia or- chestra will io^iught (Wednesday) play a' special concert at the Stanley film theatre as a compliment to the interest shown in and the efforts made by th£ Stanley Com- pany to uplift imisic Mr. Stokowski will bring his entire orchestra of 110 musicians to the theatre and the concert will begin at 9 P. M. The regular program of the theatre will be cut to one presentation at 7 o'clock. The Philade^ihia Orchestra l]as become a national institution. Its fame has reached Europe, and musical America is watching the progress of the orchestra. 2 MORE WEEKS FOR "VENGEANCE" "The GoiJ of Vengeance" which moved last week from the Apollo Theatre to the Prospect Theatre, Bronx, has become a fascinating attraction for the '^ronxites" with the result that Harry Clay Blaney has decided to continue its engagement for an- other two weeks. The attraction is play- ing at a $1.50 top in the Bronx while on Broadway $2.50 top was charged. "PRIDE" LOOKS LIKE A HIT Stahfobd, April 20.—Tbocnpsaa Bn- cfaanan's new comedy. "Pride," was giyea its premier tonight at the Stamford Th^ atre under tho managerial anspiccs ot Oliver Morosco, with Hilda Spang and Juliet Day carrying off stellar honors in the leading rolesl In die devdopoient of the plot, the Doc dc Valmoot, married to an American heir- ess, became separated from her becanse she objected to his.attentioiO'to others. Their daughter, educated in it convem, is brought to America fay her mother, and loses no time in b estowin g her affections upon ai young man in this country. At ahoot the same time appears the Doc, seeking a. jdki as a waiter from his former valet who has become the proprietor of several botds.' Persisting in his determination to'earn • living, he takes menial employment His first and subsequent encounters with the Duchess, and the filial affection awak- ened in the ilaaghter's breast for Urn be- fore she stispccts that the waker is.'licr fatbei) fmidics some of the mtercMinc aitoationa in the ^y, which is brongfat to a happy coodnsion, when the girl maJEC* her happineu cotnplcte by aoconqriishiiic the reunion of her parents, and there 18 mr suggestion at the dose that the Dochen it to restore the chateau that maj a target for German ammtnition while die Dnc was fighting for France. . The girl's lover doesn't caie, apparently, tha^ I'lns fatlier-in-hfr had beconte a waiter, in which he diiffers frcm hb snob*' bish sister and her idle and ntdess hos-. band, whose thirst for alcoholic beverages is satisfied by cocktails sierved tinder tfaa name of dam broth—a reminder of one of the deceptions practised in this boot-leg-' ging age. Hilda Spang, as the Dndiess, and JtiUet Day, as Audrey Vabnoot, were remark- ah^ good in thdr respective roles and easdy captured first honors of the evemn^ Herman Leib gave a faithful ddineatkn. of the Due who^ after a frivolns lif^ bod an awakening as a result of war, and tasted happoess when for the first time he earned a living by honest if menial labor. To. know how good a oigaretto really ean be you must try . cosxuivf Es ,js:zs:s;!i',£::i."ss^j,- brooks-hmnieu .4^v. n. y. vs?^