Variety (June 1911)

Vol. XXIII. No. i. JUNE 10, 1911. PRICE TEN CENTS AN OPEN LETTER TO THE WHITE RATS OF AMERICA By J. O. NUGENT "// you can bear to hear the truths you have spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, And watch the thing you gave your life to broken, And stoop to build it up with worn-out tools." KIPLING. New York, June 5. To the members of the Old White Rats throughout the world as their names stood before the name of the order was changed, I wish to state my view of loyalty and my unchangeable convictions regarding the nature of my obligations. My recent letter on organizations as published in Variety despite its Impartiality, has brought forth various uses of my name. Two of them in last week's Variety, one from Mr. William Gould and one from the Vaudeville Manager's Protective Assn., and a reproduction from the Clipper by the Player. I did not involve any of these in my article. If they choose to involve themselves, they should not at least involve me unfairly. My article goes as it lays, but I do not feel called upon to discuss it further. So far as it is true, it will stand the test of time, and no matter who wins or loses in the present crisis my opinions will remain exactly the same. In all that I have said—or may say—please be it remembered that I represent no one's opinions but my own and have not exchanged ideas, directly or indirectly, with either the Clipper, the V. M. P. A., the Player, or Mr. Gould, before or since my letter was written. I allowed my letter to be published because I did not care to be misrepresented, and 1 am writing this for the same reason. I only claim the right to do my own thinking. Others may do the same. My conclusions are the only ones to which a just sense of my obliga- tions will allow me to arrive at, that is why I address this to the White Rats of America. I will make it so plain this time that no two constructions can be placed upon it. So far as vaudeville is concerned, I have four obligations. First:—I am a free-born citizen of the United States, and must take it as the first obligation as all the others must logically be contained in it. Second: -—I am a member of the American Federation of Labor and have been for thirty-five years or so, with an honorary card dated twenty-five years ago. Third:—I am a member of the White Rats of America, although I have never been permitted to vote upon or had knowledge of the merger of the Actors' Union until It was all over—and even yet have received no official notice of same, nor of the ar- rangement with the Federation of Labor. If these things were regu- larly voted upon and expressed the will of the majority of the Old White Rats I certainly do not feel called upon to complicate matters by a re- quest of "referendum" proceedings or a re-voting on those measures by the entire membership of the order, al- though I am strongly of the impres- sion that these measures did not ex- press the general will. I hope I can be convinced that I am wrong in this, not that my persona] impression is important, but that I know this feel- ing is held by many, who, for reasons best known to themselves, do not feel disposed to express themselves. For my part I think tliat when honest harmony is the honest object, the con- servatism which remains silent upon that with which it silently disagrees is a wrong idea of obligation. And lastly, I am a vaudeville per- former, who makes his living in that profession and must, in the pursuit of that profession, earn the means whereby to make it possible for me to keep my obligations in all the fore- Continued on page IS. TORE UP ENGLISH CONTRACT. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, June 7. R. G. Knowles had some sort of trouble at the Palladium Monday, dur- ing which he tore up his contract for the week, and did not open there. Mr. Knowles will appear at the Coliseum Monday next. The Palladium is managed by Wal- ter Gibbons, the Coliseum by Oswald Stoll, two competing variety managers. ng\ CRESSY AND DAYNE OPEN WELL. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, June 7. Cressy and Dayne, the American sketch artists, scored a hit Monday when appearing at the Palace, Man- chester, in "The Wyoming Whoop." They scored despite the unsuitability of the subject matter in the sketch for the provinces. William Morrow and Co. did very well at the Metropolitan Monday, though it is not the right house for the act. ACCEPT OPERA INDIFFERENTLY. (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, June 7. The Folies Bergere closes its pres- ent season June 15. The lease on the Moulin Rouge will be sold June 17. The new revue produced at the Al- cazar June 1 was a success. The opera "Siberia" produced with Cavalieri was indifferently received. Cavalier! received fairly well. SENSATIONAL PANTO AT VIENNA. (Special Cable to Vauiktt.) Paris, June 7. "Rialon" or "The Girl From the Streets" has proven a sensational pan- tomime at Vienna. The piece is in six tableaux, telling the story of the befriending of a girl of the streets by a Marquis and carries the scenes to the grave. The pantomime is by the author of "Sumurun" and has already been booked for London. "GET RICH" IN LONDON. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, June 7. It is reported "Get Rich Quick Wal- lingford" will be produced in London in the fall. AFTER THE PICTURE MAKERS There is a movement on foot among the producing managers of the country to make a concentrated move against the motion picture manufacturers who have been making stock out of the theatrical productions and using the general themes -of the successful offer- ings for picture subjects. New York Is to be the first scen e of activity on the part of the managers. Within the next week or so a move will be made to restrict the use of a film that Is practically a "copy" of a big Broadway success of the past sea- son. During this week there has been a scrutiny of the copyright law as re- garding motion pictures by a noted attorney, who, it is believed, will start an action in the United States Courts before the month is out. ' LAFAYETTE'S ESTATE $600,000. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, June 7. The estate estimated at $600,000, left by the Great Lafayette, will all go to his only brother. Th e amount of the estate sworn to, upon which an English death levy may be made, is $11,455. The remainder is represented by for- eign investments and moneys in banks. "LUXEMBURG" A BIG SUCCESS. , (Special Cable to Variett.) London, June 7. "The Count of Luxemburg" seems from present Indications, about the biggest thing that has hit London the- atrically in years. The show was pro- duced at Daly's, and Immediately af- ter the first performance the Ameri- can rights were purchased by Charles Frohman. Fabulous prices are being paid by visiting Americans for an opportunity to witness the performance. The sec- ond day after the premiere there was an advance sale that reached the $20,- 000 mark. All the ticket libraries in town have invested most heavily. NO LONDON RIOT. (Special Cable to Variktt,.) London, June 7. Gaby Deslys' reappearance at the Al- hambra was not quite the riot expect- ed. It was doubtful up to the last minute whether the French girl would appear or not.