Variety (June 1916)

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WHITE RATS NEWS 11 SPECIAL NOTICES SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS and INITIATIONS TONIGHT BOSTON Commercial Hall James William FitzPat- rick, Esq. International President Edward Clark, Esq. International Vice-President Francis J. Gilmore, Esq. Chief Traveling Deputy Organiser ead Harry Mountford At 11:30 P. M. CHICAGO Musician's Hall Tuesday, June 20th General Meeting Wednesday. June 21st Open Mass Meeting ST. LOUIS Friday, June 23rd Special General Meeting and Initiation DETROIT Monday, June 26th Special General Meeting and Initiation BUFFALO Garden Theatre Wednesday, June 28th Special General Meeting and Initiation All Comment* at 11:30 P. M. And at All of Which the Interna- tional President and the International Executive WILL BE PRESENT. LEGAL NOTICE ALL MEMBERS of the White Rats Actors' Union and Asso- ciated Actresses of America who have cases in the hands of Messrs. O'Brien, Malevinsky A Driscoll are requested to IMMEDIATELY COMMUNI- CATE with MR. JAMES A. TIMONY, LONGACRE BUILDING, 1476 BROAD- WAY, New York City, as Messrs. O'Brien, Malevinsky & Driscoll have now turned all papers of members of this Or- ganization in their possession over to Mr. Timony. REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL BOARD SUBMITTED AT THE 16TH ANNUAL MEETING THURSDAY, JUNE 15TH, 1916 In presenting the report of the International Board at this, the ISth Annual Meeting, it It impossible to make it lengthy or exhaustive for the simple reason that the Board has only been in power since April 18th, 1916, and today is June ISth—a period of just two months, and not much can be laid before the mem- bers as to the work of the Board. It will be otherwise next year, when the Board will have been in session for one year, when they hope to present a more lengthy and complete report of the year's work. But the Board can give some estimate of the work already accomplished. At the first meeting of the International Board, every member thereof was sworn in to fulfill his duties and to preserve absolute secrecy regarding the work of this Organisation. The bylaws and constitution were placed before it, and everything that was required to be carried out by the Board at Its initial meet- ing was done and was so reported to the Lodge. The Board has investigated the financial system under which this Organixation and its allied interests are run, a system placed in operation by the International SecretarytTreasurer, and is more than pleased at its fullness of detail, its exactitude and the complete information it places before the members of the Board at each weekly meeting. There is placed on the table, not only for inspection by the entire Board but for private inspection by each member thereof, a detailed list of all expenditures and of all receipts from week to week, both of the White Rats Actors' Union and the Associated Actresses of America, and all the Organixation's kindred enterprises. Not only are these placed before the Board, but they are filled in such a way that any member of the Board can look back to any previous week up to January 1st, lilf, and compare such receipts and expenditures with the current week. All payments are made by check, and all petty cash disbursements by numbered vouchers, and the Board believes that the present system of ac- counting is, as far as the Organisation is concerned, not capable of Improvement. The Board has been slowly but surely wiping out the debts of the Organization, and it believes that financially the Organisation has now "turned the corner." The matter in dispute with Messrs. O'Brien, Malevinsky eV Driscoll, the late attorneys for the Organis- ation, has been settled and their claim adjusted. Another outstanding claim is the loan of the Mutual Bank, with whom satisfactory and pleasant rela- tions have been established. There are outstanding debts to the various firms of attorneys throughout the country which were contracted by Messrs. O'Brien, Malevinsky & Driscoll, of which the Board cannot give an accurate esti- mate, but it is believed that these amounts do not total more than $2,000 in alL This cannot really be found out until bills have been received from all attorneys for cases contracted for during the past four years. The claim of the J. B. Greenhut Company is being liquidated in a manner satisfactory to them. There are still various amounts owed to members of this Organisation, notably to Mr. Frank North and to Mr. Fred Niblo, whom the Board here officially desires to thank for their support of this Organisation in its critical time, and for their kindness and generosity in allowing us the time to redeem these obligations of so long standing. The amount which this Organisation owes to Its International Secretary-Treasurer, Mr. Mountf ord, he does not wish to be regarded as a liability, for, as he stated to the Board, this is a sum which never need be considered until the Organisation is free and clear of all debt and can show an appreciable balance on the right side. So that this shall be carried out, Mr. Mountf ord has no evidence of this debt further than the word of honor of the Organisation. The Board is happy to report that the Organisation has 20 branches, each busily at work under the direction of the International Executive for the common good of the actor. Wherever possible, It has attempted to organise the different branches of the business. It has created a Motion Picture Branch, of which Mr. James Lackaye is the President, and Mr. J. F. McCabe and others are its Advisory Committee. It has also organised a Colored Branch, whose address is 145 West 45th Street, and whose Chief Deputy Organiser is Mr. William H. Farrell, who is doing very good work. The Board is most happy to state that our relations with all our Branches are of the most friendly and most amicable character, the Hebrew Branches and German Branch being represented on the Board and participating in its deliberations and decisions, and the Board is grateful for such knowledge and assist- ance. The Board has never ceased to attempt to carry out and bring to a successful Issue the policy of this Organization, which each member of it has sworn to uphold. It has made repeated efforts to settle mat- ters on an amicable basis with the managers of this country, and has succeeded in many instances. It Is the holder of many Closed Shop agreements with different firms and managers, the full details of which will be published when the Board thinks the opportunity has arisen and the time is ripe. Besides securing these Closed Shop agreements, the Board has made endeavors to arbitrate its differences with other firms and managers, but regrets to say that up to the present they have not been successful in some of their attempts at a friendly, diplomatic interchange of opinions. However this may be, the Board will not cease to promote the most friendly relations, if possible, with all managers and all agents, as far as Is consistent with the policy of this Organisation. If trouble of any sort arises, or if strenuous and vigorous methods have to be adopted to carry out the policy of this Or- ganization, the members may be sure that these methods and this trouble will have been forced upon the Board, for no step will be left untaken, no stone will be left unturned, and no effort will be left unspared to obviate the necessity of civil war. But the Board is determined if it, as the representative of the actors of this country, is denied a hearing, is ignored and is treated with contempt, that whatever the cost to themselves they will enforce the policy of this Organization. The Board wishes to express Its deep appreciation of the work that Is betas; done by Its Chief Deputy Organizers Joseph Blrnes, Ernest Carr. Barry Connors, Cora Youn f blood Corson, Francis J. GUmora, Harry G. Lelllott, Jack T. Mclnerney, George E. Searjeant, and Geoffrey L. Whalen, who In their respective districts and offices are working single-mlndedly for the success of this Organisation, and much of the progress which has been made Is due to them. The Beard considers that the Organixation Is fortun- ate In the possession of men of such calibre, standing and character as Its Chief Deputy Organisers. The Board here desires to express Its thanks to the International President, Mr. James William FltcPatrlck, for the fairness, con- scientiousness and Intelligence with which he presides at Its meetings and directs Its deliberations, and believes that both the Organ- ization and Itself are to be congratulated upon securing his services In such a po s ition. The Board also wishes to go on record as to the Invaluable services of the International Secretary-Treasurer and International Executive. To most of the members of the Board, Mr. Mountford wae a personal stranger, and naturally their opinions of him had been grounded upon what they had read end heard about him, but the Intimate personal relations with him which the meetings of the Board have brought about have convinced all of them that he Is the right man In the right place, that ho Is faithful to the duties of his office, that his counsel and advice are always for the bene At off the Organization and for the actors of this country, and that he has but one thought—the success and future welfare of the allied Organisations. The Board is happy to feel that It has the unanimous support In Its arduous work of the members of these Orders, and is con- vinced that, with that support and with the leaders the Orders have at the present moment, success Is within our grasp and that nought can stop our victorious progress as long as we all are true to ourselves and to our obligation. The Board looks forward to the future with 9v*ry confidence, secure In the Justice of Its cause, secure In the loyalty and obedience of its members, and assured of the knowledge. Intelligence and foresight of Its leaders; and knowing that our cause Is right and know- ing that right must triumph, It sees nothing before it, whether through arbitration, whether through diplomacy or whether through war, but the final triumph of Justice and Equity. In concluding this brief report, the Board wishes to place Itself on record and again pledge Itself to the policy as outlined In the constitution, and to assure the members that neither seal, devotion nor courage shall be lacking In Its endeavors to carry out such policy, to protect its members, and to uplift and better the condition of the organized actor and actress within Its Jurisdiction. (Signed) JAMES WILLIAM FITZPATRICK, International President. (Read at the meeting of the International Board, Tuesday, June 13 th, If IS, passed, ordered to be signed by the President and printed.)