Variety (September 1919)

5^Vr?>-"5'=', VARIETY DAJGLy BtJIJJSTiM OFFICIAL STATEMENTS THE COMICAL SIDE MANAGERS' ASSOCIATION. Desiring to make Its position clear to Mr. Samuel Oompors and toe American Federa- tion of Labor, the following statement has been withheld by the Producing Managers' As- sociation until now. air. Qomperg wai la conference Thursday with Qeorge M. Cohan and Arthur Hopkius. "The present actora' strike la neither found- ed on demands for incressed par nor decreased houm. Actora are conceded to be among the hlgheat paid people In the world. Their hours are shorter than those required of the employees of any other business. "Blnca Increased pay and decreased hours are the primary Inducing causes for the for- mation of Unions and affiliations with other Union* it Is evident that the actor la a stranger to the fundamental needs of Union- Ism* "From the standpoint of the employer, the hardships of Unionism are th eclosed shop and the strike. The actora agree that the closed shop would be a serious detriment to the thestro, and have publicly declared that they wonld not seek Us enforcement. That brings os to the strike, and that we have with as. Why the strike T "Falling to secure from the managers a satisfactory form of contract, the Actors' Equity Association affiliated with the White Rats of America, which in turn was affiliated with the American Federation of Labor. "The move was as fatal to the future of the " actor and the theatre as could have been con- ceived. In an instant, the actor's liberty was gone, bio right to make individual contract that could not be disturbed waa stripped from him, and he was placed Immediately under probable obligations to various other branches of labor. "The Actors' Equity Association at ones became a third party to the contract betweea aotor and manager, and the determining par- ty, since at a moment's notice it could brush aside the contract and aever completely the relations between actor and manager, no mat- ter how happy those relations might be. "A condition like this can only mean chaos and Anally death to the theatre. The entire producing business Is built on individual con- tract between actor and manager. Produc- tions are planned far ahead with certain actora In mind, Frequently productions are long postponed until such time as certain ac- ton are tree. The manager believes that the success of such productions Is made certain by the kelp of these actors, and naturally if success follows, the manager wants to feel certain of the services of these actors for a definite period. The actor, before he can honestly enter Into a contract for such certain Sorted, anast know that no Influence that can iterfero with his fulfillment of that contract, can possibly arias. He cannot serve two masters, the Theatre and Unionism. If be Is true to the honorable obligations of Union- ism, he has no rlgbt to make any definite psr- ,\ sonal contract for the Theatre. Hla duty to \ Unionism may at any time upset it. '■:} "Unionism was misrepresented to tbs actor by the Equity leaders. He wss told thst It imposed no obligation upon him, that he could use It to get wbat he wanted, and It would never make demands of him. He was getting Into Unionism on a pass; bo believed It. "Then came the strike, agreed to by the ac- tors la a moment of hysteria. Again the actors wore deceived by their leaders. The* wore told they had a rlgbt to strike—that their contract had been broken by the maa- um, "When the case reached the courts, the ac- tors' advisers'had no defense to offer. The court held that the managera had not violated their contracts, but that the actors had, and Were personally liable. , 'L- "In the meantime the stage hands and the muslolans declared a sympathetic strike. The Intelligent actors began to aee their predlca- . ment. They were being bound closer and closed to' their affiliations. They were under heavy obligations to them. Then the bill- posters displayed their sympathy. "Then control of the strike began to slip from Actors' Equity bands. The stsge hands and musicians took charge. They closed the- atres that the Actors' Equity Association bsd promised protection. The Actors' Equity As- sociation was being bowled over by its own machine. "Now, where does the aotor stand In his ability to fulfill contracts! By honor he Is bound to the call of at least four agenoles. In a contract with a manager now. he would be a party of the sixth part, with the Actors' Equity Association sscond part, stage hands third part, musicians fourth part, billposters fifth part. If he can satisfy the other four parts, be may fulfill his contract. "And with himself thus helpless entangled, he asks why the manager does not recognise him. The greatest Injustice the manager could inflict upon the theatre and the actor, would be approval of the actor's present predicament. A nominally uncertain business would become so helplessly hazardous that no man who regarded slight security an es- sential, would venture into It. "The easiness might easily to exposed to a series of strikes. The lesson of the present strike Is enough to demonstrate that two or three more of them would ruin the theatrical bualness and reduce It to the lowest vitality it baa known since Its Infancy: "The substitution of new managements or actor-managements would in no way alleviate the situation, since tbey In turn would be ever subject to the same conditions which the present managers believe would make the- stro operation and play production too has- ardons to bs longer attractive. "■van those managera who persisted under these conditions would necessarily confine their activities to fsw productions, which were in the first place comparatively small In ini- tial risk, and possible of easy operative cost "This in turn would' automatically throw hundreds of actors out of work, as well aa stage hands and musicians. Bo the final upshot Is a great diminishing of the thestrs Itself, a hardship to all actora whether en- gaged or not, a great depletion In the ranks of the already unionised portion of the the- atre, and the reduction of the producer to an occasional dabbler in Insignificant efforts. All vitality would be gone. It would be .the stage enchained. "The Equity officials have repeatedly claimed that the managers were fighting the American Federation of Labor. The charge is either stupid or malicious. The managera have worked in perfect harmony for the past twenty years with the Federation of Labor, and are scarcely seeking a quarrel now. But the managers do bellsve that the actor has no Place In tne Federation of Labor, and that the relationship can only work great hardship on all concerned." fidelityIeague. The Board of Directors of the Actors' Fidel- ity League were in executive aesalon late yes- terday afternoon for the purpose of framing ad- ditional salient clauses to the contract between' actor and manager now In the making. These Clauses will in turn be submitted to the Pro- ducing Managers' Association tor ratification. Among the more important points taken up ' today were those which provide a- bond by both contracting parlies aa a guarantees of good faith (hat al Ithe terms of the contract be lived up to. This bond will thus insure the permanency of contracts that are now being framed and wll dispel any doubts aa to the permanency of the conceslona that the maaa- Sera are making, that may have existed la ie actor's mind. These clauses with additional features will be read at the mass meeting of the Actora* Fidelity League at the Hotel Bilunore, when the newly elected president, George 11. Cohan, will preside. From then on Mr. Cohan wll lassume psruonal direction of the League's affairs and will occupy hie ottos each day at the Actora' Fidelity League, headquarters at 122 W. 43d street. The following are life members of the League: Arthur Ashley, Julia Arthur, Janet Beecher, Virginia Tyler Brooks, lna Claire, Marie Cablll. Blanche Bates, \oe Barnott, Lionel Brabam. Eugenie Blaire, Amelia Bing- ham, Ivah Willis Coburn, Ruth Chester, Eugene Co lies, William Collier, Frederick Carr, Patri- cia Coinage, Qeorge ii. Cohan, Allan Dine- hart, Patsy Deforest, Bessie MoCoy Davis, Jeanne Eagles, Sam Forrest, Harry Furst, Ralph Hen, Eileen Huban, John Halllday, .Gladys Hanson, Peggy Hopkins, Ben Johnson. Justine Johnstone, Howard Kyle, Frieda Leon- ard, Alexander Leftwlcb, Lew Locked, Clara Llpman, Henry Miller, Louis Msnn, Harry K. Morton, Burr Mcintosh, Mary Marble, Florence Nsh, May Maah, Effingham Pinto. Minnie Palmer, Jose Ruben, Mary Ryaa, Edith Ran- dolph, Frances Starr, Lyall Bwete, Arthur Shaw, Olive Tell, Alma Tell, Lenore Ulrica, Carolotta Monteray, Dvld Warfleld. Olive Wyndham, Minnie Maddern Fluke, Adelaide Wilson, Emily Anna Wellman, Maijorle Wood, f4elda Bears, Thomas E. Shea and Qeorge MacFarlane. . A* E.. A* You havs read the opinion of Mr. famnel Untermeyer. Enclosed is ths further opinion of Hon. Morrltt Lane, considered one of the best Equity Iswyers In ths United flutes. A careful reading of this shows that ths mana- gers themselves broke the spirit and letter of all existing contracts with Equity members when they definitely decided and announced that they would no longer deal with Equity as ths representative of the actor. Thla right of reprosecution has always been most essen- tial to the actor. It la the very reason for the existence of the Actors' Equity Association. Please note csrefuly thst the opinion given by Judge Hendricks was not an argument on the merits and does not decide the question of contrsot breaking at all. Thla question resU entirely on "Who broke the contracts first." The evidence on this head waa not before Judge Hendricks. Answer to the claim that by litigation with the American Federation of Labor we have ceased to bs autonomous. Any claim that the A. B. A. has not kspt tbs full control of the actions of IU members and Us finances la wholly untrue. Neither Mr. Mountford or Mr. FlUpatriok have aay control over the affairs of. the A. K. A. Not only is our branch autonomous, but by virtue of Its large membership it controls tbs poller of the Affiliated Actors and Actresses of Amer- ica. The only ease where we would be obliged to act In case of a strike of the members of any affiliated branch, would be whore a cer- tain theatre became unfair. In that cass we could not work In that theatre as strike breakers, obviously, we would not want to do so. Thst there Is discrimination against' at- tractions that are 100% Equity. la every such case careful Investigation has shown either thst some member of the P. M. A is interested In the attraction or that the management is not living up to the requirements of ths A, B. A, A. E. A.'S LETTER. Frank Gillmore sent out letters to the A. E. A. membership list yesterday, containing a list of 100 persons who are supposed to have joined the Ac- THE STRIKE, By DAVE CLARK [EVAD] I can't find my diary, so I'm writing as I go. I dub some atorles from the thin Scrap Book that I've had in years ago. I'll have to clip the stories and paite 'em in the Book. I've tried to read the papers, but the only thing I see: "Mr. Cohan says," etc., and "Mr. Geo. M. Cohan will be?" and "Mr. Cohan also says," etc \ I'm afraid to follow him and ask him about the strike, but as I've been a newspaper man, I could talk to presidents. Whatever the situation v/as, but I am too weak to talk to the "King of the Country." I read a little story of Cohan a few days ago, and his "Do," but he never won a Pound over a million. I always read about him. I am writing my confession, and Im writing as I go, as I guess the history as I've seen them years ago. • I know I couldn't ask him why he "squared it" for the "mob," as he never .told me 'why. I lost a lot of names, but I know their descriptions, but I never asked him why. I'm trying not to "swell him up," but I know. '.*. The, confession goes on. I am going to "swell myself so I'm going as I go. I am trying not to use any "slang" names, but I can't get away from "squaring it." . I hate to boost a "wise guy," but I hate to "pan" 'em all. He "squared it" for a million, but a million "squared it" for me. Some years, from years, if I should need a shave, if I should ask' him, he would "squared it" if be could. I haven't time to write his history, if he read it he would faint. He doesn't know I followed him far. 20 years ago, and "never said a word." Harry Tigh't (Tighe?) (as he could be) tried to calle me call me laught, but Dave Clark had to sneak away from him as he didn't have my "ear muffs." Eddie Fay stepped out of the Lambs chowder joint, last night, and some- body made him laugh, so he lost his —butt. I bad to talk to Harry Kelly, as his old plug hat, as he tried to sing a song of mine, but his voice wss all wet, so I give him a copy entitled "Here Comes Kelly and His Old Plug Hat." It's hard to hand a copy to Kelly at a cabaret, when I meet him late at night.. I don't know how he got out of the Baux Art late at night He only found the Boardwalk for a week. Bide Dudley, the "Equity World," shock-hand with Dave Clark, at the Cohan & Harris theatre yesterday. Dave said he Couldn't see his face and he thought it was Doctor Dull (By Winsor McKay), as he only had a fat old umbrella with him under- neath. . ' tors' Fidelity League. The letter in- structs the A. E. A.'s receiving it to call upon any of the 100 that have joined the opposition that they know personally, with additional instruc- tions as to how to proceed to lay the arguments cf the A. E. A. before therm The object of the A. E. A. letter is to wean back A. E. A.'s who have strayed from the fold, also to win new recruits who have joined the Fidelity, and who, in the opinion of the Equity, are not thoroughly conversant with the situ- ation. / - It was announced by an Equity of- ficial recently that any A. E. A. join- ing the Fidelity would lay himself open to charges and possible expulsion. The latest letter would seem to indi- cate that the Equity policy is to be somewhat different, and that if an A. E. A joins the Fidelity and recants 25 / ■ ■ *"! ■ !, ' I. 1 /. THS INQUIRING REPORTER Every Day Be Asks five Persona, Ptekad at Random. a Question . (Wttn Ss jSSSj S J S S u f. Jmi tamfrnm tsaf . Tw-a«y«e ««aatloaa. TAMMANY YODNO, the gate-crasher, waa ■ the first one approached by the inquisitive reporter. He needs no in- jJ2»uctlon and never had any to anyone. "Well, fella," he said, when ths nosey 3g asked him wbat he thought it was I about, "I think I'll be able to get to Cincinnati next month, even If I have 8 w 5. ,k ,nere - or course t am sorry that the Giants and Yanks ain't playing for Hi? &&&B MTin i out at that I don't think I'd pay a nickel to see 'em in ac- tion againat each other. I never did see a tennis game In my life, but If they keep on keeping the lid onto Broadway, iS? k " U ke vn ° 8 torcei to soeh Forest Hills forty-love contribution. Anyhow of the Ysnks can't kop I hope the White 8?" heat the Cleveland Indiana to 'Iti ' If Wlllard bad a atayed down in the first round in Toledo. I'd have been six and a half gram to the good." .'., . AL WBBK8, dramatic editor «f the Detroit News. "I come from a live town, young man." ostd the popular Al to the news gathering demon. ''They say that I wss sent here to cover this strike, but I'll let you In on something. Which Is that I make the big burg every year about this tine. Seems to. me as If many of you birds were con- siderably excited about strike doings. TO me, however, if all the good shows that are closed on Broadway ever visited that dear Detroit, all in ono season, the populace would forget Henry and the supply of tin lizzies would be more than ample rlgbt around here." Whereupon Al thoughtfully twirled bis cane and ambled for the Lambs club. BARNEY FAQAN was nailed at the corner of 48th 8treet and Broadway. Mr. ?>san was asked what he thought of the strike. Mr. Fsgan replied: ,v Hj bene- fit looks like s monstrous success. I' have Dave Clerk scheduled to head the pill and I know hie speech will be an Interesting one. My teeth are in good shape and I hope I will be able to make thla speech Mr. Clark bas suggested mo j to mske. Next week I sm going to make my debut In show business again. If nothing happens call me up at the Pal- ace Hotel. The service there Is wonder- Mi." __ DAVB CLARK'S dally wall was as follows: "You .keep giving me "ssveoty- flve cento' when I ssk for a dollar and how can I get Into those silver lunches when the rice pudding Is fifteen cents. I am beginning to think this strike Is driving you nutty too, and If anything should happen to you I know a sani- tarium up In Connecticut where they cured me. It's a funny freak to me, but nnt|l I was born and I've seen these chump gooses keep going and I don't ■want to snoor any more coffee in front of them unless I have a cooties with me. This Is the same old strike aa twenty yours ago with BhUbert and' Xlsw and Erlanger and I can't bo an- noyed now because. You keep asking mo ■ questions all the time and you don't say anything because it's a funny freak.to.- . LOUIS mann was next grabed by-the Nosep Reporter and opinion follows:-. "You misquoted me so often that I dare not discuss this cstastrophe In proper language. All I wish to soy about you newspapermen Is this, BTAOINSHRDLTJ t )80A r .4OODCMF9HRDHR. and also this, -I7EBC 28THMBTAOIN.0789 but » you will agree to quote me as follows, 1 will say ibis (ths Ingulsltlve reporter: fainted at this period and was promptly token to Bellevue Hospital). v^. in sufficient time, he will be receive! back into the A E, A. fold again. : This idea is also supported by i speech made at the Equity meeting a the Lexington yesterday by Wiltoi Lackaye. in which he stated that thosi who had made "a mistake" and joinet the Fidelity should be allowed to comi back to the Equity. The sentiraen was vigorously applauded. - _The arguments to be used on thi Fidelity members who have belbngec to Equity before joining the opposi tion or in some instances have be longed to no organization at all ari contained in an A. E, A. statement it this issue.. ■ ■• • ' awH? f li98in ? M ba 8eTage 1 car wjti Listen Lester's" sets was located yei terday at Montreal. ; * ;; -SMI awssss.—am. ;,i -""'" , '' i * - %M - IVililiYrtTlf-Tfrft.. '/. \. *< • ii ^H.-'V.. . .