Billboard advertising (Dec 1911)

6 TT h e B i 1 i b> ol*» r «i ' AND BILLERS^ Annual Meeting Held at St Louis, Beginning Dec. 4 and Adjourning Dec: 8—Circus Agreement is Discussed, but No Settlement Reached—St Louis Local Royally Entertains Visiting Delegates—Several Circus Men Attend Convention at. Loola, Dec 9.—The International Alliance of Billposters and Billers held tbeir annual meeting In this city this week, adjourning last night after a busy session of Ave days. Perhaps ; the. most Important nutter before the convention was the question of the circus agreement. The one . trader which the men bad .been working was for two years and ex- pires this month. Several of the larger shows were personally represented and anticipated no trouble in reaching an amicable agreement, bat tbeir expectations were not realized, for the bill- posters had formulated a new agreement far different from the old one and with many radical changes. The circus men were not In very good humor any way. as they bad been Kept waiting for three days for a conference, among the proposed changes was one asking for a anght Increase In wages, also an alteration of the application of the holdback scheme and the- limitation of time students should have for being tried out. The committee appointed to represent the alliance In the circus matter con- mated of Leon Beeves, Carl Jlunsen, Richard Armstrong. W. B. Flshbacfc and Chas- Colley. The circus committee included Chas. Singling. Ed Knupp, B. JL Harvey. Will Horton and J. D. Newman, Jerry Mugavin also attended some of. the sesions The circus men were prompt in declaring that they would never ac- cept the preferred proposition as a working contract and instantly submitted one they bad prepared, which made but few changes in the one now in force. After the third meeting of the committee in conference the agreement was left unsettled. The circus men being en- couraged by their break with the Association of | Billposters and Advertisers last season, which did not work any bardsbip on them are die- . posed to stand firm. This being presidential year and the amusement business in all branches suffering a very pronounced setback financially at present with no hope for an improvement In the near future, the circus men are deter- mined not to stand-for any increase in expense or any change In the scheme of working con- tract that will decrease their privileges or In- directly increase expense. Several shows never have signed the agreement and as there will be fewer shows on the road next season than usual, and knowing the disposition of the men who have worked for them, the management of the larger shows are disposed to try the ex- periment of not signing np this season unless they are given an •agreement practically the same as that under which they and their ad- vance- forces have been working. The conven- tion has granted its circus committee full power to act at a special meeting that will be beld this winter and: It Is expected that the agree- ment satisfactory to all parties will be signed. In the mean tim e the . circuses are organising tbeir advance forces for the next season under the same salary scheme as heretofore prevailed. Bad the matter been left entirely In the hands •f the members who were having active circus experience it Is not thought there would have been any objections to the renewal of the pres- ent agreement, as with the exception of a few Isolated cases all circus Miters were more than pleased with their treatment and salary of last year. Local No. 5 of St. Louis proved adequate to the task of entertaining their visitors which they did in most royal manner, and their efforts bad much to do with causing the convention to be one of'the very beet ever held by the or- ganisation. On the opening day they piloted the delegation to the Anhanser-Bnsch and the Lemp breweries and on Monday evening a thea- tre party was given by them at the Talbott Hippodrome. Tuesday a grand ball was given In honor of the visitors and Wednesday evening a banquet at the Planters' Hotel proved to be a meet enjoyable event. The showmen present who shared the hospitality of the banquet In- cluded Messrs. Chas. Singling, Jerry Mugavin, Bd. Knupp. B. M. Harvey. J. D. Newman and Will Horton. Thursday evening another thea- tre party Including all of the delegation were entertained at the Garrick Theatre, where The Deep Purple was the bill. After the show a smoker was held at the T. M. A. Hall, which was also the meeting place of the convention- Scranton, Milwaukee and New York asked for tie next conv e ntion and New York was selected for the M12 meeting. . The following officers were elected, several Of them being re-elected. Including the president and secretary, as these gentlemen had proven worthy of the compliment of re-election. .President. Walter Gassolo of fit. Louis; first vice president, Chas. Hamilton of Scranton; second vice president, A. J. Walters, of Newark, N. J.; third vice president, Theo. Anderson of Sioux City. In.; fourth vice president, F. W. Ernst of St. Louis; fifth vice president, John Wilds of New York; sixth vice president W. B Plan back of Kansas City; seventh vice president, John Dlx of St. Louis; treasurer. Harry Jones of Philadelphia; financial secretary Win. Mc- Carthy of New York; trustee (one year), Rich- ard Armstrong; of Boston; delegate to American Federation of Labor. J. Lahrlco of Toronto. The following locals were represented In the convention by the delegates named: Local No. 1 of Chicago—Geo. Elliott, Thos. Oahill, Geo. Murray, San Curtain and Leon Local No. 2 of New York—Wm. McCarthy, John WUda, A. ChappeUe, T. Bourse, Win. Kelly, a. Llbomlts, A. Livaon. Local No. S of Pittsburg—G. W. Lowrey, Geo. Abernethy. Chas, Colley, C, X. Mboney. Loial No. 4 of Philadelphia—Harry Jones. Local No. 6 of 8t. Louis—Walter GaxoUo, John Dlx. F. W. Ernst. Local No. T of Indlanapolts—W. D. Henry, - Local No. 10 of Minneapolis—C. N. Munsen. Local No. 11 of Cincinnati—A. P. Tigfce, Geo, Thompson . Local No, IT of Boston—Richard Armstrong. Local No. 18 of Newark, N. J.—A. J. Walters. Local No. 28 of Sioux City -Theo. Anderson. Local No. 83 of Brooklyn—Wm. McCarthy. Local 39 of Scranton, Pa.—Onas, Hamilton. Local No. 40 of Toronto. Can.—J. Lahralco. Local No. 47 of Peoria, Hi.—James Lormp- ton. Local No. 12 of Milwaukee—Harry Martin. Local No. 14 of Kansas City—I. C Hire, W. B. ttshback. ADVERTISI NG A RKANSAW. Judging from recent articles clipped by the Billboard, It seems that certain residents of Arkansas do not appreciate the advertising that State has received at the -bands of show people. It is a hopeful sign that they are sensitive down there, and it is also well that the i»m- poalnants appreciate the difference between advertising, that boosts and advertising that knneta.i.1 Whatever stigma has come to Arkan- sas ati lue: hands of show people was probably deserved. .r.-,- ■ •Any ,people that tolerate unfair discrimina- tion wffl:.suffer. Because men and women en- gaged In various kinds of amusement labors are necessarily transients. Is not sufficient reason for treating -tbem with any less con- sideration than is generally ,accorded to local residents. - The little: Bock Judge-, who dis- missed some culprits who were guilty of a crime because their, Assault was upon "circus forts," Is clear out of llpe and out of touch with the, onward- and upward trend of - the times. - If any discrimination: is due under such circumstances.-It should be In favor of the strangers rather than against them. - If permanent residents of Arkansas.. Texas and other States who are disposed to literally hold up and -treat with* scant courtesy or even offensively -unjust acta.- could comprehend the influence of the show- people and the valuable advertising, of the right quality that this class could give their sections of the country, they would certainlv -right-about-face in their atti- tude toward the- ^'professionals." .For. instance,: with - the-JHagenbeck-Wallace Show (as with ail other, fli-st-ciass circuses, both In the advance-ami .'with the show) there are scores of men and women who 'come from ex- cellent homes; who are intelligent and influen- tial in' their respective locality. For Instance, with the Hagenbeek-Wallace Show, even as billposters and workers with the advance, there are young men who are the sons of merchants, bankers, lawyers, Judges, farmers and pro- fessional men. Many of these men join the circus forces for. the sole purpose of gaining Information regarding all sections of the coun- try. In the fall, when they return to their homes, their relatives assemble around the flre- slde and eagerly drink in the reports that the traveling member of the family Is ready ' to > make. Hundreds of such are connected with the score or more of circuses, and scatter-every" fall to every State in the -IJnionv TbeyKSfe 0 naturally governed largely -in forming*- 5 their'- opinion of States and people by the fteatmeBt' and deportment of the residents of tb*'States? they visit. In States where a wrangle^'wltt 3 officials is a daily .occurrence, where laws .never beard of are enforced against transients.-where .non-residents are looked upon as prey for all 'sorts Of nefarious schemes and. Impositions, -where the law as".weyyis-the people.seem-in-, .dined to make their.,presence as-.unprofitable; and. as. unpleasant.,as pes«lble-;Ccrt^lqI^ > .iu, au,cb States., the- intelUBe'nt'^tssBser^wij nof.,^re;*. celve: any favorable- I mp ression s ,, ajuj eyen ~Jf; the . conn try j, ItseK: pnft -. I 1% \ psqs.per J», dg «ppsat, .to l hls^better|;luagni£g^ commuDJtles^vis^eavS^l determioeM'the?repfjft 0 that will. come final—that transient: when be gets to his home,., where scores of his restless neighbors and ; friends are sure to ask him, "What part of the country do you like best," or. "if I wanted to change location,, where would you suggest that I go7" - Arkansas is - advancing rapidly in; almost every material and commercial way. and- it Is entitled , to advertising of the. boasting kind at the hands of ail-and even by the show people, but the latter will not become enthusiastic boosters for that State until the officials and citizens of some parts of the State recognize people identified with theatricals and circuses as human beings, with Intelligence and rights and feelings equal to those possessed by the local residents. . We hope Texas wfil take warning of the ex- ample of Arkansas. Of all States In the country where show people, and especially circus folks are likely to meet with unfair treatment by officials and ofttlmea scant cour- tesy, on-., the part of citizens. ..Texas Is the i*!°™t4c '■-,. B. 1L. XL , J'lwfi bhJ h. rrr, . .... ... X i'. . . ,few*n Sbargesr, ibaye,, v (been . made,, awitnoftro^hOT^Wsn S»srg.esr ; i!»Rve,, v ineen . made,, ^^tJtfm-'KA-rrypt. managesjgj the,3?e,w..Ms-, destic SSeaJre, by, -the.j .actew. * wssj^aiaSe*r«£ • the house.last week. It ls alleged. that he re-' fused to pay the actors their salaries for. their week's work, using as a plea the fact that the :tbeatre had changed bands. Being stranded in a strange ".•land."" however, has not' a pleasant outlook for actors, and after a series of little exeKlug* Wldents, >'the>-''Bffalr'T*as-Sheen placed in the-'Hands-of a' prottrfh'ent'lawyer'of the city, and'' toe -'-act ors- f accuse •Mr.*«Bryoi>aof; using the TWMell «tate»-iiBMflsTtti dtCraadV" •& When the actors who • booked - for this wtteT^^rrived^Snsdayt aud-''1ieard?the state Of affatrs'svhey 'rerusedt'toisjonon, but Sam Massell of Atlanta,--who 'ha&'-bobked several of the acts and came on .with them: at once took charge of things, and not only the regular pro- gram but four extra acts were given. THEATRE'AS ALLY TO CHURCH. Baltimore, Md.. Dec. 0 (Special to The. Bill- board).—Predicting that the time is - now at hand when the theatre will be restored to its historic place as a teacher of public morals, and thus prove a strong ally , to the church,. Rev. Dr. Alfred Hussey, pastor of First Independent Christ's Unitarian Church, Sunday afternoon preached the first of a series of sermons on the stage, which he will deliver each Sunday for the next few months. Bev. Dr. Hussey said the world at present Is on the threshold of a great spiritual revival, and the most comforting aspect of the epoch It that It-Is leading up toward a period of spir- itual birth.He dealt with the Tact that the stage in the past century has greatly retrograded from the use for which It' was first Intended, and In the great wanderings had lest and wasted much of Its former substance. He re- ferred to the present stage as a commercialized {drama, .and declared that- the noble art, of act- ing had been reduced to'almost 1 'nothing. He paid,, however, that a change Is coming ana that for- the 'past decade the moral tone of the American stage bad been slowly uplifting.:. The time is now at hand In which plays • are being produced so rich In spiritual" significance that tbey'bm fair to restore the theatre to It* former place as a recognized teacher of public morals and an ally of the church. ■-SUNDAY CLOSIW5. Lima. Ohio. Dec. S (Special to The Bill-' board).—Following the visit of a ministers' committee..to the mayor on : November 25. the Faurot, Lyric and Orpbeum .'Theatres herer whlch have been giving Sunday performances, were closed on Sunday. ■-. . . . At a recent meeting of the .Pastors* union'a committee . of five was . appointed to visit the managers of the moving picture theatres to, seek to .gain their, consent to close .op Sunday with-; out requiring the. ministers. to. resort, to. process of law, to clos^ ihelr -places..' , ^ " The - £odge■.'HaJl.'.'Waldo. Ark'., has'.'lbeen fltted with stage and seals to" be used , as, an opera house, with a seating .capacity of 200. W. T. Massey has charge of the managerial -end. DELEGATES TO THE INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF BILLPOSTERS AN8