Variety (Jan 1907)

■am I^HB VICTORY RESTS WITH ARTISTS AS PEACE RETURNS IN LONDON Messrs. Payne and Gibbons Make Many Concessions Demanded by Striking V. A. F. Members. De Frcce Agreed to Equitable Contract Including Elimination of Barring Clause, Payment for Extra Performances and the Surrender of the Managerial Prerogative of Arbitrary Cancellation. A great deal of theatrical history has been made in the last days of December.. Feuds were ended, bad contracts were mended and at Brixton, the hub of Lam- beth, has been fought the last battle of London's "Music Hall War," bringing peace with her olive branch and dove. The fight was rather bitter for awhile, and though little indiscretions are always born of excitement the Federation of- ficials themselves were remarkably cool and resourceful, their strategy and di- plomacy being worthy of note. As things stand the lookout is justified, for "All's well that ends well." The final and successful coup was a triune blending of the Variety Federation, the Amalgamated Society of Musicians and the National Association of Theatri- cal Employees. This affiliation combined in one great trinity all the people who •jive the show. Immediate action was taken December 17, and requests formulated in writing, Mr. Gibbons yielding so many points that an ultimatum leading up to serious all- around trouble was conservatively with- held. On Tuesday the matter was again taken up, and Messrs. Payne and Gib- bons gave audience to Frank Gerald, rep- resenting the Federation; W. Johnson, representing the stage employees, and London County Councilman Jeason, rep- resenting the Musicians' Union and the Brixton Trades and Labor Council. Hap- pily, sound sense prevailed, Mr. Gibbons showing a fair compromising sptrftr and— desire to bury the hatchet. In the finish a document was signed which agreed that there should be no transfer of artists without their consent, and that times should not be varied to their detriment. Mr. Gibbons agreed to pay union wages to stage hands and musicians, also to withdraw the injunc- tions and pay costs. He agreed that no bias or prejudice should be shown to those who had taken part in the fight. He agreed to cut out the daily matinee clause from his Holborn Empire contracts and to pay for matinees in halls where the twice nightly system prevails. He did not agree to the non-stoppage of commission. This new working agreement becomes operative January 14, and George Adney Payne has promised fb consider the mat- ter in connection with his own circuit on January 8. On Wednesday Manager Gibbons enter- tained a party of leading artists at lunch at the Cafe Royal, the Federation's sec- retary Frank Gerald being among the guests. After this cordial function all repaired to the Empress benefit for the Hippodrome staff, to which Manager Gib- bons had considerately given fifty guineas. As the Hippodrome had expected to open a month sooner it seems all the staff em- ployees had t< wait while license was pending. Joe O'Gorman, chairman of the Federation Executive Committee, made a very nice speech during the progress of the benefit. At the finish Mr. Gibbons grasped his hand, declaring he was his friend and also the friend of the Federa- tion. He would pay union wages to employees and had made the artists every concession possible. As Gibbons stood with his hand in Mr. O'Gorman's the audi- ence with one impulse broke out into singing the well-known refrain: "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." The universal opinion is that when Mr. Gibbons saw how things were drifting he did the correct as well as manly thing, and he stands many notches higher in the general estimation. His evident desire for the present is to be well thought of and cultivate an entente cordiale with the profession, which he will surely find re- sponsive to any kindness. On December 18, the day the Gibbons dispute was settled and just one week be- fore Christmas, the Federation received its first equitable contract. On this day Jack DeFrece, on behalf of Walter De- Frece, invited Harry Mountford to see him in regard to the construction of a new contract for the Stoke Newington Palace, to which he wished to have the sanction of the Federation. For some time the DeFrece circuit has wanted a fine house in London, and in this hall, formerly the Alexandra Theatre, it certainly has a good one. The Moss Empires have pub- lished special barring edicts against it, and its best way out was under DeFrece banners. A Federation committee of three—Schafer, Slone and Mountford— took an old contract form and sailed into it in great style. The whole "barring clause" came out at one sweep of the pen. Matinee payment was arranged at one-twelfth of the weekly salary. The ability clause was made to depend on the judgment of a board of arbitration. Many little alterations were made in favor of the bandaged goddess who holds the scales over the courthouse, but the principal thing was the closing clause: "A board of arbitration shall settle all disputes arising out of or from this con- tract, such board to consist of two per- sons appointed by the management or company and two of the executive com- mittee of the V. A. F., and a chairman to be appointed by these four, and both contracting parties agree that the decision of such board shall be final." No doulxt the White Rats have followed with great interest the late doings of the Federation, so reminiscent of their own efforts to better things, and will delight in the good results achieved. The indi- cations are that there will be some modi- fications of the barring clause ere many moons. Variety Artists' Federation's membership is now 3,542, and last week there were 49 new applications. SMALL TALK. By) BURT GREEN. Tom Kelly ,\ the rotund, good-natured piano pfcaynK has shifted jobs again. Watch /this Canadian. He has the pro- verbial ^rolling stone beat to a frazzle. J Hanry Blocksome has a great place in Faiptfaven, N. J., and it adjoins the prop- erty of Al Stinson, of Stinson and Mer- lon. Blocksome takes great pride in his / vegetable garden; Stinson hardly ever looks at his. One morning while meeting at the fence' Stinson said, "How is it, Harry, you are never troubled with bugs, while my vines are crowded with them ?" "Well, I'll tell you, Al," said Blocksome. "I get up early, gather all the bugs from my vines and chuck them in your yard." The Coliseum was expected to open Christmas, but the money-raising opera- tions required some circumlocution and things have lagged a little. While Mr. Stoll is very secretive and no public an- nouncements are out, information coming by the roundabout way of the Continent indicates an opening about January 15. I know of an act booked to open on that date. Drury Lane is spending about $100,000 on its pantomime "Sindbad," and it will be a glittering thing. About 300 people will be used in the Hippodrome's tank show, "Treasure Ship in Fairy Seas." The Is- lington World's Fair opened December 22, and the coming Christmas week will see about twenty-three pantomimes in the London district, besides children's plays and substitutes for panto. The mammoth fun city, "Olympia," is expected to catch the town; it will cost sixpence to get in and all your purse to get out. The Al- hambra finds the Zancigs a good enough feature for Christmas, as they have spe- cial prestige just now from their late suc- cess before the King. Little Tich is an exclusive engagement at the Palace. The Empire's ballet "La Debutante" continues most successful. Arthur Prince is still there. The mysterious Lyceum buyer who re- fused to give his name is said to repre- sent a syndicate whose aim is to rent the theatre. Drama will probably next have a turn at the house. Harry Lauder says he is interested in aeroplanes and flying machines, and the first man to fly from the stage to the gal- lery, from the gallery to the dress circle and back again to the stage will get $2,500 per week. All music hall artists are glad that an era of peace and good will dawned with the week before Christmas, and the holi- days will be celebrated with all-around kind feeling and the best hopes for the future. From the financial standpoint there is a distinct turn toward more prosperous conditions. New halls are planned or building, and the DeFrece- Barrasford circuit is ambitiously attempt- ing opposition to the Moss Empires. Then Sylvester, who is just opening a fine new house at Coventry, is forming a company to build half a dozen more. The Federa- tion is at last fully recognized, and there is little doubt that 1907 will have plenty of good things in store. Mr. and Mrs. John Allison have broken up their home in New York and for the next three months will entertain the folks on the Orpheum circuit. While in New York they made money enough to af- ford a servant, and here is a story fresh from the Allisons' flat. One morning Mrs. Allison remarked to the servant, "My hus- band is so poetic." The servant looked at her a moment pityingly and said, "Have you ever tried rubbing his joints with Omega oil?" Two young women on a Broadway car the other day were squeezed together. One being afraid of losing her friend in the awful crush grasped her hand and held on for daax-4rfeT When they were ready to alight the girl discovered that she had been holding the hand of Robert Milliard instead. She dropped it quickly and said, "Oh! I've the wrong hand!" Bob replied with his usual politeness, "Why, miss, you are perfectly welcome to the other." Say quite fast: "Flesh of freshly dried flying fish," or "A glowing gleam growing green." Howard and Bland were out New Year's night and Bert noted the attention which most of the women pedestrians were attracting from the passers-by. He remarked to Leona as follows: "The women don't look at you. What's the matter?" Leona said, "It's your fault. Just step behind a minute and keep your eyes open." Bert did so and he was sur- prised to see each man his wife passed stare hard at her, even turning around to look back after her. Bert rejoined his wife and said, "I'm blind, I guess." (Leona told me after ward that she made a face at every man she met.) Has the sprinkling cart called regularly, or has the tempter made you foi^et ttioM solemn vows of last Monday night? "Well," said Violet Carleton, of Can- field and Carleton, "when we get old I can at least keop the wolf from the doer by singing." •"1 don't doubt that would do it," said Oanfield, "but suppose the wolf should happen to understand music." Tell me: Did you ever wear a ptflgt apron? Did you ever see a stage brace? Or a stone *tep? Or a scene shift? Or a snake dance? All almost new.