Variety (October 1914)

8 VARIETY ARE YOU A WHITE RAT? The above question is put to all members of the theatrical profession. If you are not a White Kat, may I ask WHY? Is is because you do not be- lieve in us? If so, are you open to be convinced that you should believe in this Organization? Is it because you do not believe in Organization? If so, can we be given the opportunity to prove to you that Organization is absolutely neces- sary in our profession? Is it because you are selfish? If so, will you allow me to prove to you that selfishness is a draw-back to the up-lift of humanity? Is it because you have a personal grievance? If so, if we can prove to you that you are uncharitable, will you forget that grievance? If you do not believe in this Organization, what Organization can you be- lieve in that is for the artist? WHAT BODY HAS DONE FOR YOU WHAT WE HAVE DONE? What body promises you that which we promise? Do we lie when we say that we take care of our needy sick, bury our destitute dead, ad- vance money on equitable contracts and give you legal protection? Have we done this/or do we just promise to do it? Do we lie when we say that we have col' lectcd three millions of dollars for the artist in the past five years? Do we lie when we say that we have secured contracts for the artist that can be realized on, if broken? If you do not believe in Organization, may I ask WHAT CAN BE ACCOM- PLISHED IN THIS PROFESSION AS INDIVIDUALS? Why do the biggest financiers organize? Why did the United Booking Offices organize? Why did the Standard Oil Company organize? Why do they all organize? BECAUSE THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. Could the democratic or republican party exist without an Organization? Could any party exist without an Organiza- tion? Are you different from all human beings? Could we accomplish more for our profession as individuals than we could with an Organization behind us? Does the individual make laws, or is it an organized body that make laws? If you have a grievance, does it make you and will it make you happy to carry that grievance until death calls you? Have you ever wronged anyone? Have you ever made a mistake? Wouldn't you want to be forgiven? If we have made mis- takes, cannot we be forgiven?—especially when we have done so much good and as we are doing good at the present and intend to do good work for the pro- fession, are you going to be uncharitable? Ladies and gentlemen, my advice to you at least is honest. Take it for what you will. I will pass away as others have passed away. I may be forgotten— but my words advising you to cement brotherly love in this Organization, I am sure, will live. If you love one another, the proper spirit will be installed that can lead to nothing but success. How can any good be accomplished if we do not have faith in one another? Without faith, which is synonymous with love, you do not or cannot cling together and how can you expect any real success if you do not work in harmony with one another? Can one do more good than an organized body that is working for good? If this be true, then why don't you join and interest yourself in this Organization? Look at it in a sensible way and ask yourself if the White Rats can do no good, what Organization can the artist turn to? Why don't you ladies and gentlemen who believe in good, show your interest here? WHY DON'T YOU MAKE UP YOUR MIND THAT THIS ORGANIZATION IS FOR THE ARTIST? Why don't the artist help the Organization, if what I am telling you be true? If you believe we are making mistakes, why don't you be honest, at least with yourself, and take an active interest here—if, for nothing else, only to correct mistakes? . What more can I tell you than our doors and books are open to all members in good standing? It is surely up to every artist, if he finds this Organization honest, to support this Organization. If there is anything wrong here, it is about time for you to take an interest and right that wrong. Surely you can never right any wrong by kicking on the outside when your dues are not paid up. For the benefit of the boys and girls who cannot get to our meetings, may I suggest that you write a letter to me. Don't imagine you are going to worry me with your trouble. I am here, elected by you to an honorary position, and I appre- ciate the confidence you have placed in me. Do you think for one minute I want to disappoint you? Ask yourself why should I be working here if I did not see some great good to be done? A letter to me would be given my personal atten- tion. Is it too much trouble to ask you boys on the road to write a letter if you are in doubt as to any wrong-doing in this Organization? Why don't you show the right spirit? STOP IDLE CHATTER AND GET FACTS. Be on the level with me and this Organization and this Organization and myself will be with you. I say to you boys and girls who join this Organization or intend to join this Organization to get personal protection only, that you are forgetting the most beautiful spirit in the world—CHARITY. It is not a case of what will the Or- ganization do for me personally. The real spirit should be WHAT CAN I DO FOR MY PROFESSION BY JOINING AND TAKING AN ACTIVE INTER- EST IN THE WHITE RATS. This Organization is for the betterment of this profession and all decent members of this profession. Every decent member of this profession should be for this Organization. We lost a great many members in the past, but there is an old saying when a man lends money it is quite general that he not only loses his money but he also loses his so-called friend. We lost a great many so-called White Rats, who have not paid their just debts, to the extent of $13,000. So- called White Rats, and mind you I don't mean a fellow who has not got a dollar, but I do mean the great majority of those who owe us money and refuse to pay us, owe The Player to this day (which was our theatrical paper), over $40,000. Have these men been fair? Suppose this Organization owed the players such an amount of money? Facts arc facts, ladies and gentlemen. Show us where we owe the actor money. We are showing you and can prove, where the actor owes this Organization the above amounts. If these so-called, at one time, White Rats, do not want to pay just debts and refuse to be honorable, I personally am glad that we are rid of them and I speak for the Organization also, and you ladies and gentlemen should also be pleased to know that such men and women have left us, because they bit the hand that fed them. When you hear a kick, why don't you write to me personally and get true facts? I will make an assertion now, THAT THE AVERAGE KICKER OWES THIS ORGANIZATION MONEY. Why don't you be honest with us and in- vestigate? I want to give you facts. Surely you should interest yourself enough to learn the truth. If you want to help your profession, if you want to do some- thing worth while in life, why don't you join with us in a spirit of love? It is true that you may be very successful today, but there are thousands who are not suc- cessful. Are you going to forget the less fortunate, and I might say to you that although you are successful today, a few years has brought and will bring many changes and without this Organization you have no salvation in this profession. Throw aside hatred, selfishness and jealousy and cement love, charity and fidelity. They say the artist will not sticlk. I believe differently. I say the artist will stick. They are only human. There are good and bad in every walk of life. The bad will never stick, but the good only need to be shown something that is for good. They are sticking now. This Order is improving daily through the work of good fellows believing in it and working for it. If you know nothing of this Order, why not write me and learn something about the work we arc doing? If you are members here and cannot attend meetings, why not write me and get some information that is really worth while? ARE YOU WITH ME FOR ALL THAT IS GOOD? Sincerely yours, FRANK FOGARTY, President. By Frank Fogarty. If someone, starting out in life, should come to me and say: Give me the fruits of all you've learned along life's weary way, I'd say be honest, square and true, you'll win then, never fear, And be careful to confirm before be- lieving all you hear. BAGGAGE TROUBLE. Members of the White Rats Actors Union and Associated Actresses of America, who have had trouble wit'i excess baggage through Massachusetts kindly send in details to the Secretary- Treasurer, 227 West 46th street, New York City. (The matter on this page has been furnished VARIETY by the White Rats Actors* Union of America, and is vouched for by that organization. VARIETY, in its editorial policy, is not responsible for it.) CALL WHITE RATS MINSTREL REHEARSALS Start October 19th At 11 P.M. AT THE CLUB HOUSE Better and Bigger Than Ever Remember the Last One? SEND IN YOUR NAME, SINGERS NEW LIFE MEMBERS. Al Jolson has taken out life member- ship in the White Rats, as well as Gerald Griffin. Patsy Doyle, Jack Con- way, J. P. Griffith, Geo. E. Delmore, Chas. McPhee, Pat Rooney, Ernest Kluting and Ralph Lohse. Gladys Arnold has taken out a life membership in the Associated Ac- tresses of America. She is the second woman to take one and pay $100. Alice Lloyd was the first paid woman life member in the Associated Ac- tresses of America, the women's branch of the White Rats Actors' Union of America. MEMBERS AND CANDIDATES. The following candidates were voted on for the first time at the meeting held Tuesday, Oct. 6: Wm. V. Dunham, Theodore Tenny, Bernhard Lohmuller, Herbert Spencer, Henry P. Dixon, Tom McNaughton, Robert Higgins, Frank DeWitt, Jack Lewis, William Mitchell, Jack Allman, William Moran, Bert Melrose, Francis Lennie, Irwin Dash, J. E. Sullivan, Jos. Schrode, Pat Strom- berg, Cecil Emmett, Leon Emmett, Paul Gorden, Arthur Hartley, Louis Foohoff, Jack Barnes, Bobby Mar. Riley Wilson. The following were duly elected t<> membership in the White Rats Actors' Union Tuesday, Oct. 6: Arthur J. Finn. Slayman Ali, Roger Gray. The following members were duly in- itiated Oct. 6: C. A. Lightner, Geo. L. Rockwell, Al Wood, Harry L. Webb, Maurice Abrahams, Jack Kammerer. SPECIAL NOTICE. A meeting of the WHITE RATS ACTORS' UNION will be held Tuesday, October 20th, in the White Rats Building, 227 West 46th street, New York City, at 11 P. M. sharp.