Variety (November 1917)

VAUDEVILLE GERMAN STAGE PROPAGANDA EXPOSED BY PARIS MANAGER Berlin's Diplomatic Aid Consular Officials Involved in Revela- ~ tions* Execution of Mata Hari, the Dancer, Brings to Light Further Machinations of. Hun Government Via Theatre. Paris, Odi. 22. Theatredom here has been stirVeti by revelations that have been maw re- garding the manner in which the Ger- man Secret Service, diplomatic \and consular departments have been fur- thering the propaganda of Hun Kul- tur via the theatre and its artists. Since the execution of Mata Hari, the dance queen of Holland, by the French after she was tried and convicted of being a spy in the pay of Berlin, fur- ther secrets of the workings of the methods employed by the Germans have come to light. The neutral cities of Zurich and Berne are the scenes of activities at present as far as the thea- tre are concerned, while St. Moritz and Vevey are the resorts that are most frequented by the German stage beauties in the employ of their Gov- ernment The mention of Max Reinhardt in the revelations brings to light that Maia Carmi, one of the most beauti- ful of Germany's stage stars, has been involved in the workings of the inner diplomatic service of Wilhelmstrasse. That a number of France and English officers are prone to spend short fur- loughs in Switzerland after having had their nerves shattered at the front has been taken under notice by the Ger- mans and that men in this condition are extraordinarily susceptible to the charms of women has led them to em- ploy the women of the stage in fur- thering their lines of information. Firman Gemier, manager of the Theatre Antoine, writing in the Paris daily, "Le Pays," on the central pow- ers' propanada by means of theatrical and musical troups, usually led by Max Reinhardt, explains the assistance given by the German government through the diplomatic and consular officials, who are authorized to spend all the money necessary to make the tour successful. Every encouragement is given in the form of tickets, supper parties and meetings (at which the officials speak of artistic matters, praising the great German kultur) to local journalists of all degrees to review the shows. Gemier says frankly that a German consul called some music hall managers together and explained that in future they need only pay the lyrical artistes and comedians coming from the other side of the Rhine a daily salary of one dollar as the consulate would arrange to pay the artiste the remainder of his proper salary. What this arrange- ment between the consulate and the German vaudeville artist would be, was not further explained, but the majority of the managers went out looking for boche acts. When Rheinhardt leased the munic- ipal theatre at Zurich to mount Ger- man plays, he specially installed a re- volving stage at his own cost and made a present of it to the city. He seemed to have unlimited funds; he recruited and paid well a hundred students to act as supers in Buchner's "Death of Danton"; he engaged Moissi, the Ger- man actor (now a lieutenant interned in Switzerland) for the leads, and ex- tensively advertised. His press boom- ing brought success. The Germans have offered the municipality of Berne to pay the theatre orchestra for the present autumn season, to push their own musicians and control the house. The Berg theatre of Vienna (subsidized by the Emperor) sent some of its best and made a big splash. But in spite of all this artistic propaganda the sym- pathy of the Swiss are now almost en- tirely in favor of the Allies' cause. French, English, Italian and American artists are warmly greeted, not only because of their particular talent. The German is nd longer the favored art- ist. 7 A French iroupe from the Comedie Francaise his been splendidly received without the German style of boosting. Andre Messager, who just toured Swit- zerland with 83 musicians of the Paris Conservatoire orchestra, met with tri- umphal success. He had to follow Richard Strauss, Nikish, of Leipzig opera, and Weingartner with 150 in- strumentalists from the Vienna Phil- harmonic. It was this band which stuffed the instruments with all sorts of food products when leaving Switzer- land, which amusing form of smuggling was detected by the Swiss custom house and led to a scandal. The pic- ture of the German and Austrian pro- fessors carrying sausages, condensed milk and such in their violins, cornets, trombones, is ludicrous but true. For once the flute player could grumble at having so little to carry. •elves as members in good standing of the managerial association in order to procure desirable talent that would otherwise refuse such engagements. The certificate also brings the ques- tion of engagements in such theatres directly up to the artist, many having hitherto been released from censure through claiming they understood the theatre was listed on the V. M. P. A. books. The members of the National Vaudeville Artists have been in- structed to appear only in theatres where such certificates are on display since the artists' organization co- operated on the contract and cancella- tion question with the managerial organization. In a few of the smaller New York vaudeville theatres artists have been appearing under assumed names, knowingly violating the N. V. A. and V. M. P. A. order anent appearance in those houses. One house has a set of cards used every week without change, but through inside sources the V. M. P. A. procures the artists' real names, even prior to opening days. An instance of the vigilance exer- cised in this direction is that of Jack Birman, an agent with headquarters in the Strand Theatre Building. Birman booked Archer and Bell in a theatre not a member of the V. M. P. A., giv- ing the act an assumed name. Before the opening performance the man- agers' association had taken action, in- structing all their members not to have any business dealings with Bir- man until first communicating with headquarters. V. M. P. A. CERTIFICATES. Pat Casey of the Vaudeville Man- agers' Protective Association has arranged for the distribution of mem- bership certificates to all managers on the roster of the V. M. P. A., the certificate (reproduced on this page) to be placed in a conspicuous place where artists can see it when appear- ing for weekly or semi-weekly en- gagements. The certificate was issued when it became known managers of some theatres not listed on the V. M. P. A. books were misrepresenting them- SANTLEY'S PATRIOTISM. Chicago, Oct. 31. Greater love hath no actor I Joseph Santley loves his country, and he proved it in shining manner. History records numerous instances of men who died regretting that they had so few lives to give. But Santley asked the management of the La Salle theatre to take his name off the electric sign, which read, "Oh, Boy, with Joseph Santley," and make it read "Oh, Boy, Buy a Liberty Bc?nd." It is probably the only instance in the memory of man where a player, who had reached a stage where his name was in lights, himself prompted such a deed as this. ZS VAUDEVIUE HOUSES SOUTH. The United Booking Offices is now placing programs for 25 theatres in the South. Four opened Monday with U. B. O. bills. They are at Charlotte, N. C; Alexandria, La.; Meridian and Hattiesburg, Miss. Raleigh, N. C, starts next week. In former years the South was some- what barren of vaudeville of the better kind, excepting in Texas where the Interstate has several stands, and the Orpheum Circuit two big time houses at New Orleans and Memphis. Besides the 25 U. B. O.-booked Southern houses, the Loew Circuit is also now playing vaudeville, having given the South Loew vaudeville in some cities since last spring. At At- lanta this week the Loew house there is celebrating its first anniversary. In two or three of the recent thea- tres acquired for bookings by the U. B O., the policy of vaudeville sup- planted film entertainment. This, with the noticeable increase of Southern bookings within the past year, is looked upon by the booking men of Broadway as a sign of a strong tendency in the South to take up vaudeville as its principal amusement. The U. B. O. Southern theatres all booked by Jule Delmar in that agency, play a split week (two programs weekly) of five-act bills, three times daily. The cities and theatres booked by the U. B. O. are: Atlanta (Lyric); Bir- mingham (Lyric); Alexandria (Rapid); Meridian (Princess); Hattiesburg (Strand); New Orleans (Palace); Montgomery (Grand); Nashville (Prin- cess) ; Louisville (Keith's); Chatta- nooga (2) (Rialto and Civic Centre); Knoxville (Bijou); Macon (Grand); Augusta (Grand); Savannah (Bijou); Jacksonville (Arcade); Charleston (Academy); Raleigh (Strand); Colum- bia (Pastime); Charlotte (Academy); Greenville (Gran J); Roanoke (Roa- noke theatre); Lynchburg (Trenton theatre); Richmcnd (Lyric); Norfolk (Academy). Camps account for but two of the theatres. Hudson May Return to Stock. The Hudson, Union Hill, may revert to stock after New Year's. It has been playing vaudeville twice daily since the opening of the regular fall season, but has not enjoyed any large measure of success, due to the opposition with cheaper vaudeville in that vicinity.