The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1894-09-20
THE UNITED ACTORS.
Fist Protective Association
Formed by Players.
PUGILISTIC ACTORS SHUT OUT

They Are Banded together to Discourage
Such Accessions to the Stage as Cor
bett, Sullivan and Miss Pollard -
Gompers Issues Them a Charter.
New YORK. September Is. - Samuel
Gompers, President of the American
Federation of Labor, and Christopher
Evans, the Secretary, this morning per-
formed the somewhat elaborate cere-
mony of bestowing charter upon the
ACTORS Protective Union No. " OF the
city of New York. The affair, which
took place at No. Union Square, was
strictly private; but, judging from the
applause which came in noisy bursts
from behind the closed doors, the
speeches made by President Gompers
and the members OF the Central Labor
Union to the towns vaudeville artists,
who crowded the hall, hit the profess
sional entertainers just about right.
The speech of Henry White OF the Gar
ment Workers Union, in which he de-
scribed the misery of East-side tailors,
saying that without an organization the
actors of America might in future per-
haps be brought down to the same star
walton wages, was received with great
enthusiasm. As soon as the charter had
been conferred and the Actors Protec-
tive Union No. had become an integral
part of the Central Labor Union, the
election of officers took place. The
Presidency of the union was given to
John II. w. Byrne, who, besides being
a musical comedian, is the author OF
several pleasing ballads. That he is a
strict disciplinarian is proved by the fact
that his first official act to-day was to
issue an order forbidding members OF
the union hanging around the door and
railways leading to the room OF the
union. According to Matt Harrington
there are now nearly 500 members en-
rolled in the union, ranging from $40 to
$3.50 week artists. He said:
"What this union proposes is to ele-
vate the profession and stop accesslons
to the stage of prizefghters, freaks and
monstrosities generally. We shall not
attempt any violent methods. Members
OF our union will not be forbidden to
play with non-union actors, but we be-
lieve we can gradually bring about a
weeding-out of people who have no claim
to be regarded as legitimate members of
the profession. No person will be eli
gible to membership who has not been
on the stage for five years, and who is
not vouched for by five brother actors.
Our union proposes to be benevolent IN
its purposes. 1t is not formed for the
10 E5rh ho iYofa
ests of the managers, but it is designed
to be protective. AS matters stand at
present any irresponsible person can as
semble a company and leave the MEM
bers stranded in some distant city, to
reach home as best they can or starve to
death. By utilization with other unions
through the country pressure can be
brought to bear against these swindlers
of actors that will drive them out of
business. We don't propose to make
any fight against Corbett's or Sullivan's
company, but men of that character may
in the course of few years find it harder
to find support than they have hereto
fore. / have no heSitancy, however, in
saying that we are very likely to take
immediate steps toward preventing the
success of Madeline Pollard. 1t is infa-
nous that she should go on the stage,
and we propose to see what can be done
about it. There are at least three thea
tiers in this city, will not name them
where by the strength of organized
unions she could to-day be prevented
from appearing. You must remember
that our union will have the support and
cooperation, when necessary, of the
stage hands, the calcium-light operators
and the musicians unions, all of which
have been in existence for a long time"