New-York tribune., 1900-01-01
STRIKE At AN EAST SIDE THEATRE.
WHY THE .TIEAvY TRAGEDIAN'' WON A VICTORY
FOR HIMSELF AND ASSOCIATES.


According to Joseph Barondess, the organizer
of trades unions among the East Side toilers the
spirit of trades unionsm has recently taken pos
session of the Hebrew actors in this city. Hhere
are three Jewish theatres here-the Thalta, the
Windsor and the Peoples The only actors and
actresses who welcomed in these places of
amusement are of the Jewish faith, and as their
number in this country is said to be small the
managers have considerable trouble at times to
obtain suitable stars to fill the leading roles in
the dramas which they present to their patrons.
Delegate Barondess was quick to see this as
well as the opportunity to organize the Hebrew
actors into a trades union in order that they
might demand the adoption by the managers of
a fixed scale of wages and suitable hours Of labor
At the meeting of the Central Federated Union
yesterday in the University Settlement Hall Dele
gate Barondess in jubilant state of mind.
He declared that he had only succeeded in
organizing the Hebrew actors, but the new union
had already instigated and won strike. The
Jewish Actors Union, declared Delegate Baron
dess only organized last Monday and on
Thursday following there a strike in the
Peoples Theatre. Continuing, Delegate Barondess
said that the strike was caused by l. Goldsten,
the leading man and tragedan. who informed the
manager of the theatre that the union had been
formed and that hereafter the actors would expect
more courteous treatment from the management.
The manager, however, did not appear to ap-
preciate the action of his company and according
to Delegate Barondess, he lost no time in telling
the heavy tragedian so in far from choice Ian
guage. Delegate Barondess also said that the
manager discharged the heavy tragedian the
spot and then proceeded to chase him out of the
building with a broom handle. The heavy ira
gedian's associates in art deeply resented this
treatment of their brother that the whole COM
pany Immediately declared a strike 1t only
a few minutes before the curtain was to go up
for the first act and after the manager had some
what recovered from his astonishment at the
action of his company he tore his hair. He never
had had any experience with strikes. and after
he had stormed and raved for few minutes he
began to realize what confronted him The house
packed from pit to gallery; and % the, the audience
Finally, according to Delegate Barondess, the
manager said that he would renstate the heavy
tragedian; but the actors union promptly de,
clared that that would not be enough He would
not only have to reinstate the heavy tragedan,
but would also have to apologize to him and pay
a fine Of 800
not only apoogized but paid the fine as well But
whether the money went into the treasury of the
union or went to sooth the laGerated feelings
of the heavy tragedian was not learned.
Delegate De Costa reported that with the assist
ance of Superintendent Reynolds of the University
Settlement he had obtained, a promise that on
gates His subject will be The CHARACTERISTICS
Of Our Times
The delegates expressed sympathy for the school
teachers of this city, and 1t was declared that
effort would be made to organize them into unions
which will be affiliated with the Central Fed
Grated Union.