The evening world., 1901-02-23

Tho most remarkable labor strike 1,
the history Of strikes 10 in progress to.
day. II IL that OF an organization call.
Ing itself "thc White Rats composed
OF persons known as vaudeville per.
formers. ana directed against anothe,
organization known rs .'rhe Association
OF Vaudeville Managers OF the United
States
Strike IL Unique.
This strike Is certainly unique. Brick.
layers. hodcarrIers. ironworkcrs. boiler
makers and stonecutters sonnet times
rebel against certain demands on the
par; OF the employers and suddenly toss
aside their tools OF trade. refusing TO
resume their occupation until the alleged
wrongs are righted. But these artisans
earn but little as compared with the
m.a OF tho White Rats. WHO have now
adopted similar measures. The entire
nation was In agony Of suspense less
than u year ago because n large body
"f miners In the vicinity OF IIazelton.
Pa, earning on an average not more
than 3i.25 day. refused TO bring To
the surface the warmth and fuel which
lay COuCeaIeu HlhnS uuHu'cu AeSl pv'o"
the tread OF man.
To.da" many men. carnips perhaps one
hundred times what these miners
earned have struck. They say they have
done so for principle. and PROBABLY
they have. But II Is quite a different
thing TO toss over ones shoulder a
salary OF 800 = week. compared to lay
.ns down a pick and lamp which brings
IN only SIS n day
Glance At the strikers.
Supposc We glance for n moment at
these vaudeville performers who have
gone on strike. What have they done
for thmse!ves? 4 brief. but unprejud!ced
report would undoubtedly DO tina; they
are now receiving Tor wcrc) something
like from 10 TO 900 per cent. more salary
each week than they ever received on
the 'road."
NO, more than one-hal! OF the per-
formers mentioned In the list In this
article have gone into this remarkable
strike. but It Is certain a corsidera bio
portion have done 50.
Henry Dixey has. and Dixey is known
pretty nearly everywhere: and yet Rose
Coghlan wouldn't. and she Is quite rs
well known MS Dixey.
The White Rats" probably have a
distinct and well:teancd grievance, and
all wcll-meanins persons hope this
grievance Will be Immediately adjusted;
but heard II hinted on Broadway last
night that tho supply OF talent was
much larger than tho demand.
Theatres Well Filled.
Tho strike did not seem to diminish
the attendance In the vaudeville theatres
yesterday.
PrnetoTs four houses. Kci,hs. Hurt.E
& scamons. In New York. and Hyde &
Behman's. tho Orp.lcum and the Nov.
city. In Brooklyn. where the White Rats
struck on Thursday. were crowded.
Tho vacancies In tho programme had
been filled during tho night by tho
hooking department of the Vaudeville
ManagoTs' Association. There was no
trouble In obtaining actors.
George FuEer Golden. Preaident of
the White Rats. announced that II.
Shea. manager OF theatres in Buffalo
and Toronto. and l.. II. E.rick. OF the
Empire Theatre In Cleveland. had aSr, cd
10 make individual contracts with play.
ers and not take any percentage on
their salaries.
The Rats have lea Sod the Academy or
Music for ten Sundays aud VIII give
matinee ard evening performances.
In Syracuse they have leased the Dun.
fee Theatre and will open II rext week
with performers drawn from their own
ranks. Tho Grand Theatre, In syra.