Evening star., 1901-02-23


ences between employers and employees is
rot strong, but the entertainers have forced
themselves and their grievances into at
tention in way that would be possible only
with people who have been accustomed to
address the public across the footlights IN
the chatty familiarity of the monologue.
George Fuller Golden, president of the
white Rats Association played on his
pipes like the pied piper of Hdmlin Thurs
day: the members of the rodent vaudevillian
organization followed on with their sec
ond strike of the past fortnight, and the
vaudeville war is said to be launched in
earnest. Arrayed on one side is the Naude-
Vile Managers Association, which controls
most Of the larger vaudeville houses this
side of Chicago This combination or "vau-
deville trust" as it is sometimes called is
opposed by the White Rats" an organi-
zation Of the leading vaudeville perform
ers. With the syndicate controlling the
theaters and the Rats in custody of the
talent. it is evident an adjustment is nee
essary to both sides, but there is promise
of a right merry little time while that ad-
justment is in course of arrangement
In New York Thursday the atmos-
phere in which vaudeville performers
move became suddenly heavily laden
with germs of dread disease shortly
after noon the managers or Vaude-
Vile theaters became the center of interest
for numberless messenger boys carrying
epistles from performers who had become
III with such dire ailments as "coiic,
dyspepsia" and the ever-to-be -be-relied-upon
grip Singers became "hoarSe' and aero
bats "sprained their ankles The mana
gers having been through the fire of a like
experience two weeks ago, soon surmfSed
what was wrong. The Rats" were walk
ing OUT in their own peculiar way.
The trouble between the Rats and the
managers is the same two weeks ago.
The bone of contention is the per cent
commission charged by the Vaudeville
Managers Associat ton upon the salaries of
all performers booked in houses under its
control. The Rats say that after their
show of force two weeks ago the managers
agreed to rescind the commission order.
The managers claim that they only said
they would urge the abolition Of the COM
mission at the meeting of the association to
be held March 6. The managers further
object to booking through the White Rats
agency
Following the strike of the Rats Thurs
day there was a great hurrying and sour
rying about the theatrical agencies secur-
ing turns to fill in the strike-stricken pro-
grams. There were demonstrations" too.
for friends of the Rats invaded the audi
ences and made their presence felt when
ever there occurred break in the regu-
machines were run to their utmost capacity.
AT the Proctor theaters those performers
who remained were worked time and again
and driven hastily about the city in order
to appear at the other theaters OF the cir
cult. The strike was confined to New York,
but the Rats" claim 1t will spread to all
parts of the country.
This unique organization of Rats" IS
just now attracting more attention in the
theatrical doings of the day than any other
subject of comment and conversation. The
Rats opened their doors to the women
this week and initiated quite a dazzling ar
ray of what will be known henceforth as
white Stars the number including Lii
liam Russell. Fay Templeton, Edna May,
Virginia Earle, Edna Wallace Hopper, Jen-
ME Yeamans. Bonnie Thornton. Pillar NORM,
Amelia Summerville. Carrie Graham, Doro-
thy Morton Dorothy Neville. Lottie West
Symonds, Elfie Fay. Marie Leslie. Ruth
Robinson kittie MITCHELL Francesca Red
ding, Carrie Behr and Georgia Gardner.
Another important step taken by the
Rats. and one of particular interest to
Washington at this time, is the organiza-
ton of vaudeville company, which will
play under the management Of the direc-
tors of the order This company, which
will in all probability be followed by others,
will open It's tour at the Columbia Theater
In this city Sunday night March 3, with a
testimonial benefit to the organization. All
Of the week following the company will ap-
pear at the Auditorium Music Hall, Balti-
more. The public bids fair to have the
lions share Of fun from the war; and there
Is temptation to sit back in glee and say
Go it. Rats; go 1t. managers
Edmund Day. the secretary Of the board
Of directors of the White Rats. is dividing
his time between this city and Baltimore
making preliminary arrangements for the
engagement of the vaudeville company
thav haya n
benefit.
''It is a mistake" said Mr.. Day, "to sup
pose that the simultaneous failure Of so
many performers to appear was the re-
suit of a formal call from any officer Of
the association. I will admit that the epi
demic was remarkable, vaudeville has
hitherto been regarded as very healthy
business. But there seemed to be danger
that the managers would come to regard
the people in it as being there entirely for
their health. 1t was merely a spontaneous
influence which asserted itself among the
White Rats. and the malady which has
been facetiously described as white Rats
grip is in reality an epidemic OF senti-
fight, but to maintain a society for mutual
benefit. The purpose was to devote the
5 per cent commissions now In dispute to
purposes of education. to providing care for
the sick and to similar harmless and phi
lanthropic enterprises That the exodus
from the various programs was produced by
Individual sentiment Is shown by the fact
that members OF the profession who are
not on the White Rats rolls went out. One
prominent feminine player. on hearing the
rews, remarked, Have the White Rats
struck? Then I'll go out too, And out
she went. Vaudeville people as a class
realize that the protest implied by these
non-appearances is for the general good.
and their action is sympathetic and not a
response to discipline. 1t was not neces-
sary to issue a call. The performers be-
gan to realize that the 8 per cent was not
going to be abolished. Somebody started
the movement, and 1t developed an imme-
date and astonishing momentum. By a
coincidence the White Rats offices are in
the same building with the Association OF
Vaudeville Managers. Our organization Is
on a business basis. Managers desiring
White Rat acts can book them with White
Rat agents. George Fuller Golden is re-
garded as the George Washington OF this
movement. and I think that every member
of the vaudeville profession has implicit
confidence in his Judgment as well as the
highest esteem for his personal qualities"
Manager Chase OF the New Grand ID gen.
eral secretary Of the Vaudeville Managers
Association, and a leading spirit in that or
ganization. In speaking of the present difgl-