New-York tribune., 1905-12-27
RECRUITS FOR CONRIED.
applicants for Chorus-Old Singers
Go to PhiladeIphia.

The fifty or more members of Mr. Conried's
chorus who comprise the Italian group appeared at
the railroad station yesterday afternoon and went to
Philadelphia to sing in "Rigoletto' If there had
never been any hubbub about strike. Mr.. Con-
ried breathed ezlsier The air seemed cleared
However, preparations went to meet strike
should 1t occur IT answer to the advertisement
In the morning papers about twoscore men and
women appeared at Mr.. Conrieds Office at o'clock
in the afternoon to apply for chorus positions No
voices were tried yesterday but the names and
addresses Of the candidates were taken, and hope
was expressed that many others could be readily
secured Candidates, in fact, continued to appear
for two hours,
The union Of the chorus has not yet secured
afflliation with any union which would make
sympathetic strike possible; that seems to be the
weakness of its position. and weakness the chorus
realizes Mr.. Meltzer said last night that 1t was a
question If af1liation could be secured, certainly
not by all the members of the chorus for many Of
them not naturalized citizens. and not. accord
ing to Mr.. MeItzer. in position to naturali-
zation, since they go back to Europe for their real
residence. Certainly. among the chorus at the
train yesterday strike talk heard-at any
rate, not in the English language. One member
declared the talk of strike perfectly rdicu-
Ious"
Max Hirsch, the genial treasurer, who is a New
York institution, remembering the famous song.
affirmed, There amt agoin to be strike
conference took place yesterday between Presi-
dent Salzberg Of the Chorus Singers Union and
the officers of the Actors Protective Union, with
which the former organization is affiliated. After
the conference Salzbarg denied the statement of
Mr. Conried that some of the Metropolitan Opera
singers get SIS week. Not a single one he said.
was paid more than SIS a week He said:
Our season lasts only sixteen weeks. and It re-
qulres long training, both singing and acting. to
be proficient. People say that the taste for high
class music is growing in New-York. The patrons
or the Metropolitan Opera House pay higher for
seats every year They want the best they get
ana are willing to pay for it. The institution is not
supposed to be for profit, but in the interests
Of profit Surely in the interests of music and art
It would not be too much to lessen these profits by
$lO,W0, so that the members Of the chorus might
get living wages
He secuted the idea Of giving grand opera with
out the chorus 1t would result in smaller
houses and diminishing profits For one who went
to a music drama like die Walktire' ten went to
such operas as "Lohengrin.' "Tannhauser.'
The Queen of Sheba" or Aida" where the
choruses of the highest Importance.
AS to the jump in wages from SIS to SIS week,
he admitted that Mr.. Conried might think it
sweeping proposition The union was willing to
Rrbitrate the matter. however, he said. He ad-
lnitted that Mr. Conried had agreement with the
chorus singers.
But this agreement is with each indvidu-
ally he said. 1T would be different proposition
for the singers to violate these agreements individ-
ually from strike ordered by the union for col
lectve demand for them all. l don't think a strike
Mr. Barry business agent Of the Actors Protec-
when chorus singers in grand opera were paid less
than InaSOnS' labOreTS.