Evening journal., 1909-04-09
.SHUBERTS AND
TRUSTS AT WAR?
Prospects Of a Lively Fight
Between the Theatrical
Interests
SHUBERTS STRENGTHENING
CHAIN OF THEATRES

BY United Press Leased Special Wire.
NEW YORK, April s-After several
weeks OF rumors and denials, events
have shaped up in the theatrical world
to-day 80 as to make prediction OF
an attack on the Trust something
more than a mere guess in the an
nouncement to-day Of the withdrawal
Of the Shuberts from the Theatrical
aMnagers' Association, those possessed
of inside information Of doings along
the RialtO see foresha6owed an open
break between Klaw and Erlanger,
the heads OF the syndicate. and the
Shuberts, their most powerful rivals.
Several weeks ago the Shuberts with
drew from the National Association OF
Theatrical Producing Managers, an or
ganization enrolling all the managers
in the good graces of the syndicate.
To-day comes the announcement of
their withdrawal from the local or
ganization Late this afternoon Abe
Erlanger, the generallissimo Of the
Trust, returns from Europe on La
Provence. Next week ]. J. Shubert
returns from the Pacific Coast where
he has been endeavoring to extend the
chain of theatres controlled by the
Shuberts on May /, working agree
ment entered into about a year ago
between the Shuberts and the syndi-
cate--an agreement which was virtu-
ally a truce ending the last war be-
tween the rivais-will expire. Aftcr
that? It certainly looks like a fight.
Impending Trouble Denied.
To-day emphatic denials were mado
Z .f h4a .f Il s.Is
and the Shuberts Of any impending
trouble and unless Abe Erlanger.
reused by the ill-concealed activity of
the Shuhcrts. should cast diplomacy
aside, ana make an open fight on his
rapidly growing rival no formal an
nouncement or declaration Of war are
likely before next fali. The Shuberts
are known to be working desperately
to strengthen their lines and increase
their chain of threatres and nothing
is 10 be gained by them at this time
by open hostilities. on the other hand
with a maintenance of outward APP
pearances OF peace they hope 10 COM
plete pending negotiations so that by
the time the new season opens they
will have contracted for threatres 10
fill the wide gap between Kansas City
ana the coast territory out pl WulCn
they have been barred heretofore by
the syndicate.
AS an indication of the efforts being
made by the Shuberts to ally all the
anti-syndicate interests IL is now re
ported that their frrn has united with
Harrison Grey Fisle, to provide at
/ fractions for the Hackett Theatre next
season. Along the same line it is a
fact worth noting that the Shuberts
will on Monday night. supply the at
traction, a new farce entitled "Goine
Some" TO fill in the time Cor the re-
mainder Of the season at the Belascc
Theatre. usually filed by Mr.. Belasco's
own productions. on top of these two
i alliances is the persistent rumor thai
stair and Havlin, a prominent West
ern managerial firm of middle-pricet
houses. have promised an allegiance
with the Shuberts, which viii give the
latter theatres in many of the mos
important Western cities.
Just how many theatres the Shubertl
will he able 10 control next seasoi
cannot be said at this time, but the,
have announced that they viii booi
Continued on Second Fsge.