The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-24
SOUTH IS GAMER
IN THEATRICAL WAR
More Theatres Will Be Built
in Southern District
HARMONY IS SECURED
Warning Theatrical Managers Have
Come to An Agreement and the
Public VIII Benefit BY the
Arrangement
HARMONY IS SECURED
By JAMES GRANT THURsToN

New York May 2s.-(Special.) THE
theatrical war between the Klaw &
Erlanger syndicate and Its cohorts and
the alliance of independents headed
by the Sh uberts, John Cort, julius Calm
and Jake Wells may result in an I'M
precendented era of theatre building in
the south and west.
! The warfare of the past week has
been waged over the question of one
night stands" the syndicate declaring
that one-night stands did not pay and
later announcing the intention of ex-
tending its circuits through the coun-
try untouched, and not only leasing or
constructing new playhouses in those
centers, but in the regions in which
theatres are owned or under lease by
the independents.
| Klaw & Erlanger have sent Out an
nouncements to overnight managers all
over the United States, part of which
is as follows:
we want to protect local managers
who have been loyal to our interests,
but in points where local managers can
not be depended upon 1t will be nee
essary for the producing managers to
either lease or to build theatres, and
we have already arranged for the con-
struction of theatres in several of the
| one night stands. Bear in mind TIL at we
have in all the large cities of the United
States not only the best but the ma
jority of the theatres that the smaller
points depend upon"
The new National Association of The
atre Owners announces that all is now
harmony between the organization and
the reorganized National Association
of Managers. The directors of the two
organizations met and established
joint board of national arbitration
which shall have power to adjust differ
ences, no matter in what part of the
United States they arise. According to
their decisions shall be final and be-
yond all appeal. AS a result of the de-
velopments of the past week both sides
in the fight claim ultimate victory. The
independents assert that the syndicate
has shown weakness and admitted de-
feat through the fact that 1t has sent
appeals to one might managers through
out the country asking their support.
On the other hand. the syndicate gives
out the word that the Independents
have been deserted by the major num-
Der of their allies. ~
The southern and western circuits
are the battle-ground on which the fight
will be threshed out to finish. The
syndicate calls attention to its strength
in notices to theatre managers over all
North America through the fact that
allied with them are great majority of
the best known play producers Among
them are Charles Frohman. David Be-
lasco. Henry B. Harris, Joseph Brooks,
Cohan and Harris, Florenz Ziegheld, Jr..
Augustus Pitou, Charles Dillingham;,
per, Frederick Thompson, A. H. Woods,
Joseph Weber, Henry Miller. Daniel
Frohman and william Harris. They
control over 200 travelling companies
and have under contract many we'll
known stars.
Through fear that the allied forces
of the syndicate may undertake a gil
gantic project of theatre construction
through the states of Washington, Ore
gon, California, Utah, Colorado, Mon
tana, Minnesota, Illinois, Texas, Geor-
gia Louisiana, Alabama, Missouri, Kan
sas, Iowa and Nebraska, many of the
managers In smaller towns have been
holding aloof in the danger zone for
fear that the independents may not be
able to supply them with productions
sufficiently well advertised to warrant
good patronage.
There have been rumors, emanating
from the stronghold of the independ-
ents, that David Belasco might forsake
| the fold of Klaw & Erlanger for the
Independents. This report is not gen.
orally considered, for Mr.. Belasco as
serts that he has no intention of such
action.
John Cort OF the Northwestern circuit
was asked today about the possibility
| of the syndicate extending line of new
| theatres through the northwest.
"All a blun," said he. The syndi-
cate has no intention of constructing
any new theatres in the smaller towns,
although they might In the larger cit
les. They are working very clever
game. They are attempting to persuade
theatrical men in the west and north
west to build theatres with their own
Its gain in new ventures Klaw Err
LANCER promise managers plenty of
| first -class productions which have been
| successful in the east II the managers
will build theatres or take over thea
tres for long lease and swear allie
glance to the combine.
What does that show? 1t shows
that the independents have the pick Of
the theatrical sites. We are not worry
ing. Our fight has been made and 1t Is
successful We have assurances from
various cities and towns throughout the
western and southern states that man
ayers there will be with us. They want
the open door, and that's viii at we are
going to give them. No more will the
provincial towns have to rely upon the
plays which have been failures In the
east or third and fourth companies pro-
ducing New York successes. Under the
independent administration the thea
tire managers may get what they want
for the asking"
! Klaw & Erlanger. In statement.
say:
I'VE want men in our Organization
who are loyal and who will not be
swayed by false promises. 1t Is ridicu-
lous to presume that the other side,
even allowing them 40 attractions can
cover the territory of the United States.
It is absurd to think that few in
dependents can give to the theatre man
ayers all over the country what they
want on a minutes notice calm sur
vey of the situation-a dispassionats
look at theatrical affairs-will show
the impossibility of that. We do not
want theatrical conditions to go back
in this country to what they were %