The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-12
TAX ON
 THEATRE PATRONS

Paris, March 11--(SpeciaD-Periodic ly the papers are inundated with letters protesting against the tax on theatre goers, which is certainly inimical to theatrical enterprise. Tn Paris thes- tre, when you have bought your seat, you are not allowed simply to make your way leisurely to your place, buy e programme, and settle down with the intention of enjoying the play. There
 are extra charges that are so ridicu-
 lous that they terd to drive visitors away
 Following the purchase of your ticket,
 you have to pay tax charged by the
 theatre for the privilege of booking that seat in advance. and further 10 on the price of your ticket. for the poor. On your arrival at the theatre the mau in the uniform who opens your cab door expects coppers. You buy a pro- gramme, paying twenty cents for budget of advertisements, and your eyoslght is put to severe test In order to trace the actors names in it. The newt moment you are the victim of ladies in pink-ribboned caps who de- mand fees. You are then escorted half way to your seat by another extor- tioner who leaves you stranded. and demand toll During the entr'acte third, who Is the footstool expert, insists on getting her little profit. Before you leave the theatre your even- ing has cost you dollar or more in small fees, and you emerge from the building in distinctly irritable mood. swearing never to patronize the place again.
 On the other hand these women must live, and for the privilege of bullying ant of uy1n oob to make a dollar and half or two dollars each evening, they have to pay the person to whom the theatrical man. agement farms out the internal service of tho theatre at least fifty cents or more a day. It is said that the Paris managers intend next season intend to make a joint effort to do away with this nuisance. The citizens of Paris are getting very tired of the sangulne proposals of the managers, because for many years the suppression of the tlp- ping nuisance has been spoken of as taking place next season.. ss sa's strike riot in the populace and thriving suburb of Anieres a man was killed and a policeman disabled . For some time strained relations had existed between a firm of automobile
 builders employing some five or six hum cred men, and tnelr WOrkmen, anu ' state of strike has virtually been In progress for some weeks In order to take an inventory the firm had shut up
 most of its workshops, and has notined | abut 60 wrkmen that their services | would no longer be required. A strike | was then threatened If the firm did not l take back their discharged mon. meet | ing. was held one night speeches were made and the following morning all the available police had to be stationed | arollnd the factory.
 Al young workman who had incurred | the dIspleasure of his fellows was fol- l lowed by a crowd of strikers, who knocked him down. beat him and kicked him. Excited and imagining that his | fife was in danger the young man drew . revolver and fired at the strikers. The shot missed them, but killed an onlooker. | lThc police, as soon as the revolver was heard, rushed mp to the spot and rescued the man from the mob, who Y wanted to lynch him. At the police sta-
 ' ton the young man said he thought that !. his life was in danger and that he had
 fired in self-defense.