The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-10-21
Serve Notice on Theater
Manager Following Leng-
thy Conference.
TO HANDICAP SHOWS
Labor Troubles May Be Ex-
pected, c. F. Schlagel, I'm
ion Official, Says.

Hearkening to the call of the organ
ized stage employees Of the city who
were not reorganized in local theatres
when they effected their organization
last November, musicians playing in
the Murray and Gennett have served
notice that they will quit their work
at the end of two weeks unless organ
lied labor is recognized behind the
curtain.
The determination of the musicians
to join with stage employees in sym
pathetic strike unless demands of the
stage employees for recognition are
honored comes as a result of a confer
ence yesterday between 0. G. Murray,
manager of the two theatres and
Charles F. Schlagel, fourth vice presi-
dent of the International Alliance of
Theatrical Stage Employees, who was
in Richmond attempting a settlement
of the difficulty
Refuse Recognition.
Mr. Murray declined to give recog-
milton to the union and said he would
go ahead with the business as best he
could and take whatever the future
held in store for him.
Now that formal strike of the
stage workers and musicians is about
to go into effect labor troubles may
be expected. The stage workers say
that shows carrying road men will be
handicapped In coming to this city as
they will be unable to use their own
stage men here If the local union is at
war with the management and in the
case of a musical show, the leader will
not be able to conduct his own show
if the musicians have walked out.
In discussing the proposed contest
with the management Mr.. Schlagel
said yesterday: Il have been in the
city three times in connection with
this affair and l have used every eff
fort to get satisfactory settlement
on friendly basis. The musicians
have decided they can no longer work
with non unfon men upon the stage
and have concluded to give Mr. Muir
ray their two weeks notice"
> Road Crews Restless.
The road crews with travelling at
fractions are also becoming restless
and will refuse longer to stage the
various productions with non-union
help. While the matter Of wages thus
far has not entered into the contro-
versy Mr.. Murray himself says that
in the near future, if he recognizes
the union, it's members may make de-
mands for an increase in pay.
The present wage for working a
production is only SO cents a perform
ance whereas the most unskilled la
borer with no responsibility at all re-
ceives better remuneration. Only the
friendliest feeling has existed between
Mr.. Murray and his former employees,
but this cannot prevent the members
of the union from requesting the sup
port of the theatre going public and
especially that of the families of the
men represented by the Trades and
Labor Council"
Strikers Refuse To Talk
The strikers refuse to discuss their
case further than to say they have an
excellent prospect of winning their
strike and securing recognition. While
the law of the state prevents their
posting men in front of the two show
houses to request theatre goers to re-
main away from the theatres, they will
be allowed to patrol the sidewalk and
give their arguments to the public as
long as they do not stop in front of
the theatres.
The men base their hope of winning
the strike on the fact that the union
men travelling with the higher class
shows refusing to work in this city
the public will be compelled to wait
so long between acts for scene shift
ing that the management will be COM
PEELED to grant their request. They al
so say that there is a possibility that
a number of the better shows will can.
eel their dates here when they find
that there is labor trouble in the Rich.
mond theatres.
Union Formed in 1912.
The present trouble had its incep-
ton eleven months age Shortly after
the State Federation of Labor met in
this city, the stage employees of the
two theatres formed union. They
were permitted to work in only one
performance before they were let out
Of employment by Mr.. Murray
When his present employees were
approached with an invitation to join
the union Mr. Murray informed them
that they too would be given the same
treatment If they affiliated with the
organization. The fight Of the stage
workers for recognition was carried
to Central Labor Council, to the dis,
trict convention at Alliance, Ohio, and
the International convention at Seat
tie, all Of which bodies gave their en-,
iorsement to the action of the local
union in asking for recognition by Mr.
Murray.
Sooner than give in to that gang
of cHe-ssxa&G~ I'll close the Gennett
theatre and there will not be another
show there this winter said o. G
Murray today when asked what &C
ton he intends to take in regard to his
trouble with the stage workers organ
Ization.
THE whole thing is almost a joke
he said Many of the members of the
organization have not worked at the
stage business for years, Many OF
them would not work now if they were
asked. l have offered to give them
work when possible. l have even of
fered to let them unionize the Gen
nett But | will not let them unionize
Continued On Page Nine)