The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-12
NEW PLAN TO DOWN
TICKET AGENCIES
klaw Il Erlanger Believe 1t
Would Put an End to
Speculation.
ASK ALL THEATRES HELP
Require Each Agency to Get
Separate License for Every
Playhouse.
ASK ALL THEATRES HELP

NAV q Lllanger, the theAtr zeal man
ayers and producers, who have .vlnced
a lively interes; In any legislation Or
scheme that promised to do away with
ticket Spectators and agencies, have
worked out n new plan which they be-
lieve will eliminate Spectators. confine
the sale OF tickets TO the box Office and
give the public seats at the regular
prices. Their counsel. David Gerber Of
Di,tenhoerer, Gerber 4 James. has ap.
proved the plan
The plan IS 10 require eScrv place
where tickets are sold 70 take out II
license, not general license. but "A
license for each theatre for which IN.
place is selling tickets. the same as each
theatre is licensed. The fact that Klaw
n Erianger manage more than one thea
tire does not permit them to escape talk
ing out license for each theatre They
would have the agencies do the same.
Speaking OF tn. matter Yesterday Mar,
Nlaw said:
We are advised that the taxing mower
OF the State has authority to license any
business. the nature of the license and
the amount being in the discretion o. the
Legislature. Every theatre We operate
pays IA license Why not have the Log
stature direct that any agency selling
NChets De licensed Tor each theatre for
which II sells? The Legislature could
vest the power In the License Bureau OF
the city.
We are advised that this could be
done legally and IL a license OF $3.50 were
PROVIDED FOR not an agency in this town
couli exist. You can figure IL yourself
t.ach hotel would have to take out forty
licenses II II wanted 10 handle the tickets
OF '"rty first class theatres, and you can
Ia h.r
| agencies The sam. applies 10 the out.
side shops whore tickets are sold Th.
proprletors of theatres pay for each thea
TIRE. Why shouldn't the agencies pay for
each one?
The plans now before the BOARD ~
Aidermen' We are sure, would no, give
inc pubic what it desires, namely. tickets
az "oN o'HVe prices, central agency
would simply give the hotels and other.
greater opportunities to put their friends
In line to buy tickets n. the r,e,,,ar
prices, which would soon find their
way 10 tho public at increased pric.s
The talk about the price OF tickets being
piaIhl! marked on each ticket is SUPER
fiuous because the price is plainly marked
now on every ticket. I don't believe that
YOU could pass any law To prevent a man
from selling ticket at an Increased
price. nut license him in the way herein
Indicated and II will end the whole trouble
NOW lets have showing of hands and
see now much sincerity there is in all
this "Hoft 10 abolish ticket SPECULATION
doh believe there is a first class man
aEer in New York who would not be in favor
or this plan and Z he is not sincere let's
ind 1t out"
Nlaw Erlanger have written a letter
to Mayor Mitchell embodyng this plan.
representative OF Lord a TAYLOR tele-
phoned TO The Sun last night that the
Arm had made arrangements TO sell the
atre tickets at their store The tickets
VIII be sold at box Office prices as a
convenience to their patrons Several
| managers, II was explained. have sig,ifed
their Willingness TO see that Lord & Taylor
get good seats to sell. The proposed
theatre ticket stand will be a feature in
Lord N Taylor's new Fifth avenue store.
William a. Brady, the theatrical pro-
Queer. sent an open letter yesterday to
sylvester Byrnes general manager OF r.
IL. Macy 4 Co. In which he took excep-
ton to the stores proposal to establish
and maintain a ticket agency at its own
expense.
Mr. Brady warned Mr.. Byrnes that the
ticket traffic was BLACK with corruption"
and would remain that way ~ tinkered
with upon the basis OF a central agency"
Mr. Brady wrote that he was in favor
or any plan which would cause the sale
Or theatre tickets at the theatre box
office at box office prices and that OF all
the suggestions that have ever been made
toward getting at the bottom of the ticket
speculation abuse the only one promising
an actual solution and correction was
contained IN the proposition that the
Board OF Aldermen conduct "A series OF
hearings on the subject.
I'm this way alone" wrote Mr. Brady.
will the public ever learn of the In
side OF what has been going on in the
juggling or their amusements and the rot
tenness and graft that have been ram
pant in this field of operation, The true
story has never been told, and never viii
he told except under the compuision Of a
public inquiry with the power to examine
witnesses and punish any who may COM
NIT perjury"