El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-03-11
War About to Break Out in
In the Vaudeville World;
Mitzi Hajos' New Hit.

FEW YORK, March Ill hear that
M war is about to break out in the
- vaudeville word. The vaudeville
artists believe they are being unfairly
treated and are mobilizing for action.
while the managers are not behind in
their preparations either.
The movies have not made the lot Of
the vaudeville people any easier In
deed. il has been rather hard sledging
recent winters. Salaries have fallen and
contracts have been made more rigid.
On the other hand, the managers have
troubles OF their own. They say the
vaudeville artist today is not the same
drawing card he WAS 10 yeas ago. They
argue that 1t is force of circumstances
(meaning the movies) and not the hard
heartedness of managers which is to
blame.
The chief of staff Of the artists is
Harry Mountford. Under his direction
the White Rats have been increasing
their membership. When they think
themselves strong enough, ] am told,
they will make certain demands and.
if these are refused. strike Is threat
ened.
A strike in all the vaudeville houses
of Americai Do they consider the pub
lic2 How would we exist without vau-
deville2 And think Of the poor mothers
and babies. deprived of their daily vau-
deville and forced to live on condensed
vaudeville Of the film VARIETY
For their part the managers have re-
organized the Vaudeville Managers
Protective association with the aVoWed
Vaccinations of MOuntford & Co. In a
public statement the managers say they
concede that there are conditions which
may be improved. But they protest the
Mountford methods of instituting re-
forms are iniquitous. Mr.. Mountford,
they add, is seeking to force an ''un-
called for quarrel"
"A rose by any other name would
smell as sweet" And Mizzi Hajos Cor
as she would now have us spell It
AIitzi) is more captivating than ever in
the clever comic opera of Anne Cald-
well, called POM" which is on
for the first time in the Cohan theater.
She sings and she trills, she dances
and she throws irresistible glances, she
flutters about the stage until her tiny
body seems to expand to almost nor
NAL size with the youth and freshness
and vigor she displays.
An this comic opera has a real plot
quite respectable plot "POm-Pom" is
the part which Paulette, an actress. is
about to impersonate in the Olympia
theater at Nice when the play opens.
"POm-POm" is pickpocket and
grudging critic has given his opinion
that Paulette can never be a good thief,
Paulette can be a thief among thieves.
For into her dressing room prowl sew
eral detectives, looking for the persons
who have stolen Paulette's jewels. Pau
lette herself. in her "Pom-Pom cos
tune, appeals to them as such likely
thief that they arrest her and throw
her into a gloomy dungeon.
Here two kind hearted burglars al
low her to escape with them, taxing her
for pal" They introduce her to the
oh Il 1ar,T . b oil
no one can enter without being pro-
posed by a burglar and seconded by
pickpocket
Here she is surrounded by all the
picturesque characters Of the unqer-
women. bogus blind
men. shoplifters. Apaches thugs and for
good measure, several murdererS-
Here she meets, too, a romantic po-
lice inspector disguise, who finally res
cue her and wins her love.
This is the convincing plot of Pom
Pom" Carl GrantvOort is an inspector
who is able to MARBLE love ballads,
while Tom McNaughtOn is a comic
sergeant of police. Rita Dane shoulo
also be mentioned. She is a newcomer
on the local stage and has a pleasing !
As to the songs. there. are a dozen
good ones. Especially alluring is IN !
the Dark" which "Pom-Pom sings as |
she scales the prison wall at night
Others are Mon Desir," the waltz song
Of Miss Dane and Mr.. Gantvoort' ana |
the Evelyn" of the prima donna
The chorus is Of the usual pulchrltude
and the scenery, by Joseph Urban Is
Of brilliant dreams.
X
While not strictly a war play Inc
Greatest Nation" produced at the Boom /
theater. has a central idea which came
out of the present world struggle.
The settlement of international dn-
ferences through arbitration rather
than through war has been implanted
in the mind of Prince Alan by his dy-
Ing mother, the good Queen Elaine
Alan becomes the head of a little state
which adjoins the dOminions Of the
harsh King RadOw.
There are two complications between
he two nations. One is a canal and the
)ther is the love of Alan for princess
Adris, daughter of the fire-eating IA
low.
The murder Of Alan's father by IA