The Washington herald., 1916-04-14

He frowned. "Do you want actors to turn
themselves into labor unions?'
saw that he felt injured, almost insuited.
So refraned from saying, why not?'
That conversation repeated to another actor,
less proud '"The real trouble is" he said that
you can'et get actors to hang together. They are
fighting blood.
That remark made me wonder, too.
At the next opportunity l consulted third
actor.
He gave me an opening by complaining Bit
terly about his lot "Why don't you fellows
organizer" l asked
He looked at me as though he felt pity for me.
Organic" he repeated. why, actors are ar
lists. We have no business ability. Besides, we
are at the mercy Of thousands of stage-struck
people all over the land. They so eager to
act that they are always trying to underbid US.
So we have no economic standing whatever"
Here was little light. First, l rejoiced to
think that there was in the world kind of work
that appealed to so many people. But on reflec-
ton l saw that that actors views were not sound.
remembered the adage, MANY are called, but
few chosen"
Isn't there always demand for good actors?'
said.
He shrugged his shoulders. Acting is chiefly
matter of opinion" he replied. what one person
thinks is good another will consider bad" He
then threw out his hands in gesture Of despair.
NO. we can't hope for any improvement in Our
condition so long as the market remains over
crowded.
Tbep he told stories Of rtO of bis
quaintance good actors, who had received das-
tardy treatment from managers, and about ac-
tresses who had received even worse treatment.
couldn't print some of the things he told me
about the treatment of actresses.
That kind of thing doesn't go on among the
reputable managers" argued, "among like
the Frohmans and the big New York fellows"
"No, but you must remember that there are
hundreds of other managers all the country,
and the way some of these take advantage of
women is simply frightful."
AS result of these talks l became more
firmly convinced that there was a crying need
of organization among actors. And believe that
where such need exists, there must be way
out.
Last night to my joy, found an actor who
agreed with me. He was highly successful
actor, too. And he spoke with enthusiasm of the
business of bringing actors together in an
economic organization.
"The start has already been made" he ex-
claimed. Don't you know about the White
Rats?"
"I heard good deal about the White Rats
ten years so ago." I replied, "but I thought
Fhev had Cd D;dp't
strike and make failure?'
He smiled knowingly. That strike ten years
ago only apparent failure. In fact, it
greatly helped the condition of the vaudeville per-
formers. 1t succeeded in breaking the trust that it
fought against and it showed that actors really
could work together and accomplish something
for their own benefit"
well, what happened since that times" I
asked
"For several years the organization weakened, -
he replied, From thousands of members it went
down to thirty-seven. But those thirty-seven
stuck together like heroes. Often some of them
to meetings and make quorum. Then, gradually,
they grew stronger And now the White Rats
have more than fifty thousand. The reason why
they haven't been very much heard of is that
we have changed our methods. We don't en-
courage strikes any We fraterna1
organization and we help another by CO.
operation and by working through the legislature.
When we find that managers are dealing with US
unfairly, we simply appeal to the legislature to
have the abuses checked Already we have sue
eeeded in establishing fairer relations between the
managers and actors, and have saved many
vaudeville actors from terrible suffering" He
shook his head sadly. "Oh if the public only
knew how some of the vaudeville actors suffer.
Why, they are often thrown out of their employ
ment without days notice. And the nefarious
business that goes on in dealing with the women!
We are doing what to put stop to that,
but the work has only begun"
Then you look forward to the time when all
the actors of the country will have a protective
Iorganizaton?" asked
why, you can't stop the movement" he re-
Piled 1T has begun at the bottom and is bound
to work up"