The Gem worker and the Idaho labor herald. (Boise, Idaho) 1914-1917, 1916-04-20
Movie Actors Revolt
BY VIII F. Griffin

among HiotlOl piNluIS players ~NOt |
the STARS" but those who take part in
mob scenes and the like The report
states that one of the most disgrace
full conditions exists in the exploita-
ton OF actors and actresses by the
motion picture magnates. The union,
which is known as the Industrial
Union of Photoplay Workers, is fight
ing for living wage for its members
1t expects to face some of the most
powerful combinations OF money in
the country, yet it is willing to do
this with the slogan that present con-
ditions are little short of slow death
and that they are coupled with dis
grace and humiliation. A statement
just issued by the organization gives
the following account OF recent
strikes:
How Revolt Started
"On March Is, $50 men and women
and some children, were brought by
the New York Film Company into
a canyon thirty-three miles away from
Los Angeles, to make picture drama,
for ST per day wages. Unprotected
in the open field, in view of each 9TH
err they were ordered to undress, to
appear stark naked. Paint was to be
rubbed into their skin to mark them
as savages. A brother whose own
sister was to undergo such disgrace
started the revolt Others followed,
The first strike in the industry was
on Since then several strikes in 9TH
er companies have followed
A free municipal employment
bureau, another crying disgrace OF
Los Angeles, has been used as the
main agency by the employers to re-
duce the living conditions of the wage
earners in the industry Against this
institution the toilers are also in re-
volt.
The movie workers are moving
on the desert, on the plains, on the
mountains and in the trenches of the
| film cities of the Southland. They
have started action! It's action ev'
erywhere! A few companies have al
. ready advanced wages. Others, again
. are preparing for riots and violence.
"The National Film Company
heading other companies, organized
through their hirelings, 'strong-arn
i. union on March %, for the PURPOSE
;, of moving down the disconnected
: workers But the toilers will not b'
fooled; they will not run into tn
- trap"
= The report further states that at {
:, mass meeting the Socialits party, TIL
!; American Federation of Labor am
:, other organizations had joined hand
:, in efforts to help these struggling
workers of the rank and file of pic
turedom. No less person than Jane
= O'Neil, the well-known actor, who
engaged in motin picture work there
. has been one of the principal figure
in the effort to unionize the players
The ridiculous wages paid the com
=, mon players-usually about a dollar
day and meals-may to som
extent account for the fabulous price
= paid to the stars" 1t is estimate
+, that the motion picture kings gather
" profit of about 20 per cent on the
= productions, the annual total runnin
into many millions. It's the same Of
. story-similar in many ways to til
history of department stores. Lii
= blood is the toll these magnates wal
nothing short of it will satisf.
;" Long hours, small pay, barely su
- ficient nourishment to keep body an
- soul together, the cry of the landlad
for the weekly room rent, the strugg
for decenty to keep up appearance
~ and yet make both ends meet-thes
" brother, are but few of the thing
IL that few of us really comprehen
And still we wonder at crimel