New-York tribune., 1917-12-10
Justice Only Demanded
Public Wants That for Itself ana
Actors From Theatre MANAGE,

orr m OAr VI bhN NHStbIc-KolnK rublfs 4
thank The Tribune for It's timely and p...
needed editorial Of December 8. .p.,,.s
Cheaper Theatre Tickets"
Theatrical syndiest.s, owners and m.r.~
Of New York City will g,. little syn,.,-
from their public in the present depr,,.s
stats OF their business. We have been j.,
posed upon too long by them and th.i, .,d.
partners. the ticket spectators, areuei.. ,,d
others. II is undoubtedly true the seat, >.
many successful plays have been resola %
US a. exorbitant prices without our helm.
able so far TO prevent IL. The public i, vel
aware of this state OF affairs and al "a.
protests Of the managers ard owners and ali
tie so-called proofs Of innoeencs that ,b.v
present fail any longer to deceive US a, %
the situation. We know wo hav. b...
tricked and govged for many years and y
they think for one moment the public Is ~,
aware o; this, they are binder than = :
has been. You are quite right, think
in your estimate that the theatre man.
ayers have oyercstimated TIE appetite ard
purse OF the syerags thestregoer los
OF plays could play 20 crowded house q.
sl.50 that Won't moro than bali IL! I, s,se
or $3.50. The majority Of people viii 70 70
geo play they we'll understand 70 b. only
fairly good II they can &c. good sea. for
81 or $3.50. As long as tho seats are sold
a. box Office prices il is, Of course. exelu.
sively tho affair % tho management what
price they print on their tickets, be Il 81 or
SO, but the theatre public is going 70 d
away sooner or later with the ressllnr an9
speculstoP iupositions and other frauds @,
that class.
Managers and Professional Entertainer
The Tribune IN is article has also touched
upon another situation which has loEs
awaited public discussion and change; th1.
is the treatment BY the theatrical owners 4rd
managers of the vast majority Of those en-.
yloyed by them. Il Is amusing, indeed, to
havo them now suggest tia, in the lean
years this rank and fie should share Ire
Losses By a participation in the enterprise
when they seldom or never have been beas.
hted By such q participation in theatrical
enterprises during the fat years | an 40,
Of course. now referring 70 that small elias.
OF stars or very high class actors who To-
d Special lch5OIs nave GVHAlbHAtA ana T.
oeived large salaries and percentages. Thsy
/ have had ,heir opportunity 70 make and ss7-
and have no one but Themselves 70 thank !,
they have not put something aside to tide
them over the bad times. ] am referring 20
/ the rank and file comprising 9S per cent OF
the professional entertainers, whether they
/ are actors actresses, dancers, show-giFis.
choristers or in The ensemble. These people.
without whom 10 play or star could succeed,
/ have been and arc being treated shabbily b.
| the theatrical syndicates and managements
| for whom they have worked. and the present
suggestion made by some of these wor.hies,
! shifted 70 the backs CT their humber en-
/ ployes, would give rise 70 cynical Laughter
| K it only were not 50 cruel and impuden,
T s.. Poorly Paid Actors
Have the arrangements ever paid the people
OF this 90 per cent class I refer 10 anything
for the weeks, and sometimes the months.
spent in rehesrssls! They have not. II the
/ play is a success and tho managers make
/ $4,000, $4,000. 100000 or 100000 from a
production (ss has occurred more than once,
does IL give the rank and fle that have
worked for their success and were partially
responsible for it, oftentimes largely so, and
/ sometimes entirely so. do they, ask, eiy9
them anything extra or distribute bonus
or give some substantial recognition in pay
ment of the long weeks sometimes as Ions
as three months, that their people have
worked rehearsing five or six days q wees.
without any pay whatever in recognition OF
the success that they have aehleyed! They
DO nothing OF the sort. On the contrary, he
three, FIVE, eight or twelve weeks Of re-
hesrsals without pay do not secure 70 the
90 per cent Of the theatrical profession the
natural protection that they should Many
Of these people arc often laid or. dispensed
with or fred from successful productions IS
soon as the success has been achieved, and
from no fault of their o1u the reason being
that some one IN authority or with influence
wants their small part or humble position
for fsyorite, or some one whom they wiin
TO assist for some reason, or e.so TO make
more money b. reducing the cost Of the
production at the expense OF the livelihood
OF the people who have helped them
achieve il.
1t seems incredible, IL one comes 70 think
OF it, that in any country where labor is 20
highly paid and so carefully guarded only 90
the theatrical profession people should be
compelled to give weeks, sometimes months,
OF their time without any TccompeEse Tnst-
soever and without opportunity in ease OF
success OF participating in il 20 the extent
at least OF their unpaid rehearsais.
Heads Win, Tails You Lose"
One theatrical manager, in response TO tae
above argument, stated that the benefit tha;
the actors and actresses receive was in being
employed in successful production and .hA.
the producing Of plays was such a gsmtle
and had so many elements OF speculation ~
it that of necessity the people employed ~
il must gamble also upon its success. This
sort OF argument Of "hesds win, tails you
lose" is so one-sided ths. is fails Of is own
weight upon the least scrutiny
| understand that in England half salaries
are paid during rehearssis, which shows TIA,
in one country az least there is recognition
os the injustice OF the condition prevailing
here. can quite understand that It might
ho - rrodurfion for fhe