New-York tribune., 1919-08-20
Effort of Playwrights to
Mediate Between Man.
} ayers and Striking Actors
Is To Be Continued
Smith Hears Both Sides
Producers Declare ''Closed
Shop" Would Be a Death
Blow to Their Business

Stage hands and musicians went on
strike at the Henry Miller Theatre last
night. preventing the performance of
La La Lucille" This makes the cigh-
teenth theatre darkened since the ac-
tors went on strike. Heretofore LA
La Lucille" had been classcd as an
exempt show because it was believed
its producers were not connected with
the Producing Managers Association
Two direct efforts at mediation de-
veloped yesterday afternoon and even
ing, one being directed by Governor
Smith and the other By Eugene Wal
ter,s committee Of 2layrights.
The Governor met representatives OF
in the Biltmore Hotel last night There
were present. or behalf Of the actors,
Frank Gillmor4. executive secretary of
the Equity; James P. Holland. presi-
dent OF the New York State Fedora
ton of Labor, and Hugh Fravne. or
ganizer for the American Federation Of
Labor. Sam II. Harris. George NJ. Co.
han and Arthur Hopkins appeared for
the managers. The conference was
brought about by Mrs. Henry Mosko-
witz, secretary of he State Recon
struc-ion Commits ion. The delegates
from each side consulted with the
Governvr at different times. so they
did not encounter each other.
Governor Merely Listened
"There is nothing to announce"
said Governor Smith afterward II
listened to both parties. Something
may develop tomorrow, but | have no
plans"
Eve did not appeal to the Governor
10 mediate said Mr.. Gilmore eve
simply put the situation before hm,
thinking lie might find way to induce
the managers to get together so they
could provide q solution"
Fifty playrights responded to Mr..
Walters summons TO meet at the Hotel
Astor yesterday afternoon and sit in
Judgment on the merits of the dispute.
men and then those OF the actors It
was the first time since August that
the lisputan1s had come under the
same ROOT with common purpose
peace.
Peace Effort Postponed
They reached no conclusion, re-
trained from adopting any of several
resolutions offered and finally agreed
to "sleep on it' and meet again at
1890 O'Clock this morning. Then they
plan to appoint a committee to draft
resolutions md another committee to
talk with both the leaders Of the
Actors Equity Associate, and the
Producing Managers Association, and
seek TO bring the together to discuss
terms OF settlement
Eugene Waiter presided at the meet
ing, which had been called by himself
and Avery Hopwood.
The managers, in response to the in
vitation from the playwrights, sent
David Belasco, Arthur Hopkins. Win
chell Smith and George Broadhurst to
tell their side of the story. George NJ
Cohan also was there but as an au-
thor, and not as a producer.
The understanding was that each
side should send representatives who
were author managers or author-actors
The managers complied, but the Actors
Equity Association was represented by
Frank Gilmore, executive secretary;
Paul Turner and another legal adviser,
W. l. Rubin.
Dixey's Authorship Doubted
81 didn't know this was to be a meet
ing OF managers with members of the
Actors Equity Association" declared
Mr.. Broadhurst shortly after the meet
ing was called together.
He was assured that it was not such
a gathering and that each side was to
be received separately.
Then; what is Mr., Dixey doing
Henry +. Dixey rose to his feet then
and said:
"Mr. Dixie is here as an author. As
the author of 'Adons' and Seven
Ages l am not here as a representa-
tive of the Actors Equity Association"
Whether Mr.. Broadhurst then said
"Ihose are outlawed' or Those are
puzzled world, for the stenographer
lost the remark in the babel of voices
that was broken into by Mr. Walters's
statement that Mr.. Dixey's presence
at the meeting was justified.
Cohan Present as Author
George NJ. Cohan was seated in the
back of the room, but his presence was
not challenged He was there as an
author, too, though he is one of the
producing Managers Association.
Arthur Hopi ms then recited the Pro
duclng Managers version of the nego-
tiations with the Actors Equity Asso-
clatlon, the breaking off of relations
and the calling of the strike. Then he
said:
Il don't know whether it is neces-
sary to impress upon you that the death
OF the theatre will be the inevitable re-
suit of the closed shop.
"The Hebrew Actors Union and the
Hebrew Chorus Union are conducted on
the closed shop principle, and no new
members are admitted or elected until
death makes vacancy in the ranks
'fhe Hebrew Actors Union has a walk
ing delegate who passes upon the caste
G. every play prepared for production
IN Hebrew theatre. The manager
playing a production is required TO
submit the proposed cast, and. unless
1t meets with the approval of the walk
ing delegate, he is not permitted to
produce the play. A walking delegate
thus exercises enormous power. The
most fragrant abuse of it in the last
five years is we'll known to every pa
tron OF the Hebrew theatres A walk
ing delegate insisted for four success
sive years upon the engagement in
prominent roles Of \ woman, not even
young and pretty, who was the object
OF his affections. Finally matters in
the Hebrew Actors Union came to such
rass that this walking delegate was
expelled.
ANY manager VINO desires to employ
an actress not member Of the union
IS confronted with threats of d strike,
although most of the members are far
too old to impersonate ing6nue or iuve-
nile characters. A case in point oc-
CURED only last spring, when the man
ager of production, unable to secure
an ingenue to play country girl of
eighteen, had to give the part to an
actress who was actually forty-one
years old.
GIVEN moro faorant ahuc,s ~