The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-09-08
EQUITY ACTORS JEER TERMS AT
 MASS MEETING
Groans for the Open Shops and Kisses for the Fidel-
 ity League.
STRIKE LEADERS ARE HECKLED BY MEMBERS
Want to Know What Has Been Gained-All Thea
 tres Soon to Open.

New York, Sept. s-Groans for the open shop and misses for the Actors Fidelity League marked a mass meet ing of the Actors Equity Association at the Lexington theatre yesterday af- ternoon. The meeting was called with the idea of indulging in a victory celebration. but before 1t was con- cluded a number of the actors had placed themselves on record as any thing but satisfied with the manner in which the strike had been set tied.
 The fact that the heads of Equity were not prepared to read the peace treaty to the members of the associa- tion brought forth the first outburst Paul =. Turner, counsel for the Equity, undertook to explain the va rious clauses but when he declared that there was to be no discrimina- tion against Equity members by the managers he was interrupted by a dozen actors.
 How are you going to stop it?" and You cant prevent it" were some of the remarks from the floor, while others declared that members of the Actors Fidelity League, the Equitys rival, were certain to be favored when it came to casting a play.
 When the meeting ended a group of l the malcontents headed by Frank Merlin, surrounded Frank Gilmore on the stage and put more specific ques- tions.
 What have I gained by this striker asked Merlin, a member of the cast of The Challenge" I'm d T Passchendale on October 26, 1917, under my old contract. All I've got is the enmity of my manager. The Ffdos who stayed in the cast got raises in salary, while I've been work ing twelve, and fourteen hours a day for the Equity for nothing. Gilmore endeavored to put the questioners off without success.
 We want to know exactly what is in that agreement" deC:ared another This is a collective organization and supposed to be democratic. These are steam roller tactics It was necessary finally to turn out the lights in the theatre in order to drive the discontented ones into the street.
 The meeting. presided over by Francis Wilson, was addressed by Lillian Russell, Charles c Shay, Joe N Weber, W. B. Rubin, Hugh Frayne, Frank Gilmore, Grant Stew art, and others Rubin, counsel for the American Federation of Labor, asked the actors: If this contract is satisfactory to Samuel Gompers, can you say that it is not satisfactory to you?" The question, however, did not bring forth a unanimous reply from the actors.
 The note struck by most of the speakers was a plea to drop all feel ings of animosity toward their late opponents and top lunge into their work with the strike behind them and out of their mind.
 The managers have learned a les son." said Hugh Frayne, "but so have you"
 The task of reopening Broadway will be continued tonight and all week. The Winter Garden resumed it's Sunday night vaudeville last night, and nine more houses will get under way tonight. making a toIal of 55 to open in the few days since the strike ended. By Thursday night this num- Der will have been increased to 25, and about two-thirds of the New York theatres will then be in operation. There will be three premieres to- night-"Up From Nowhere" al the Comedy; The Mikado," at the Shu- bert, and Howard Thurston at the Globe. In addition, these attractions will resume their runs: Monte Cristo, Jr.,'' at the Winter Garden; La, La, Lucille" at the Criterion (for one week only); Lew Fields, in "A Lonely Romeo" at the Casino; The Royal Vagabond," at the Conan & Harris; The Better Ole" at the Booth; East Is West" q the Astor. and The Five Million" at the Max inc Elliot. The last-named play was running at the Lyric when the strike closed il. but that house is -ow oc- cupied by a film, "39 East" which was closed at the Maxine Elliott, had about reached the end of it's New