The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-20
GOVERNOR ACTS TO
END ACTORS STRIKE
Smith Meets Representatives
of Both Sides at BiltmOre
Conference.
PLAYwRIGHTS IN SESSION
'La La Lucille Company Quits
Movie Workers Hold Or
ganization Meeting.

Two meetings Whlcn may result III the
mediation of the actors strike. which
has dimmed the lights that made Broad
way famous. were held yesterday. The
first was a peace session of playwrights
seeking a way out of the labyrinth that
is hindering their royalties The sec
ond was conference at which Gov
Smith offered his good offices to
both sides to see II he couldn't get the
actors to come In out OF the wet.
The Governor met representatives of
both sides at the Hotel Biltmore last
night just about the time that one more
production, la La Lucille" at Henry
Mlller's Theatre. was sent into exile from
Broadway by the Actors Equity Asso-
citation. Those who consulted with the
Governor on behalf OF the Producing
Managers Association were George NJ.
Conan, Sam Harris and Arthur Hopkins.
For the actors and allied interests in
another room appeared Frank Gilmore,
executive secretary OF the Equity
Charles c. Shay. president of the stage
hands union; James p. Holland and
Hugh f. Frayne. State labor leaders.
smith Meets Both sides.
The get together was arranged by
Mrs, Henry Moskowitz. 1t became known
that each side has had previous con-
ferences with Gov Smith over the the
occasion on which they had met him
simultaneously. All refused to say any
thing concerning the confab, but II was
learned that another meeting had been
planned at which the Governor would
redouble his efforts TO apply the same
soothing influence he used SO success
fully with the car strike.
When the Actors Equity Association
sent the call of duty to La La Lu-
all fossa 70 ha
tire cast caught the cue and made their
exit into the street. This makes sew
enteen regular productions, the closing
of which with the show at the Century.
Grove and the double entertainment atop
the New Amsterdam Theatre, has deci-
mated Broadways thinning ranks.
Burlesque and vaudeville houses -four
ithed with irnpupty last night, but the
finger Of fate was pointed at the motion
picture business here by a meeting, prin-
cipally attended by film extras, which
was held to start organizing the movie
actors and actresses to the point where
they would realize they had rights.
Mr.. Cohan made official denial of the
report that he would crank up The
Royal vagaeond'' again by shifting
scenery himself. with the curtain up. to
show the audience how versatile he Is
The convention OF dramatists which
assembled at the Hotel Astor yesterday
afternoon at 3 o'clock to endeavor TO
coax the dove of peace back to the
billboards. included almost all the prom
inent American dramausts one could
think of. Though Augustus Thomas.
who has been extremely busy in trying
to get both sides to make 1t up and
forgive each other. was absent. brains
were easily In evidence among the
thirty odd playwrights. including three
authoresses, who faced Eugene Walter
when he raised the presiding officers
gavel.
Among them were Samuel Shipman.
Roi Cooper Megrue. Cleaves Kincaid,
Owen Davis, Avery Hopwood. Anthony
Paul Kelly. Eugene Presbrey, George
Middleton. Rupert Hughes. p. G. Wode-
house. Guy Bolton. Paul NJ. Potter.
James Forbes. Harold Atteridge Max
MARGIN. Thomas Gray, Rida johnson
Young. Rennold Wolf, Otto Harbach,
Glen Marlborough. Edward Clark, John
]. McNally. Leroy Scott, Edward Paul
ton. James Montgomery. DR.. Louis X.
Anspachs-. May Tully Geno Buck,
George VI. Conan who came in his ca
paci;y as a playwright and CohaniZer,
and Henry Dixey, about whose admls-
sion there was some question at first be-
cause he had marched in the actors
parade the preceding day In high hat.
Dixie Is Voted In.
Exception wasn't taken to the high
hat. but to the presence among so
much dramaturgical talent OF a man
who had thus advertised that he was
an actor in sympathy with the Equity
Mr. Dixey was asked II he had ever
written anything and had 1t produced;
he admitted amid blushes-his own
that he had once composed a little thing.
and then, with Mr.. Dixey remaining In the
room, the question was solemnly put TO
a vote as to whether Mr. Dixey should
right to remain.
Then a reception committee consisting
OF Avery Haywood James Forbes and
DR.. Anspacher escorted in David Be
lasco, Arthur Hopkins. George Broad
hurst and Winchell Smith, who had
come to be eloquent in the cause Of the
Producing Managers Association.
Mr.. Hopkins, after rehearsing at
length the events leading up to the
strike, declared the Producing Managers
Association, which succeeded the United
Managers Proective Association because
the latter wasn't wholly composed Of
producers, had put their members under
bond TO keep the contracts with the
actors. adding: we did more for the
actor in six weeks than the Equity has in
six years.
Wlen fThECls w lSOu, ne sdlu, speak
ing at the joint meeting in. May. advo-
Gated the closed shop the managers will
lingness TO agree TO new form of con-
tract-foriwhich a conference committee
had already been appointed by them
was laid low and never recovered.
I'VE believe in the organization OF the
actors" he asserted. but we believe that
any one advocating the closed shop is
mena re to the theatre. II is lie TO say
the managers first broke the contracts.
for the p. NJ. A. never had contracts
with the Equity. Their contracts had
been with the United Managers Protec-
tive Association"
Evils of Closed shop.
As IN instance OF the evils of the
closed shop ne cited the Jewish theatres.
in which. he said, walking delegates Of
the actors union passed upon the cast. so
that II might be said OF the members OF
company as was once said OF the SEN
ate. that they die but never resign"
One instance he mentioned was that OF a
chorus girl who Is a grandmother Of re-
spectacle proportions.
There Is already movement on
foot" he went on, ito unionize the scrub
women, ticket takers and ushers OF the
theatres. Actors in the last ten days
have Rhown q complete disregard for
property rights That Is my idea OF
Bolshevism. The managers are In the
position Of Field Marshal Haig when he
said We are fighting with our backs
to the wall We will never deal with
tho Equity We might as well be ruined
now as ruined every week"
Asked IN there was any solution %
the problem Mr. HOPKINS stated that