The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-25
Shuberts Decide Not to Fight
Longer With Variety and
Piano Orchestra.
CONAN TO HEAD FIDELITY
Court To-day Decides on Per-
manency. of Injunction
Against Equity.

xerc no longer able to give perform
.rce ND TO the Winter Garden standard,
tor with a single pianist in the orches-
IRA. one set Of scenery and variety acts
.srnished with chorus work audiences
failed to flock.
This makes the twenty-second attrac-
aon. exclusive of three roof garden
shows, which has been choked off by
,hs strike. While the managers are
nreparlng for a big legal battle In the
SUPREME Court to-day with the hope Of
breaking the strike by injunction. they
ara represented by only one theatre in
broadway, William A. Brady at the
PLAYHOUSE fighting a rearguard action
With AT e:45.' The only other pro-
auctions remaining are John Fergu-
son" at the Fulton, immune because Il
ia produced by q cooperative group of
EQUITY players: Happy Days" at the
Uippodrome the fate OF which is prob
lematical, and The Greenwich Village
Follies," which are out OF the zone of
Are at the Greenwich Village Theatre.
George NJ. Conan has accepted the
presidency Of the new Actors Fidelity
League, the organization Of players
which is designed to take the wind out
OF the sails Of the Actors Equity Asso-
citation and make Broadway once more a
safe thoroughfare to follow without fear
OF running into stage strike. An
nouncement to this effect was made yes
terday at the headquarters OF the league,
i?2 West Forty-third street, where II
was said the committee IN charge had
telephoned to the manager at his home
at Great Neck early yesterday morning
and learned of his willingness to en-
bark on this new adventure.
Mr. Cohan has not yet resigned from
the Producing Managers Association,
but II was said he would do so before
actually being indicted into ofice-a
ceremony which will be performed with
pomp and circumstance and a general
din at a league mass meeting in the
Hotel Blltmore tonight at o'clock. II
Is expected that at this time Mr.. Conan
Will make definite announcement con-
corning his mooted retirement from the
stage and from partnership with Sam
Harris, a question which has kept the
atrcal circles the last few days posi-
lively agog with uncertainty.
No Salaries Attached.
At this meeting also the other officials
OF the organization will inaugurate their
term OF office. all Of them serving for
the good Of the stage and not for the
good of their pocketbooks. The league
membership was reported yesterday to
be approaching 500.
This will be only one OF several meet
fngs that will keep the strike brew fer
menting tomorrow. in the afternoon at
o'clock the Stage Writer'S Protective
Association viii endeavor- corral all
the literary talent available at a meet
Ing In the Hotel Aston. where means
VIII be discussed for preventing mere
authors from being crushed between the
upper and neither milIstones of actors
and managers organizations. At the
same time the officials of the National
Association Of the Motion Picture In
dustry will he converting at their head
quarters. and II is anticipated there will
be heated term over the associations
recent stand on the actors strike.
Nash on to Saratoga.
George Nash left last night for Sara
tcga 10 arrange for the performance
which the Equity Will produce there this
week in Convention Hall as part of its
own vaudeville circuit. A special train
will carry the players to the Springs on
Wednesday. including Frank Tinney.
fearl White. Harry Fox, the Dolly Sis
ters and others who have appeared the
last week in the Lexington Theatre. The
Equity starts its second benefit week to-
night with new cast except for the
final spectacle, Equity" which remains
10 settle the whole controversy in one
act
These enterprises. II became known
Yesterday. are being launched by "A ma
tional cooperative theatre organization
on profit sharing basis similar to the
Ittf1I -l,Aa AhVn
Ferguson has been able to come
through the recent barrages unscathed.
Tho officers of this body. with Earl
Booth in charge, met yesterday in Keen's
chop house-one OF the numerous sub
sidlary headquarters of the Eqdity-and
discussed the establishing OF a play read
ing and casting department, as we'll as
a good meal. The managers, however
do not yet believe the future Of the the
atre is secure
Concerning the closing Of Lew Fields 5
musical show. "a Lonely Romeo" on
Saturday night. it was said at Equity
headquarters that although Mr.: Fields
was a warm supporter of the Equity and
had been granted a special dispensation
by that body. 1t had been learned that
tho Shuberts had an interest In the pro-
fncuon, which was considered cause for
war by the Equity.
Took Slam at Equity.
Equity representatives said they had
been given to understand that George
White had become affiliated with the
p. NJ. A., which led to putting his at
traction, Scandals OF 1919" previously
exempted, under cover on Saturday. II
was also reported that Mr.. White had
made comments about the Equity which
leaders, Of that body considered worse
than rude.
Mr. White denied yesterday that he
nad offended the authorities in either
respect He added. however. that while
ne was not a member of the p. NJ. A.
now he would make application TO Join
to-day. TIE said that singing Mr..
Cohans Lambs Gambol song. "I Belong
10 the Actors Equity" was the only
reference he had made to the current
scrap for the championship OF Broadway.
=, Inc show he declared, belonged en-
urely 10 him. but since It was being
presented in an Erlanger house II had
Two weeks On Saturday. after a
oozen members of the cast walked out
N addition to the stage hands. he said,
ne had to hand back $4,000 to patrons.
The court phase OF the Rialto's strug-
we VII probably reach the boiling point
0-d1y, with Justice Hendrick In the
supreme Court deciding whether the
hJunctions restraining Equity leaders
ma members from strike activity should
De made permanent