New-York tribune., 1919-09-10
Attorney Who Conducted
Negotiations Explains Set
tlement to Disgruntled
Members of the Equity
Month of Idleness Saved
Asserts Stage Hands and
Musicians Stood to Lose
81, 100000 Each Week

Justus Sheffield, an attorney who
represented the Actors Equity Associa-
ton in their strike settlement negotia-
tions with the Producing Managers AS
sociation, told dlsgruntled Equity mem
bers at a meeting in the Lexington
Theatre yesterday that unless the
actors had made concessions the strike
would have gone on for another month
at least.
There were about a thousand actors
and actresses present. Reporters were
barred from this meeting, as from the
Equity meetings of Sunday and Mon
day. This is what happened at yester-
days meeting:
Sheffield was alone on the stage. He
made no lengthy speech, but simply an
swered questions fired at him from the
actors and actresses in the seats in
front of him. One actor asked:
why didn't you look after me and
others in my fix when you settled the
strike? l had no contract when |
struck, and so when the strike was
over l returned and was told that my
place had been filled. Why didn't
Equity look after me-"
Mr.. Sheffield in reply said:
THE strikebreakers were given per-
manent contracts while the strike was
in progress. We couldn't ask the man
ayers to throw these persons out of
their positions, because some Of the
managers were in such a temper that
the strike would have gone on for one
month more at least
Unions Lost Much Money
"1 want you all to understand that
g great deal Of money was lost by the
musicians and stage hands through the
roLo ~
Federation, says that his men were
losing at least 100000 a week in
wages. The stage hands lost $4,000
a week up to ten days ago. That was
the real beginning of the theatrical
season, as you all know. After that
both organizations lost each week of
the strike S240,00O
"Many actors were losing vast sums
too. In The Ziegfeld Follies," for in
stance, which was represented in the
strike by Eddie Cantor, the sDooleys
Van and Schenck and one or two
others, they were losing each week in
was not small. From this time for
ward the loss to the stage hands and
musicians would have been 81 900 900 a
week, for the strike was growing ma
ton wide.
"Since the managers we're willing
to concede more than we went out to
ge,, we did not in justice feel that we
could carry on the strike for other
things which will be corrected be-
fore long, anyway. ~he managers are
showing every indication of willing
ness % do the right thing"
Another man asked:
"Will you kindly deny, Mr.. Sheffield
for the benefit of small minded mem
bers of the Equity that the Stage
hand: and musicians had said: Settle
the strike or we will go back tc
work.
Mr.. Sheffield replied 81 can say
positively that they did not make any
/ such threat at any time"
Another actor rose and said: "Be
fore came here | stopped in at The
fifty Fidoes (Fidelity League mem
bers) in their meeting. Most likel!
twenty-five of these were reporters
We don't want them to get the de;
that We think We have lost when W,
haven't"
Mr. Sheffield broke in to say: "Witl
the call boys and managers clerks
back at work there will be no NOR
100000 check for the Fidelity"
Fidelity Members Joyful
Whatever the members of the Actors
Equity Association think of the settle
ment of the strike, the members of tn
Actors Fidelity League are enthusi
astic about it. There were about so
at their meeting in the grand ballroom
of the Hotel Astor.
Just before they adjourned thei
president, George NJ. Cohan, who ha,
explained that the principle of tn
open shop had triumphed because O
kA;u Il
them:
Are we downhearted %
The answering negative roar shool
the chandeliers.
and if anybody asks. Are yo'
Conan, "tell him, 'Fido. That's tn
kind Of little guy I am"
Bessie Mccoy Davis, who hired tn
brother of Annie Oakley, the circu
crack shot, to guard her while she con
tinued to perform at the Greenwich
Village Theatre during the strike, an,
refused to join the Equity, begged per
mission to do "Fido dance" in a dol
makeup at the Fidelity benefit at tn
Century Theatre Sunday, September 2s
and George M. Cohan said she could.
Julia Arthur said she loved dogs ant
didn't resent being called Fido.
Others who spoke were Louis Mann
Blanche Bates, David Warfeld, VIII
bought box at the forthcoming bene
fit for $1,000; Amelia Bingham, Juli
Arthur, Florence Nash, Eileen Hubal
and Howard Kyle.
a meeting of the vaudeville brancl
of the -Four AS" has been called TO
Thursday, September 1S, it was learne,
last night. This meeting, presumably
to consider calling a vaudeville per
formers strike, was originally sched
uled for last Friday, but was postpone,
in order not to embarrass the negotia
tions under way to end the Equity walk
out.