The sun., 1919-08-23
ACTORS ORGANIZE
TOFIGHT EQUITY


Continued from First Page.
secretaryship In the Equity, spoke
Sharply against the strike, and drew the
applause of the actor audience, which
| told such well known players as Leonore
Uric, Fay Banter, Lowell Sherman,
Patricia Collinge, Ralph Herr, Janet
Beecher, Marjorie Wood, Olive Wynd-
ham, Lester Lonergan and Robinson
| Newbold.
Then Mr.. Mann, interfering one Of
, his frequent "asides'' as chairman Of
J the meeting, was saying: II didn't sign
I'm indicated" when Lawrence Grant,
one Of the members of the Equity patrol
| present. asked permission to speak-and
| the mischief was done.
Grant Denies He's n Stacker.
Having been granted permission. Mr..
Grant. on the speakers platform. opened
fire with the remark that an actress In
frent Of him in the audience had Just
remarked that he had changed his name
| and stayed away from England during
the war. When Mr.. Grant had admin
istered a few facts and figures to this
| implication OF being a Stacker and said
| that his activities over here were with
thescognizance of the British Govern
ment. he called upon the actress to
| apologize to him. The player in question
| jumped to her feet, but was interrupted
| by roar from the throng.
ct think the time for "Reminiscences is
past" shouted Mr.. Johnson. an actor,
| who also rose to the occasion on his
| feet. May ask that the speaker con-
| fine himself to the question in handT'
Il was about to suggest that myself"
Mr.. Mann assured him hastily.
we are told" continued Mr.. Grant
after this admonition, that we lose our
| dignity II we belong to an association
| AFFILIATED with the American Federation
| of Labor. What is good enough for
Victor Herbert Is good enough for us.
Loud cries of NO" showed what a
hit he was making. Such outcries broke
| in upon him as he went on: 'Mr. Kyle
has told US certain customs have grown
| up in the profession. II so, the custom
| of extra performances has grown up
f, without the consent of the actors and
| the. managers"-
Here Mr.. Kyle on the platform tried
to make an announcement simultane-
| ously concerning the contract Of the
| managers Offering a maximum of eight
performances a week. while a deep burly
voice In the rear doomed: zone speaker
| at a time !"
The tumult and the shouting having
died, Mr.. Grant related an instance of
a musical comedy company whose mana
| gers drove chorus girls to drop OF along
the route in Texas by reducing their
salary below the level of existence. He
was interrupted loudly by another play
| err In the rear. who, as a champion of the
| managers, started to tell of his own ex-
perience in Texas, onfy to be interrupted
| In turn by Nj. Mann, who shouted !;
Were here to see that every one Is
heard II II takes till morning.!
| Cnioni.e Only Recourse.
| In the course of his next few remarks,
delivered in spurts between clamorous
outbreaks from all sides. Mr.. Grant as
| serted that the only thing to do Is to
| unionize.'
And then standardize salaries" In
terjected Amelia Bingham sarcastically
from the front row.
| Theren be no Standardization Of
salaries" retorted Mr.. Grant. 1.-THE
! only way to do that is the method
adopted in England minimum salary.
| with every amount above that optional.
| The thing TO do is to search your sonl
| and say. can I get fair play from the
| managers by standing aloneT
] Hises and shouts OF ''Yesw damned
| him up for a while. whereupon Mr..
Mann elected to save the situation with
| another speech in which he introduced
! biology into the discussion by way OF
| the American Federation OF Labor
81 admire the Federation Of Labor"
| testified Mr.. Mann. but much as I
| love labor don't think II can eoualize
| the rtist. have the good will of every
| actor with whom / have worked, and
| though I feel that an actor may be my
| equal as man to man. he Ia not my equal
when we go before the footlights. BY
! the first essence that constitutes biology,
that underiies all protoplasm. he could
not equal my achievement. To unionize
the stage would circumscribe genius"
| At this moment Mr.. Grant started 10
make a comment, but Mr.. Mann flashed
| out Just a minute, please didn't
interrupt you" Then referring to Mr.
Grants recital OF the stranded Southern
company. Mr.. Mann declared that 'it
was through the managers we were able
to get the Actors Fund to bring us
home
IAN those people had to DO" he went
on. would have been to telegraph to a
member of the Producing Managers AS
ISOLATION. Daniel Frohman, and upon
| investigation the money would have
been sent to them"
-Would you have us brought home by
chafity?" demanded Mr.. Grant. who had
returned to his seat In the audience.
TITS your money" replied Mr.. Mann
''Why should I work at a benefit
queried the other. ito give money to a
fund to be broght home when the man.
agersought to pay for my return out OF
his own bankroll7'
Taking w the minimum wage. Mr.
Mann cited the case of his niece, acting
with him in Friendly Enemies" who
had been granted a living wage because
he had set 1t himself. condition which
he thought impossible with a minimum
wage scale. To this Mr. Grant replied
that no doubt the manager would even
under such scale, AK the desired
amount. with Mr.. Mann's influence be-
hind him."
Francis Wilson a satnns
| Naxt Mana KinRslev anothar EouItu