The sun., 1919-09-05

the one hand and attorneys for the
Actors Equity Association on the other
Ior the termination of the present strike
~ may be interesting to the public to
learn that the persons conducting the
negotiations were pledged 10 absolute
secrecy. Now that the managers vainly
imagine that they may obtain some tao
teal advantage therefrom they openly
violate the pledge, the request for which
came from them In the first instance.
uhis OF course relieves us from any OBJ
hsation to hold as confidential these
negotiations or any part thereof.
The opening assertion in the Hop
kins statement that the proposed con-
tract presented by the managers at
torneys to-day was an outline of con-
! ditions under which they believed the
present strike could BIO terminated, is
| untrue.
mot a single attorney or any other
person concerned in the preparation of
the proposed contract had the slightest
ground for believing that 1t was an
outline of conditions under which the
present strike could be terminated on
| the contrary this proposed contract con-
tains practically every provision that had
Tor several days previous been fully dis
cussed by attorneys on both sides and
| definitely elected by the Equity.
/
evidence of having been drawn with
full knowledge tina. it would be rejected.
and having been presented, not in good
faith, but for the express purpose of
| being rejected in order that the man
ayers might stage a grandstand play to
the public In the hope that they thereby
might gain some small amount of public
sympathy for their position, which SYM
pathy has hitherto been SO conspicu-
ously lacking.
The Equity, however, welcomes the
opportunity to bring to a definite issue
negotiations for settlement which
| promised to become interminable.
TT is scarcely necessary to add that
the suggestion in' Mr.. Hopkins's state
ment that the Equity rejected pro-
vision necessary to insure against a
| closed shop is a falsehood
| In the draft agreement approved by
the Equity, of which the managers
proposed contract is a modification. IL
was expressly agreed that Equity mem
bers would not insist upon a closed
shop. but would work with non-members
whether they were members of any
other organization or no organization.
| The statement that the Producing Man.
ayers Association now plans the re-
opening of all theatres is interestig, but
| not important"
| Peace Seemed Assured
After being on the verge of a settle
tment with the actors on Wednesday
| night, the managers failed to reach an
| agreement with attorneys from the
Equity early yesterday and the pipe
OF peace almost sputtered out, despite
an unsupported report that the end of
| the strike and recognition of the Equity
was practically assured on the basis of a
pledge from the actors and the stage
hands, binding for five years. that they
would not demand a closed shop and
would not seek to crowd members of
the Actors Fidelity League out of the
spotlight
However. all hopes of peace were not
abandoned, and it was said that the
managers had not broken off negotiations
entirely, having suspended them until
I, Friday or Saturday at the latest when
II was hoped the stage hands could
see their way clear to giving unques-
tionable guarantees that they would
permit an open shop. II the stage hands
were amenable by Saturday, II seemed
possible that love feast would be
likely by then.
i A II. Woods, referring to reports
that he was willing to seek a separate
peace. said yesterday: II stand with
the other managers. l am willing to
settle this matter. with recognition for
the Equity as an association, providing
the actors. and particularly the stage
hands. will give binding assurances
they will not demand hereafter the
closed shop
II