New-York tribune., 1919-08-23
.Cohan Heads
New Union to
Fight Equity
Continued from page I

v;ll invite all the striking actors to
min its ranks, assuring them of the
Compliance by the managers with all
sheir demands, except the recognition
of the players union.
The first steps for the establish
uent of the new body followed re-
eital by non-Equity players of the
alleged "tyrannous methods" of the
Faulty organization. Louis Mann sent
ssagefolk asked him to assume the
issddership in new organization.
nayid Warfeld, Howard Kyle, Amelia
bingham, Janet Beecher, Joe Weber
Mr. and Mrs. Coburn, Burr Mcintosh
and scores Of other notable players
;oined in acclaiming Dir. Cohan their
Governor Smith was not able to
come to New York to attempt to act
as mediator in the strike. 1t was
stated in Albany that, although he
is greatly interested in efforts to bring
about reconciliation, he has no ap-
pontment with representatives. of
either side to the controversy, and
that in any event his activities in
connection with the high cost of liv-
ing Albany at present.
Room Too Small to Hold Actors
Louis Mann. who called the after
noon meeting, expected, he said, an
attendance Of about one hundred At 2
o'clock so many had appeared that he
had to open negotiations for the general
assembly room at the Bi,tmore. Fully
700 players were present when Alan
Dnehart. as temporary chairman,
opened the meeting.
Howard Kyle blamed the striking
actors for not putting the strike to a
referendum. The actors, he said, never
could follow their profession inde-
pendently of the managers. lndepend-
ent attractions. tent shows, etc, he
said, never could take the place of
properly managed theatres.
Tranquility had pervaded the meet
ing thus far. The first ripple of excite
ment came when Mr.. Kyle, referring to
the ht-performance rule which gov
erns the English actor, reminded the
players that salaries in England are
nothing like salaries here"
"And neither is the cost of living!"
shouted Lawrence Grant, an Equity
member THAT argument is faulty"
Mr.. Kyle gave way to Mr.. Grant, but
not before he had been handed note
from an equity supporter whose name
was not revealed. "Judasl" read the
missive And you look the part!"
DO not blame the writer of that
note said Mann. He is a good actor
and being SO he has highly emotional
nature which prompts him in this as
well as in his art
Experience of Musicians Cited
II Victor Herbert. Fritz Kreisler and
other musicians found their artistic
standing undamaged from contact with
labor union, TIE acting professional
should not fear to suffer from unioni-
zation, was Mr.. Grants principal point
Unonization was necessary to protec-
ton, he maintained. On'y recently a
theatrical company had been left
stranded by prominent New York
manager III Dallas, Tex, he said
salaries had been cut ruthlessly and
great distress had been visited upon
the members of the company through
the heartlessness OF the manager.
We have protection in the Actors
Fund provided for US by the managers
themselves" declared Mr. Mann. Tf
MIR Grants friends were stranded it's
because they did not know the game
Mr.. Frohman would have taken care OF
them In minuto.'
$50 you advocate charity for the
actor do you2' rejoiAed Mr.. Grant tc
scattered
throughout the room
Mr.. Mann disclaimed the thought
and proceeded to give vent to his in
dlgnaton at the thought of unioniZa-
ton which would "level the profes-
sion"
you would put me on par with &
manual worker back stage when by the
very essence that constitutes biology
ne could not be my equal. You would
mould US all TO form alike" he said
scornfnlly regarding Mr.. Grant.
And standardize salaries!" put ir
Amelia Bingham.
Mr.. Mana held that union ;zation left
musicians such as Elman and Kreisler
unaffected for the reason that they, by
the nature Of their calling, were able
TO give performance alone. something
which no other actor could do, he said
AS to the minimum salary provision
advocated by the Equity Association, he
SAD that the present arrangement OF
leaving the salary question to indi-
vidual consideration was satisfactory
and cited the case of his niece, who
played with him in "Friendly Enemies. "
AIthough beginner she did quite
well. If lido say So" said Mr.. Mann
and was able to point this out and
get her an increase. Now, would that
plan ."
Probably" put in Mr.. Grant, ''if
similar influence could be used"
Ben Johnson's Sense of Shame
Ben Johnson begged Mr.. Mann to
put curb on the volubility of the
Equities present. The theatre, said
MIR. Johnson, had been stripped of its
last vestige OF dignity For the first
time in long career he was ashamed
TO have il known that he was an actor
he presented a resolution deploring
any settlement which should recognize
the Equity. A rider to the motion
provided against the employment by
any manager Of any Equity" The
rider was met with a storm of noes
>, 1t has come to such a pass" said
Mann, that boy was throttled in the
back room Of Equity headquarters by
member of your organization"
III join this body if you can prove
that shouted Alfred Mahlin, who de-
sscrlbed himself as the $50 actor who's
been jeered at By you stars and who's
proud Of not being star"
an".You're on" replied Mr.. Mann.
brlng on that boyl"
Yes, bring on the bov'" yelled the
EQUITIES" I'VE defy you to bring on
,. boy was pushed on to the platform
A. was not the boy involved; it was
MS brother. Jeers from the Equities
met the boys attempts to talk. He said
Ae was Albert James, that his brother
was member of the Crimson Alibi