The sun., 1919-08-28
ACTORS CHEER NEW
CONTRACT BY CONAN


was even better than that drawn up by
the board of directors of the Fidelity.
Mr.. Cohan was vociferously cheered
again at the suggestion OF Florence
Nash. This led the dashing little man
ager to throw in the first Yankee
Doodle" note he has given at any of
these meetings when he jumped i'm
peuously to his feet and cried:
II think we're going to get along
better with silence. Let's do away with
this hurrah, and stop cheering for our
selves II you've got anything to say
say 1t in a telegram. Let's talk like
real Americans-lets get back to the old
pep. Bang Bang, Bang And George
NJ. cooked his fingers as though firing
q pistol at the audience. which whooped
its delight.
This injunction led William Collier,
treasurer Of the organization, who had
pI eviously reported $4,000 in the bank
with s1,l45 more to follow II, TO remarF
when he started another address: You
see how Mr.. Cohan fixed it for me not
TO get a reception. That's his first act
as an actor" After he urged the mem
bers OF the Fidelity-now reported to
border upon 2.000-to stick together. and
Mr.. Mann called for suggestions, an
actor In the audience shouted to get
together with the Equity" That brought
the new president to his feet again.
We're going to get together with no
body he declared. We're going to
stay right where We are. I'm for the
truth, and II you're with me you're got
fl be for the truth, too. l have not re-
signed from the firm of Conan & Harris.
l have contracts to run from one to five
years, and I'm going to live up to my
obligations. That's what this organiza-
ton is for.
las for the future, 1 don't think I'll
produce any more-rm not Interested
that way any longer. don't think I'll
act any more-rm not interested that
way. either. All I'm anxious for Is to
see the theatre righted-back where 1t
was. After that I'm willing to go any
where and hide. I'll hide in Great Neck ;
| If necessary I'll go back to Providence.
"1f you want it you can have 100000
| from me until you'H back where you
were That's the Kind of a little guy |
am, and ! want you all to be with me-.
After tho gathering adopted Mr..
| Cohau's suggestion TO tourn over TO the
Actors Fund tho 100000 which the
board OF directors had previously de-
clined Mr.. Mann said they intended 70
have Mr.. Conan act as director for a
monster III Iiic ucd[ I'm
would hold such names as Mrs. Fiske,
| Julia Arthur, David Warheld, William
| Collier, and even Mr.. Mann himself, who
volunteered TO carry a spear. Mr.. Mann
also described the scene at which the
managers allowed Mr.. Conan. with tears
in their eyes. to resign.
| Mrs FislSe made her maiden address
at the gathering. saying that while she
had opposed the managers for twelve
years In the past this time she was with
them because they were right and were
| fighting OF keep the theatres free. Other
speakers, were George White, Alan Dine
hart secretary of the Fidelity. who said
they would not draw the color line In
their membership, and Frank Bacon, who
spoke for the Equity.
At the Equity benefit last night at the
Lexington Theatre Mr. Gompers occu'
pied a box, for which he insisted on pay
ing $25, but did not make a speech. al
though the house loudly demanded ar
address.
During the day two representatives o
the Equity and one from the p. NJ. A
had a conference with Mr.. GompeTs a
his hotel, but no statement was mad
except that II was part OF movement
| to end the strike. Justice Peter A. Hend
rick of the Supreme Court yesterda.
signed the first OF the formal intunc
lions restraining the Equity from inter
fering with productions, and will slgl
the others to-day The Equity, for III
part, announced a new revue, like tn
"Follies," to start at the Second Avenue
Theatre on Monday night