davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17

the Actors Equity Association and
submitted various designations to it.
Talk Of reducing the stage to
the mundane level Of the car barnsv
and Ike assertions by those who
have sided with Mr.. Sothern lead
to the presumption on the part OF
the strikers that while his new BODY
may possibly object to the nominal
issues Of the strike their real griev-
ance has TO do with the system of
reasoning which led the Actors
Equity Association ato the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor.
This is day of organization,
said one of the A. r. A. execut yes.
Officers in this body work for no
salary and come up for election an
nually. Art, labor and profession
are all matter Of terms which con-
vey no more than the idea of SER
vice. Service is the modern yard-
stick and 1t applies equally to max
ing fuSriture or portrayiug stage
roles. Perhaps We have been af-
hicted with false pride, sense
of gentility in the past that led US
to consider with too much trepida-
ton the acknowledgment that act
ing is labor. Having al last made
the step We are enthusiastic.
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
Stage Hands Respected

AS striker the actor has not
oeen conspicuously original He
mas manifested his protest by meth
ods that have scarcely excelled sim
liar efforts on the part of a walters
union. He is accused of being a
poor picket, if picturesque one;
an emotional dialectician but a bit
lncoherent, and sometimes illogical.
The placards he has carried like a
sandwich man, or in his hat, or has
tackled upon his automobile, have
oeen no more arresting than those
usually displayed by striking gar
ment workers. The novelty of an
actor on strike has brought him
MS biggest gun. which is publicity;
but otherwise, in spite of parades
down Wall Street, cordons of
plckets in front of open houses
With now and then an arrest-but-
tonhollng on Broadway, and i'm
passloned utterances wherever
soapboX, tonneau or a stage is
mandy the actor on strike has been
no more mechanically or physically
effective, if somewhat more humor-
Gus. than Brooklyn trainman con-
Quoting a similar demonstration.
L. set, trif1e less. A ruddy
---> policeman called to Forty
NTH Street and Broadway by the
news that the actors were on ram
page stood gazing at the moiling
mob IN front of strike headquarters
and said:
Strike, uz it? Who would know
with livery wan perfect gintle
man."
According to his experience there
was something too peaceful Of hand
and philosophical of eye in the ap-
pearance of the strikers.
A Broadway manager seated in
ms office and looking down at a
group Of striking actors in front Of
tHs Fitzgerald Building offered to
wager that seven out Of the first
Yen actors encountered on the street
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
NOrehy Biggest Gun

AS acting IS bought and paid
for to-day it is not so important
what 1t may be called as It is that
those who are competent in our pro-
fesson shall obtain common justice.
The manager today has more re-
spect for the stage electrician than
he has for the actor. He cannot
split hairs on the electricians pay
or feed him on promises. and. lastly.
he cannot subject the electrician to
verbal abuse that is common prac-
tee with many stage directors and
managers. The electrician is organ
lzed. Behind the individual - an
organization. and behind that
organization all producing organi-
cations or unions. The trap-drum-
mer, the scene shifter and the cleo
trlcian rate more courtesy than
the actor. because the actor has been
so puffed up with false pride and
the notion that art and labor could
nowhere meet upon common level
that he turned his back on the single
remedy for all his ills. which S ef-
fectiye organization.
Under the American Federation
Of LABOR we are an autonomous BODY
oeholden to no ones bidding but our
cwn- No one can call Us out on
strikes Of sympathy, no one can
more than suggest any movement
on our part. For six years we
chased the rainbow Of ineffective
organization We could nor forever
remain blind
"Ihele are four steps In the ex-
perience Of an actor. lie must
qualify for has calling. procure
position. sign contract and have
behind hlm some means for forcing
the manager to live UP to equi table
agreements The Actors Equity
Association has never presumed TO
be more than an instrument 10 con-
summate these ends. II can do
inat only by unanimous and sus-
tanned effort. which presupposes ef-
tective organization. The strike
which Was forced upon Us serves
tie end Of proving TO the manager
that all actors are not either child
ish or emotonally defective" "
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
Into the Union

With no further words the Actors
Equity Association took an epoch
making step in the history Of the
American theatre-it Joined the
American Federation of Labor. 4
bulletin was issued as follows:
"Afflllation of the Actors Equity As
soclatlon with the American Federation
or Labor IS an accomplished fact
We enter under conditions entirely
satisfactory TO US
In recognition of the earnest and
successful work of the A. 4. A. Il has
been accorded the presidency and
treasuryship of the new international
organization and a controlling voice IN
the international Council.
THE new international orqani1a,to,,
Is known as the Associated Actors and
Artistes of America. Its jurisdiction
covers the entire amusement world l.
has Its own officers and a constitution
satisfactory to us. 1t is supported b,-
per capita dues paid by each member
of each branch"
Briefly, the American Federation
OF Labor is the parent body. with
the Associated Actors and Artistes
Of America, suD-organization
composed of the Actors Equity
Association and the organizations
of the vaudeville actors, the Hebrew
actors, the choral unions and others.
Under this head will be placed
the Chorus Actors Equity Associa-
ton, whose organization, with Miss
Marie Dressler as president. was
accomplished last week
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
"Copperheads

10 all observers-and the lead
ing actors among the strikers con
cede as much-the step into the
American Federation of Labor 5
the one WHICH will make or break
the Actors Equity Association. It
was the veritable crossing Of an
artistic Rubicon, and when Cesar
arrived on the opposite bank he
found not all his army had followed.
+. II. Sothern had pulled back to
shore ere reaching midstream and
had begun to establish an organi-
zatlon--promptly called Copper
heads" at strike headquarters
which disapproved the methods Of
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
men andwOnen
m erely
players

six weeks without pay and was
curtly dismissed, with the explana-
ton that he was not the type" re-
quired.
(5) Chorus girls are compelled TO
rehearse from four to twelve weeks
without pay, and in one recent case a
$50 shoe bill was incurred by each
prospective member of the chorus
before production.
(6) A theatrical troupe dlsbanded
in Nashville, Tenn, owing a char
acter woman $40. The manager ad-
vanced her $5 and the next day pur-
veyed to her a ticket to New York.
saying that she was now indebted to
the manager to the extent of 81.
These are few specific griev
ances, and are symptomatic of the
entire catalogue of alleged abuses
which have and do accrue to the
actor under the contractual agree
ment that has been his for a long
term of years.
0The only thing guaranteed the
actor is the privilege of working a
certain number of weeks for moth
ing," declared George Wickersham.
formerly United States Attorney
General, after examining the ac
cepted form of actor-manager CON
tract.
BY July the issue had become clean
cut. The Producing Managers AS
ISOLATION rejected in sum the pro-
posal of a Taft-Hughes arbitration
on the number of performances to
constitute a standard week and the
eighteenth clause in the Actors
Equity Associations contract.
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17

play that prevailed two nights. In
all he worked eleven weeks without
pay to obtain four days salary.
(3) The original periods known
as half-pay weeks-before Christ
mas and Easter-were increased
until one producer Incorporated
seven half-pay weeks in a regular
dramatic season. One Of these was
the week of election. By that prac-
tice company playing in Montreal
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17

during November election in the
United States received half pay.
(4 A young actor, married, sup
porting a wife and child, rehearsed
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17

lasted one night; rehearsed three
weeks in a drama that also was
withdrawn after a single perform
ance, and four weeks more in a
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
III in q Week

The actors strike. which by mid
week had closed dozen theatres,
threatened managers with losses
estimated al s6O00,OOO brought
forth half million dollar suit by
enc firm against the Actors Equity
Association-citing the Danbury
Hatters case as precedent-necessi-
tated temporary injunctions re-
Stralnlng actors from walking out
and leaving the "Ziegfeld Follies"
lat, created a schism between those
actors counselled by f. H. Soth-
ern and the members Of the 4. F.. A.,
established chorus girls union,
caused an hiatus in the preparation
Of early fall productions, begun a
sympathetic strike movement in Chi
cago and inflated the membership
roster of the Actors Equity Associa-
ton from 4,200 up to the day of the
strike to an estimated 10000 by
Wednesday last, has developed moth
ing more interesting than the multi
sided efforts to establish the status
Of the actor.
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
Organized Six Years Ago

1t is necessary to understand that
the Actors Equity Association, as
an independent body, had been
organized for six years and had
often voiced dissatisfaction with
contractual agreements. From the
actors viewpoint some improve
ments came, but slowly. Some time
ago the Actors Equity Association
had attempted to prevail upon the
managers, who now were also organ
lied into a new body, to let Will
lam Howard Taft and Charles
Evans Hughes arbitrate upon the
matter of eight performances COM
posing standard weeks work.
Saying in effect that because of the
peculiar nature of their business
they were best able to gauge that
which was impossible, the Produc-
ing Managers Association rejected
this proposition Likewise the eigh-
teenth clause, covering actor man
ager differences, was voted down, be-
cause the managers claimed it gave
the final powers of umpiring or
arbitration to the agency of the
Actors Equity Association.
These questions cleared the decks
for action and led to a momentous
step. A decade back, when the
Plan and Scope Club, out of which
grew the Actors Equity Associa-
ton, held regular meetings for the
purpose of bettering the condition
of the actor, the players relation
to the scheme Of contemporaneou
life was often discussed. The mat
ter of unionizing actors was SHE'D
at, indeed, probably not one among
the score of actors who met at The
Players or at the home of Francis
Wilson, now president of the A. E.
A, gave a serious thought to it..
Among those pioneers were Cyril
Scott, Will Harcourt, Wilton Lack
aye, Robert Edeson, William Court
leigh, Richard Bennett, Fritz Will
Jams, Frank Gilmore, Grant Stew
art, Francis Wilson, Charles Co.
burn and Bruce McRae. AS actors
they had contended first-hand with
many of the disagreeable features
embodied in the contracts of that
day, and felt that in the movement
for which they were sponsors
rested the ultimate solution Of the
players ills.
From, Pl0u md ScOne
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
Instances Of Hardship

Meantime the actor -- OF the
actress - found himself subjected
to many ills because of the alleged
inequality of his contract. A few
illustrations outlined at the execu-
tive offices of the Actors Equity
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17

wouldn't know what thew were strik-
ing about.
Just children" he said. "Everv
actor at some time in his career has
encountered hard luck. Some one
has to be at fault, so the actor
thrusts the burden on the back of
the manager, figuring probably that
as the manager has so many other
troubles a few more won't break
his back"
But investigation along this line
would not prove reassuring to the
manager. The writer interviewed a
score of actors on Broadway and in
Forty-ffth Street, and found that
the actors were we'll informed in
the matter of their wants.
The issues which led to a direct
breach between the actors and the
managers, or the Actors Equity AS
sociation and the Producing Man
ayers Association, were the eigh-
teenth clause in the equity contract,
which specified that the A. E. A.
could act for any Of it's members
in the event of a disagreement be-
tween the actor and the manager,
and the proposition that eight per-
formances--six night shows and two
matinees constitute a standard
week, with all extra performances
placed upon pro rata salary basis.
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
Bv Louis Lee Arms

1T UNTIL the Actors Equity
Association obtained a
- charter from the Amer
lean Federation of La
bor," said Grant Stewart, actor, au-
thor and recording secretary of the
A. E. A., "the managers had a pat
IN the back for the actors grievance,
Pickwickian promise for early ad-
iussment and an unfultilled pledge
that the future was going to bring
new and fine things for the actor.
No laboratory analysis has been nee
essary to establish the fly in the
ointment. 1t is the word labor
"After we Joined the A. F. of L.,
as an autonomous body, the mana
gers threw up their hands in simu-
lated horror, refurbished old plati-
tudes on the fine traditions of the
actors art and spoke magnifcently
Of saving the actor from himself.
Previously this had been adequate
when the acter cried Wolff But
the wolf had actually arrived this
time in the shape of organization
which meant something. 1t signifies
only that the actor has come rather
late, to be sure, to his senses. Or
ganization is the handspring of
modern collective effort, and prima-
rily the strike pivots upon the mat
ter of collective bargaining-and
our right to it.
Not one official word derogatory
to the course Of the Actors Equity
Association in putting itself on
footing with industrial labor will be
heard from the managers. That will
be, as it has been, politely avoided or
handled with the consummate diplo-
macy that paid press bureau may
summon. But behind the Equity con-
tract which furnishes the apparent
preteXt for the strike, this is the
genuine reason for its continuation.
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17

next town to open Sunday--a
good highland ON payday was
"docked" for the failure to perform
Saturday night, decision, of
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
In Front OF Strike Headquarters Fort6th Broacoy

will serve to show what
the actor interprets as unwarrant-
able hardships:
(D On the road, Saturday night
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17

course, which was made by the man
ager.
CD A certain Broadway actor re-
hearsed four weeks in a play that
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17

is poor one. Eleven times in the
course of one season a company
decided not to play Saturday night,
made a sleeping car jump to the
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
From, Plan and Scope

In 1913 the Plan and Scope
Club became the Actors Equity AS
sociation, with a membership of
some 100 we'll known professionals
New-York tribune., 1919-08-17

and the fight for more equitable
contracts went on apace, with no
thought, we are assured, of a union.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-11-03

ALEDO PERSONALS

Mrs. Arthur Close and baby
went to Swedona Saturday for a
few days, visit with her sister, Mrs.
Earl Hickok.
Mrs. J. H. Becker returned home
to Princeton Saturday after . short
visit In the city with relatives.
Miss James McCreisht2 returned
homo to Viola Saturday after
spending Q few days in the city
with his grandmother, Mrs. Lucy
]. McCreight.
Mrs. J. W. Bowman departed
Saturday for . short visit with her
daughter, Mrs- A. c. Bradford, at
Oneida.
Mr.. and Mrs. B. 8. Foster and
family went to Clasford Saturday
for Q short visit. <
Miss Bessie Finley went to East
Moline Saturday for q short visit
in that city with friends and rela-
lives. s
Mrs.. NJ. R Cooke departed Sat-
urday for her homo at Dsmarsaue,
Ga. after IN extended visit in, the
city with her sister, Mrs. Fannie
Stien. -
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-11-03
PIT GOSSIP

Furnished By e. W. Warner . Co..
members Of all exchanges. Rock leland
oftce suite 900 Best building. Phones Il. /.
$50 and ISL. D. N. Miner. msnager)
Chicago, Nov. 3.-The present
corn advance can be described as
a squeeze Of December shorts. A
turn to the bull side on belief that
the coming winter will fail to pro-
duce a corn visible. Some of the
local cash men are guessing a car
shortage until Dec. Is. Hogs aver
age 1.410 against 1889 on Friday
end on October low Of about 1850.
Deports Of large credits to Eng
land and Germany on which lib
eral food sales are based are a fea-
ture.' Corn belt was Cold and
mainly dry over the weekend.
Brokerage houses are bullish. The
coal strike can easily last two or
three weeks. In fact. it may take
two weeks to settle even II nego-
tiations are favorable. In cotton
and securities, the strike looks a
check or something bearish unless
the settlement movements are fast.
Yet. in these peculiar days, strikes
seem to be mere straw blown
around on the wind currents of
wall street. Bears abandoned the
selling side OF corn several days
ago. The tendency Of wages in
general is toward higher costs. La
Dor leaders urge strike settlement
by arbitration. The situation points
to fuel conservation and tightness
In the grain markets.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-11-03
.BULLISH TONE
and BUYING IS
BOOST TO CORN
Trend Of Sentiment With Heavy
Purchases' Result In Sharp
Cptarn in Prices.

Chicago, Nov. s.-Prouoanced
bullish sentiment and active gem
eral buying carried the corn mar
ket today sharply upward. Re-
sumption Of work BY longshora-
men at New York counted q q ma
terial factor in lifting values, and
SO too did strength In hog quota
tons and in stocks and cotton. Be-
sides, uneasiness over threatened
delays in the movement Of corn
continued as q handicap to bears.
Opening prices. which ranged from
We to ENC higher with December
1924 to 1.34, and May 1.27 to
1.2Sh, were followed by only a
slight reaction.
In the later dealings prices were
-hoisted to an unusual extent.
Short led the buying; country Of
ferings were light, and there were
forecasts Of untimely wet weather.
The close was buoyant, 4hc to SIC
net higher with December 18TH
and May 1.31 to 1.31N.
In provisions, most Of the gains
were held at the finish.
Oats were stronger with corn.
After opening Nc of to NC ad-
vance. including December at 721tc
to TING; the market scored mod
crate general gains.
Provisions responded to the up
ward tendency Of hogs and grain.
On the bulge. however, there was
rather free selling of January lard
and ribs for stockyards account.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-11-03
The Day in Davenport
Farmers Want weather Map

Farmers Want Weather Map
Scott county farmers want the
United States weather bureau to
resume the publication Of the
weather map that was interrupted
by the war. Meeting at the Com
mercial club in Davenport Satur-
day they adopted q resolution to
urge upon the local weather agent,
j. M. Sherier : and the local
newspapers, the necessity OF REIN
stating the pre-war weather map.
thereby serving the agricultural In
terest OF this community, and
meeting the demands Of large
class of appreciative farmers.
Warns Judge Against New Drink
Jamaica ginger with q shot OF
lemon extract u q chaser! Take
Carl Fish's word for 1t and don't
try 1t. Fish appeared in police
court to answer a charge OF intoxi-
cation. II got jagged on jamaica
ginger and lemon extract" he told
Police Magistrate John Higgins.
Don't ever try it. It has an awful
kick and leaves you with terrible
head" He paid, q fine Of IS and
costs.
District Court Opens Tuesdsy--
A new term Of the district court
opens on Tuesday. The docket will
be called Tuesday morning at 10
o'clock by Judge William Theo-
philus.
House Burglar No Piker-Bur-
glars who back moving vans up to
house and steal all the furniture
are rank pikers compared with Art
Carson, day laborsr employed on
the streets Of Bsttendorf. Carson
does not stoop to petty things like
furniture. he takes the house. At
least, James Kirk will swear that
he carried OF a house. or rather a
shanty valued At $50, which be-
longed 70 him. Carson was arrested
Saturday by Sheriff Henry H.
Kaehl on q warrant charging grand
larceny. The warrant was sworn
out by ounty Attorney Henry II.
Jebens in the court of Justice OF
The Peace ". ". Scott The shanty
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-11-03
MORE TAX TOPAY
ON FUR THIS FALL

Deputy U. 8. Internal Revenue
Collector W. E. Brill. wishes that
any one paying any kind Of gov
ernment tax, manufacturers, jewell
ers, miscellaneous tax, ETC.. for the
month of October, tostep into his
office at the court house and settle
up as soon as possible. People who
expect to buy furs this winter can
look forward to paying additional
war tax. Mr.. Brill also wishes it
made plain that any dealer carry
ing face powder, talcum powder,
ETC., must have stamps to place
upon each article sold, the tax be-
ing / cent on each rs cents.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-11-03
WASHINGTON
T0PSY-TURvY
over CRISIS
Continued from Page one.,

denies that there is any politics in
volved, and certainly the moves
that have been made are devoid of
politics because congress is sup
porting the executive branch Of the
government whole heartedly; still
1t is true that the Democratic party
has always counted on the support
OF labor. With the defecions due
to the stand taken by the admin
istation on the League of Nations
defections OF Irish and other for
eign born voters--the loss OF large
bodies Of labor voters Is Also rec
ognized BY the Democrats as pos
sibie outcome Of the controversy.
Burden On Democrats.
The chief responsibility for fight
Ing the strike Is not on the Repub-
lican congress but the Democratic
executive and cabinet. Attorney
General Mitchell Palmer Is said by
many TO be q possible choice by the
Democrats 70 lead them in 1920.
Politically speaking, some Of his
friends think his vigorous action
against hbor may end his chances.
There are others who think that
forceful action on the other hand
will tend to do the very opposite
to make him . formidable candi-
date. There is no way to prevent
political gossip from surrounding
every subject that Washington
deals with but the most refresh
Ing thing about It all Is that the
government--meaning congress as
well as the executive and cabinet
has gone ahead regardless of AL
political consequences and re-
gardful only Of the stern necessity
Of OF keeping q nation supplied with
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-11-03
BIG TURNOVER
MADE BY LIST
IN FIRST HOUR
Heavy Demand for Stocks Charac.
terizes Early Trading Steels
Hold Lead. Heavy Demand.


New York, Nov. "a heavy de-
mand for stocks characterized the
opening of the stock market today.
Almost 100000 shares changed
hands. Steels were in the lead, hut
were closely pressed by oils and
motors, sugars. and feathers also
being freely absorbed. Rails we're
almost entirely ignored and ship
pings yielded with metals. Selling
for profit effected some reactions,
especially in last weeks stronger
induetrials. Before noon. however,
active issues in the steel division
showed a general extension Of their
early gains, regardless Of the 10
per cent rate for call money.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-11-03
East st. Louis Livestock,

East st. Louis. H.. Nov.>3.-
Hogs. receipts 5000, higher: top
price 1898; bulk 14.SO@i5.2O: me-
dunn 15als.25; light 14.50@
i5.25;> light light 14o0114.75;
heavy packing sOws. smooth. 1925
Dl3 90; packing sQws, rough 11.25
D1225; pigs IA. 00@14. so.
Cattle. receipts 5000. steady:
beef steers. medium and heavy
weight. choice and prime 16.60@
1850; medium and good 1880
1850: common S.50@10.75; light
weight. good and choice 1400@
1925; common and medium 5000
l4.o0: butcher cattle, heifsrs 700
Tl6.O0: COWS 6.50@11.50; Gamers
aad cutters 5.00@6.5o; veal calves.
light and handy f4.50@17.50; feed
Or steers 6.50G11.50; stocker steers
S.509lo.0O.
Sheep, receipts 1900; higher;
lambs. 81 pounds down 1250@
i4.75 culls ,and. common 5000
1900 yeariing wethers 1000
1900; ewes, medium and choice
s5.od750; culls and common 800
@5.00.