The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-11

strike. for as ne said. on learning
OF 1T
Cortland, all I can say, IL that actors
should get a living wage. n they are
not getting that then they have right
to make forceful demands for t."
Then, with an enismatio smile, he
addedi cit may be that authors may
also have to make a demand for a living
wage
shuberts withdraw Play.
The shuberts announced last night
Eat the "1aietics Of 1919" would be
Withdrawn from tho Forty.fourth street
Theatre tonight. making the eleventh
goal scored by the actors In the way OF
closed theatres. 1t WAS also made known
that an endeavor would be made to gain
the cooperation OF the stage hands and
musiolans with the actors at a con-
ference to be held this morning at IL
o'clock in the Equity headquarters be-
tween leaders Of the various interests
involved.
Among those taking part In this meet
Ing will be James p. Holland, president
Of the New York State Federation OF
Labor Hugh Frayne. state organiser Of
the A. r. La Charles {. shay OF the
stage hands organisation, Joe N. Weber.
president Of the American Association OF
Musicians, Secretary Gilmore and Paul
Turner, counsel for the Equity, and w.
b. Rubin. labor attorney.
John Drew, speaking at strike head
quarters, told members OF the Equity
Association that his nephews, Lionel and
Jack Barrymore. had requested that the
strikers be notified through him that
they were with the Actors Equity Assoc
| citation. He aiso read n letter from
| Ethel Barrymore in which she allies
herself with the organisation.
The Producing Managers Association
| last night issued a statement IN which
they recounted their efforts TO devise a
new contract in May through a joint
| committee OF actors and managers. this
move being ended by the presentation
| by Mr. Gilmore of a contract which he
said was the only form that the Equity
would accept. The managers statement
| continued:
Then the attempt Instituted by the
managers to reach an amicable arrange
ment between actor and manager, with
the manager willing and anxious to deal
with q collective body OF actors, re-
suited in an ultimatum from the Actors
Equity Association accompanied by q
threat OF extreme measures, which they
faithfully lived UP to in the past. few
days.
with the cessation OF negotiations
tho managers drafted a contract, follow
ing the contract which the Actors Equity
Association had drafted and operated
under for three years.
ut will be noted there Is nothing IN
the managers contract to prevent an
actor from selecting the Actors Equity
Association or a member thereof as his
| arbitrator. Moreover there is nothing
! In the clause to prevent the several ar
bitrators from selecting the Actors
Equity or a member thereof as the final
| arbitrator. 1t Is important that the fact
should be known that actors who
walked out had signed Actors Equity
Association contracts with their man
ayers, had not notified their mana gers
OF an intention to strike and have shown
by their action that the signing by them
OF the Actors Equity Association con.
tract is not guarantee OF an Intention
to live UP to the terms of agreement.
On the other hand, had the managers
| failed to fulfil these contracts, as the
actors have done. they would have been
liable for every dollar of salary In
volved In the terms Of the contract.
THE chief point of difference between
the actors and managers was the eight
performance clause. The managers had
brought much evidence to show that
this was q demand they could not CON-
ply with in many cases.
Victorious AGftators" Used.
| Further TO make forever impossible
any relationship between the managers
and the Actors Equity Association Mr.
Wilson took into his councils two no.
torious agitators and trouble makers
who before their downfall had created
great havoc in the vaudeville profession.
The mark OF these men instantly ap-
peared In public vilification OF managers
and haranguing of actors. scurriious at
lacks In their only published mouth
piece. and as a grand climax the strike
complete reputation of Actors Equity
contracts by which the managers were
| faithfully abiding, vulgar street dis
plays. $500 week actors accosting $50
a week chorus girls at stage doors and
| asking them to get out in sympathy
threats of assault on managers, wreck
ing Of theatres. vilest OF all anonymous
letters and the completest demonstra-
ton Of all the misery an unscrupulous
asitator can create. particularly when
he has as his plaything an unusually
emotional class
80 far as the managers are con.
cerned, the Actors Equity Association
has proved itself the enemy Of the actor
and the manager. No contract with any
| of its members can ever be considered