New-York tribune., 1919-08-15

VAte COntrlDutOrS nau gwen Fo,VoO ~
the strike fund.
Morris Gest. following the example
of George NJ. Cohan and David Beiasco,
resigned from the Lambs Club 'yester-
day.
Judge Richard P. Lydon signed
temporary injunction yesterday re-
straining the Actors Equity Associa-
tion from calling strike OF the mem
bers of the company of "a Regular
Feller," which was scheduled 70 open
Wednesday night at the Cort Theatre,
and which now is expected to open
Monday night. Charles Emerson Cook,
who obtained the injunction, also an
nounced that he would begin suit for
damages against the association.
Midnighters Refuse to Strike
Efforts of pickets of the A. f. A.
to close the two midnight perform
ances now being given IN New York
have been unsuccessful. Half dozen
pickets surrounded William and Cor
don Dooley when they started into the
Century Theatre last night tthey are
members of the "Midnight Whirl' be
ing given in the Century Grove, and
sought to persuade them to 20 on
strike Both declined to strike. Simi-
liar efforts were made by pickcts sta
toned at the Amsterdam Theatre in an
effort to close the "Midnight Frolic.'
Eight playwrights offered themselves
as mediators yesterday. In letter
TO the actors and the managers they
said: CAS- playwrights, vitality con
cerned in the present controversy be
tween the actors and the managers,
we beg, on our behalf and that Of our
follow authors, to offer our services
in any capacity that may suggest it.
self in order to arrive at some solu-
tion of the present difficulty that is
endangering the very life of the the
atre.
I'VE, naturally, as playwrights, take
profound but entirely kindly inter
est in trying to find some settlement.
realizing, as we do, that the success
of any theatrical enterprise is depend
ent on the actor, the author and the
manager and on all three. May we,
therefore, be of assistance ?"
The letter was signed by George Y.
Hobart as chairman, George AIDE. Eu-
gene Presbrey, Guy Bolton Frank Man
del, Irwin Cobb, Roi Cooper Megrue,
Harry B. Smith and P. G.. Wodehouse.
Belasco Makes Statement
David Belasco yesterday at the close
of the first week of the strike an
nounced that he would never again
produce a play if the Actors Equity
Association succeeded in its efforts to
break the contracts existing between
producers and players in a fight, the
real object Of which, Mr.. Belasco says,
is to establish the closed shop.
"Granted that we are all wrong" said
Mr.. Bclasco, suppose we concede at
once that these children Of the stage
who are being mislead should have
everything they demand, which they
virtually have already, what assurance
can managers have that another whim
of some professional trouble maker
and self-centred leader will not again
break faith?
"How can | or any other producer
be sure that some new grievance won't
be Immediately born in the mind of
these children of impulse, who are
under heavy bond to obey the council
OF the socalled Actors Equity Asso-
citation, right or wrong? Equity, The
very word has been traduced II has
lost its meaning to me and TO every
producer or director.
Must Be Mutual Confidence
"lf the actors involved in the present
strike Will send representatives TO Us
whom we can trust, there will be no
more trouble. There must be mutual
confidence if we are 10 get the pro-
LESSON back to its romanticism, ideal
ISM, dignity and honesty Of one week
ago.
"Abhorring each other. how can we
think we are going to succeed? We can
not. Ours Is profession of intense
and sympathetic temperamentality, less
tangible than dream; highly strung
and emotional, the dearest and best and
most bohemian-like people in the world,
all OF whom would give his or her life
blood to any just cause. Why not do
the same for each other?
1T breaks my heart to see the bows
ana girls OF our great profession fight
ing like a mob. We are artists. first
last and always and we must have the
freedom to do our work in the same
spirit We cannot coerce their in
dlvlduallty nor set to rules their tenn
Pefament, their emotions, their brains.
They must be free and independent
and individual as the painter, the poet
or the novelist.
II this condition cannot continuc
tnen shall never again produce a plav.
II we cannot go on in the unfettered
way then let US go and be honored
business men and honest laborers.,
Chorus Girls Grievances
grievances of the striking chorus
glrls were revealed at first hand yes
terday, when a delegation visited The
rlbune Office to tell of their troubles
Their allegations, in the main. are
Ihat they now rehearse sixteen or
SEVENTEEN weeks without pay
That they are compelled to play ex-
ton. ''7'
That they are fined and dismissed
summarily without the privilege Of an
appeal. ''
That the shoes, stockings and tights
they wear in the show are purchased
from their employers at exorhjfan+
prices, numbers often being changed
so that there is virtually always some
1hlng new to pay for"
mat their salaries range between .
$50 and S35 weekly, with the lower figure
predomlnatlng, which is not a sun
GENTLY large sum TO enable them to
live properly.
Members of the delegation we're
Kitty Astra, Vivian Winkie. Billie Ear
rel, Ethel Sadler, Florence Brown
Texas Harding, Rose Burdick and
Vlolette Hazel
Picnic Special in Crash: