The Washington times., 1919-01-21
HIGHER TAX HALTS
NEW SHOW PLANS

NEW YORK, Jan 21.-All prepara-
tions on at least seventy-one theatri-
cal productions planned for the 1919
20 season have been ordered stopped
pending definite action on the pro-
posed 20 per cent admission tax now
being considered by the joint revenue
conference committee.
This announcement was made at
the local headquarters of the United
Theatrical Managers Protective As
soCiation following a conference at
tended by virtually all of the coun-
try's largest theatrical producers, in
cluding Klaw & Erlanger, Smith &
Golden, Elliot. Comstock Il Gest. Will
liam A. Brady. Messrs Shubert,
Charles Frohman. John Cort. Charles
Dillingham;. Lawrence AnhaIt and
Arthur Hammerstein
Following this decision. which will
affect approximately 10000 persons.
including 5000 carpenters and 10000
women costume makers. who will be
thrown out of work Immediately, il
was announced that approximately
100000 signatures from all parts Of
the nation had been sent to the reve-
nue. conference committee protesting
against the proposed 20 per cent tax.
Included among the petitions which
according to advices from Washing.
have virtually swamped the CapitoIs
postal facilities, were 1902 signatures
obtained at the b. +. Keith Tneater
in INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. which arrived at
the Century Theater Building by air
plane mail yesterday morning.
Presidents Aid Sought.
President Wilson's personal inter-
vention against the proposed increased
tax was officially requested yesterday
by the managers association. which
sent the following telegram TO the
White House, from where it will be
forwarded to the President by the Of
fetal Government communications:
Proposed increased taxation ruin
Gus to amusements. The people of
the theater and public morale implore
your intervention"
The telegram was signed bv the
United Theater Managers Protective
Association and Amusement Mana
gers of America.
Besides the preparations OF new
productions for the 1920 season. Ii
was announced that construction on
nine new theaters throughout the
country would not be started until
More than $4,000 900 would have been
invested in the seventy-one new pro-
ductions. not including the heavy
salary payroll necessary for so many
productions. OF the $500 900, it was
declared by Morris Gest. chairman of
the committee. last night. that more
than 81 100000 had already been in
vested in the enterprises upon which
work has been ordered stopped.
Police Circulate Petition.
Following the lead of Mayor Hylan.
who signed the protest petition at
the Hippodrome on Sunday night. re-
quests for signature blanks were re-
ceived at the protest committee head
quarters from both the police and fire
departments. 1t is planned to have
the police circulate the petition simi-
lar to the way they assisted in the
recent Liberty loan campaigns and
War Savings Stamp drives.
Another request for protest peti-
tions came from the third naval dis
trict headquarters which asked that
the blanks for several hundred thou
sand names be forwarded for distripu-
tiOn on all of the naval transport
craft now in New York harbor IT
was also announced that more than
go sailors on board the the l.. :. s.
Sierra had drawn up petition 81
their own. without waiting for th"
official forms. and forwarded it to
Washington.
Members of the Stage Women VA