The sun., 1919-08-27
GOMPERS PLEDGES
SUPPORT TO ACTORS
$500 Players Cheer Head of
A. f. Of L., Who Makes Prom
ise at Mass Meeting.
STAND FIRM, HE ADVISES
Strike Fund Increased 81, 900
by Movie Folk-More Bene-
fits Arranged.


Samuel Gompers, president OF the
American Federation Of Labor, short
time after he landed on American soil
yesterday from the George Washington
went to a mass meeting of the Actors
Equity Association at the Lexington
Theatre and amid rousing cheers from
$500 players pledged the support Of his
huge labor organization to the striking
actors.
Mr.. Gompers made as dramatic an
entrance upon the scene an though he
was an actor himself. He had been ex-
pected to address the gathering, but
along about o'clock hope of his ap-
pearlng practically had been abandoned.
In fact Francis Wilson, president of the
Equity, was keeping the other speakers
| going on the chance that Mr.. Gompers
might eventually appear, when Albert
Barrett, an actor who was standing near
| the doors, suddenly yelled: Here
| he isl''
Immediately a cheer went up as
| though the patrlarchal labor chieftain
was the Moses coming to lead them out of
the wilderness, while players swarmed
about him and did everything but shout
hosannahs as he walked down the aisle
|
] hurrahs for three minutes ripped
through the house. Mr. Wilson, when
he could make himself heard, explained
| that Mr.. Gompers was tired and was
| forced to rest, but Mr. Gompers came to
the footlights and corrected this by say
ing:
your chairman has said I am ia
tigued, but the truth is l am hungry.
You know I'm not an army man. and.
coming home on a journey that lasted
nine days lived on army chow, which
is not gratifying or satisfying to a ci-
william. l haven't had a chance even to
go to an actors boarding house to get
a meal.
Right to Sit I'm Council.
"I know something of the lot Of the
actor and of the theatrical profession,
he went on, "and l must make this
declaration, no matter what interpreta-
ton any one may put on It, that all men
and women in the professions VINO work
for salaries or wages have the right. the
unqualified right to sit in tho councils
which determine their pay and the con-
ditions under which they work.
''In Amsterdam not long ago had to
say to the representatives of German
labor because Of their arrogant and
overbearing manner that they had not
learned the real lesson of the war and
that the time OF Deutschland uber
Allies had passed out for all time.
THE time has come when kaiserlsn
and autocracy, commercial or industrial
also has passed away. This situation ir
which you stand to-day is similar in
character to that of the Germans.
hold that the company of men which
has not learned that autocrscy Is 6
thing of the past and has gone by ht
board has not learned the real lesson o.
the war.
II have heard from your president
Mr.. Wilson. that a controversy was like
~ 70 arise Every well informed Arneri
can knows that the Constitution OF the
United States and the Constitution o.
every State in the Union declares an(
guarantees the right to be heard in cour
by counsel. In othel rvtus, the Consti
tutions recognize the principle that tn,
, average man and average woman ar,
= not able to defend themselves when OF
= posed by skill No one will dispute hov
important Is this guaranteed right.
quote 1t as applicable TO this situation.
You are devoted to each others wei
fare, and though you speak your line
well when 1t comes to pleading your cas-
with those who have control of you
lives and destiny. your heart become
faint with weakness and yourstongue
unable to give uttersnce to the though
in your mind. Therefore you came 10
gether and selected those able and com
retent to present your case. You hav
the right TO be heard by counsel of you
wn choice.
Calls 1t n Jag of JOY.
q From the few and fragmentar
a pieces of news conveyed to me I under
stand you are having a glorious TIM
a Mr.. Wilson suggests that really you ar
: having a jag of joy. No matter ho'
= much you loved your profession, in a
" your lives you have never had such
q sense of freedom and liberty as you ar
a experiencing to-day.
;. THE future depends not upon tn
: managers but upon you. Many a goo
= cause has gone glimmering because c
the failure of the men and women
maintain the spirit of the cause. If what
ever length of time It may last. yo
make up your mind to stick. nothing
this world can prevent your success.
, you have not made up your mind to d
that 1t would be better II you had M
begun at all.
you have aroused the managers I
an understanding Of your power. The
are alert. and they have not only the
own brains but they can buy brains
t the pound. AS sure as life and deaf
j. II you weaken the treatment you II
n ceived in the past will be as nothin
T compared to that which you will r.
n ceive in the future.
d 'T don't know II It be possible for r
9 to do anything II 1 had the power
a would do something. But whatev'
d power and influence there Is in Il
. American Federation of Labor. wEa
n ever there may be generating in l
/ thought of right and justice, want yo
= to bear in mind that until there COM
r an honorable and Justifiable end ever
r service that can be rendered VIII
a heartily and loyalty accorded you.
"a The Producing Managers associate
= refrained from making any comment
MIR. Gompers's promise Of aid, holdir
~ that he had not been here long enough
n become conversant thoroughly with Il
q situation.
= Although Mr.. Gompers kept to Gel
p eralities and did not mention the dec
"a sion OF Justice Peter A. Hendrick In q
n Supreme Court on Monday, to uphold I:
- Injunction restraining the actors fro
j. Interfering with productions, II wi
a pointed out by leaders of the Equity tn
. the support OF the A. +. of l.. indicate
that the sympathetic walkout OF d
stage hands and musicians, unrestrain'
D. by any court order. would be maintain'
and would In itself prevent manage
from putting on productions.
This injunction, to be embodied in
formal order to-day by Justice He
drick at 2 p NJ was referred to