The Washington herald., 1920-04-04
STAGE COMBINE
C;HARGEKILLED
Vaudeville Managers Are
Cleared by Trade Com
mission Vote.
DEdsIoN UNANIMOUS
E. F. Albee Says New Un-
derstanding Will
Result.
DECISION UNANIMOUS

Anter an exhaustive investigation
extending over nearly two years
the Federal Trade Commission by a
unaHimous vote of the full board
has dismissed the complaint of the
Whito Rats Actors Union charging
MONOPOLY, a black list, violation of
the anti-trust laws. unfair competi-
tion, illegal combination in restraint
of cd mpetitive vaudeville. coercion
of artists, against the Vaudeville
Managers Protective Association.
the National Vaudeville Artists. Inc,
the United Booking Offices. Inc, the
Vaudt t'ville Collection Agency. A.
Paul Keith, Z. +. Albee, Sam ScriD-
ner. Marcus Loew. Martin Beck. b.
S. Moss. Slime Silverman as joint
defen Giants.
This decision gives organized
vaudeville a clean bill of health.
Organization Helpful.
The dismissal of the complaint
sustaihs the managers. headed by
L. +. A lbee, in their contention that
whatever has been done in the way
of organization has been for the
mutual good of artist and managers
and has violated no law of State or
nation or the rights of any indi-
vidual.,
The defendants were served with
a copy, of the complaint on May Is.
1918. Testimony covering every
hr n mol Of nVt1A
witnesses from the managerial and
artistici branches of the profession
was tab en- from February, 1919, to
October II. 1919. John Walsh was
attorney for the Federal Trade Com
mission Maurice Goodman, general
counsel, for organized vaudeville, and
Governor Joseph z. Folk argued the
case bef ore the commission.
The Vaudeville Managers Pro-
tective Association is composed of
the leading vaudeville and bur-
lesque managers of the United
States. The National Vaudeville
Artists, Inc, is an organization
of 10000 vaudeville artists with a
magnifcen clubhouse in west
Forty-sEx street. The V. NJ. P. A.
and the n. V. \. have joint arbi-
tration boards to- adjudicate all
questions at issue between artists
and ma pagers. The United Book
ing Offices. now known as the B.
+. Keith Vaudeville Exchange. is
the prinS ipal central booking office
of vaude; willie. The Vaudeville COL
lection Agency is a subsidiary SER
vice orga niZation. Mr.. L. +. Albee
is head Of the b. +. Keith Vaude-
xrfI fr.. u
Vaudeville Exchange and the pio-
neer and prime mover in the or
ganizatiop of the managers and
artists into the V. NJ. p. A. and
the n. ", a. A. Paul Keith died
after the beginning of the investi-
cation. Sam \. Scribner is presi-
dent of the V. NJ. z. A. and the
executive head of organized bur-
lesque. Marcus Loew is head of
the Loew' Circuit, while Martin
Beck is executive manager of the
Orpheum Circuit. B. S. Moss is
head of ole b. S. Moss Circuit of
Theaters. | Slime Silverman is edi-
tor and owner of Variety, week
ly trade Journal of vaudeville. All
these weIs: made joint defendants
in the complaint which was the eX-
piring effd rt at defamation of or
ganized va udevillc by the remnants
of the White Rats Actors Union.
Abe, Gives Statement.
E. +. AIN ee said yesterday in dis
cussing the findings of the Federal
Trade Com mission in the charges
against hi IN and his associates:
For the first time in the past Is
years. tho vaudeville managers
had an opportunity. at the end of
the White Rats' strike three years
ago, of get1ing close to the vaude
willie artists to cooperate with them
as managers and artists should CO.
operate. Prior to this time. managers
were held tup to ridicuIe. called
harsh names. everything was said
and done to- depreciate the value of
the business The artists themselves
became tiresi of their leaders car
rying on a vilifying campaign of
this kind, " hich was bringing to
them no good results and causing
extreme bitterness. and keeping the
4 rkaN ~