The New York herald., 1921-01-15
See a Move to
Force Equity Shop
Against Shuberts
Case Against Managers Goes to
Committee-Dramatists OPP
pose Unionizing Theatre.


Association and Lee and ]. J. Shubert
practically marked time yesterday. Al
the special meeting OF the Producing
Managers Association. which Sam II.
Harris called at the headquarters. 23l
West Forty-flfth street, to hear the
Equity charges of|vlolation of the strike
armistice by discrimination against
Equity chorus members and other al
legged abuses. and also the managers
reply considerable discussion was
started. The net result was formulated
In statement signed by Arthur Hop
Slns for the Z. NJ A. and Frank Gill
more. executive secretary for the
Equity.
The statement follows:
1T was agreed by the Messrs. JShu-
bert to give Il categorical denial to the
said charges and TO present the same al
another meeting to be held some time
next week--probably Thursday--and
that In the meantime a committee OF the
Actors Equity Association would meet
with the Messrs. Shubert 10 20 into the
matter more In detail"
This committee from the Equity is tC
be composed of John Emerson, presl.
dent; Mr.. Gilmore. Mrs. Dorothy Bry.
ant, executive secretary OF the Chorus
Equity Association; Paul Dulzell anC
Paul n. Turner, counsel for the Equity
They are to meet the Shuberts OH Mon.
day afternoon. The possibility of Q
peaceful solution OF the disagreement
was foreseen in this arrangement, bui
observers i'm touch with the Equity sale
IL was more likely that body woult
carry on its fight TO have the +. NJ. A
expel the Shuberts on allegations tha
they have violated the basic agreement
that ended the strike.
While the trouble can be settled b,
arbitration or the courts. Equity officials
pointed out that the Chorus Equity AS.
ISOLATION, which also is involved, is moi
so bound. Its contract does not provide
for arbitration of disputes, and instead
of still having three and a half years L
run. as does the Actors Equity contract
II expires next September. A strike oi
chorus men and women is therefore 9
possibility either at this time or at the
expiration of the contract.
Meet Behind Closed Doors.
Practically all the important man.
ayers OF New York were present late
yesterday afternoon. when Lee Shuberi
appeared to present his cause. followed
by Messrs. Emerson, Gilmore. Turner
and Mrs. Bryant. Though the meeting
was closed session, IL was learned thai
Shubert declared that II there had beer
any violations of contracts by his subor
dinates of which he had not been aware
he would correct them himself. How
ever. he reafiirmed his belief that ther,
had been no such infra ctions, and tha
his firm was being attacked, not be
cause of any breaches of the agreement
but because of the aim of the Equity I,
overcome powerful theatrical interests
The Equity officers started to tax hin
with various alleged violations, when 4
was decided to have the whole matter
more precisely formulated and presented
! to the arbitration committee of the p. NJ
a. next Thursday. This committee in
cludes Arthur Hopkins. A. II. Woods
| William Harris. Jr and Arthur Ham
merstein.
| The consensus of many of the man
ayers appeared to be that. regardless o
| the merits OF the present case, IL wal
intended by the Equity as means {,
isolate the Shuberts from the protection
of the covenant of September. 1919, for
bidding the "closed shop in any form
and then institute the Equity shop,
which is considered a modified form o
the closed shop, against the Shuberts
When Mr. Gilmore was asked bluntly |
such was the plan of campaign. he said
! "The charges have been brought to
gether over period OF six months. /
so happens that the matter of tn,
charges and of an Equity shop hav'
come together at this time"