The New York herald., 1921-01-30
James Forbes on
the Equity Shop
Dramatist Explains Why He Is
Opposed to UniOnized
Theatre.

I
matists' Guild. and who has TO his credit
a number of popular and successful
plays. has taken an active part in the
Dramatists' Guild opposition TO the
Equity shop In a talk Last week
with a NEW YORK HERALD reporter he
discussed the proposed plan and the
effect of its operation in the American
theatre.
"I am opposed unalterably to the
Equity Shop" he said, because I con-
slider It the greatest menace to freedom
in the theatre that has arisen in my
recollection. That may seem to be an
extreme statement, yet, had the Equity
! shop been in force when my play, The
Famous Mrs. Fair was being produced.
I could have had the services OF the
! actors who were members OF the Equity
Association, but l could not have had
those of Henry Miller and Blanche Bates
because they belonged to rival organ
ization-the Fidelity
Now, am not decrying the talents
OF any of my Equity actors. but no mat
ter what individual triumphs were made
/ oy them, they could not have materially
affected the success of my play; but 7
hesitate to predict how much OF a sue
cess The Famous Mrs. Fair would have
had without Mr.. Miller and Miss Bates.
i brought this fact to the attention
or Mr.. Frank Gilmore when, as secre-
tary OF the Equity, he was addressing
the executive council of the Dramatists'
Guild on the proposed Equity shop Mr..
Gilmore replied that it had been sug-
gested that an exception might be made
! in the case of Mr.. Miller and several
other or our best known stars who are
non-Equity. Is this an equitable policy
for an Equity Association? And how
would this assist the playwright who
might require infinitely more so for the
correct presentation of his plays the
special abilities of a member of the FL
| deity who was not a star? For instance.
in the Fidelity organization are Janet
Beecher and Zelda Sears, who have been
highly successful in other plays of mine,
| and whose services am always eager to
obtain.
When 1 asked Mr.. Gilmore what l
should do in the event OF my wishing to
employ them in a future play he told
me that l must ask them to become
members of the Equity. In other words,
in order that 1 might have the benefit
of their talent l must urge them to ally
themselves with federated labor. a pro-
ceeding against which l myself revolt.
! No manager has ever dictated to me
| In the selection OF actors for my PLAYS
| In TACT, in contract recently drawn up
| by the Dramatists Guild, and adopted by
| the Producing Managers Association,
there is a clause giving every author,
even beginner. voice in the selection
Of his cast. The Equity Shop would
deny this right TO the author He
could not select any actor not member
or the Equity, for II he attempted to
place non-Equity member in the cast
every Equity actor would leave It.
The claim that the Equity Council
has no objection to the organization OF
an entire non-Equity cast Is an
absurdity. because they know. In fact,
admit. that were such a company to at
tempt performance IN our unionized
theatre to-day me ~.-~s hands and
musicians would refuse % perform their
duties. Once this council Is permitted
to dictate as 10 what actors may ap-
pear in plays and what managers may
produce them. n In but a step TO ar
rogate as TO what authors shall write
them
The moment the Equity Shop is put
into practice the association would have
this power. Members of the council
may declare heatediy that they have
no intention of exercising any such
authority, but how. as a writer, can I
be sure Of that especially when / look
back upon the events of the actors
strike of 1919? At that time the
dramatists feared the possibility of a
closed shop. We were given the as
surance OF the Equity Council. in
writing. that they would never seek TO
bring about this condition in the theatre
But In sixteen months they are attempt
ing TO bring II about.
THE Equity Council seems to forget.
III n NOpofdarad ~ that ha tvr7-
portant thing for the present and future
welfare OF the theatre is that the writer
should be left free to express himself
and equally free TO chose the interpreters
OF that expression. When all is said and
done the writer is the theatre. For with
out him the theatre Is mere bricks and
mortar and the actor has no excuse for
being. 1t is all very weil for the actor
to declare that should the present day
writer refuse to continue In the theatre
under the conditions the Equity Shop
impose they will make revivals OF
Shakespeare and other classics. With
their usual lack of logic they seem to
forget that only one in a hundred OF
them have the training requisite for the
performance of these classics. Neither
do they consider the proven indifference
OF the public to these plays when they
are presented.
mo one In the theatre has n greater
regard-I might even say affection-for
actors than have. In all the years that
have been active as a manager and a
writer have never had any differences
with either actors or stage hands. 7
believe that the actors are entitled to
their association. but when that associa-
ton tries to deprive me of liberty that
have always granted to them ! must
emphatically protest"
SHE IMPEBsoNATEs STARS.
Mss Gay MacLaren. who will give her
Arof 81. 10