The evening world., 1921-02-28
THEATRE TICKET BILLS.

n ON MILLER has signed the Walton-Smith bill
~ which aims 10 rid this city of the sidewalk
theare-ticket speCulator That is straightaway ac-
tion TO abolish nuisance.
But when Il comes to the companion measure,
which would punish theatre-tcket broker for sell
ing tickets at more than So cents advance over tee
box-offce price, the Governor is reported doubtful.
One thing is certain. Colusion between theatre
manager and ticket broker which puts practically all
the best seats in the house for weeks at time into
the htters hands to be sold at fancy prices is too
unjust to endure The better element among the
theatre managers themselves has sought 10 put a
stop to this practice.
But to try to make It Illegal to sell theatre ticket
at more than so cents above the box-ofioe price is
different proposition.
II is urged that if theatre ticket agencies as we'll
as theatres can be made to operate like taxicabs,
under public license, they can be brought under
similar regulatory laws.
So do hotels and restaurants operate under public
license as licensed victualers Yet it has not been
made illegal for hotels and restaurants to charge $40
or $40 for meal of very ordinary "vctuas" on
New Years Eve or other occasions when public de-
mand puts the privilege of eating in certain estab-
shmentS at premium. And food ranks as prime
necessity.
In sense, every night at great popular theatrical
success in New York is a New Years Eve Greatly
advanced box-ofce prices for first nights as we'll as
advances for Saturday and holiday performances
have already been introduced. And while the theatre
manager knows that fancy scales of box-ofice prices
would be bad business in the long run, the ticket
broker IS under no Such restraint
Nor is it strictly true to say the ticket broker
preys upon the public. substantial part Of that
public eagerly seeks him every day and finds fault
with him if he cannot provide it with tickets fcr
something it wants to see that same evening al any
prize he chooses to charge.
II is often necessary TO travel by certain railway
train. It may be necessary to take taxicab But
there is not the fantest necessity that any man or
woman of the pleasure-seeking public should on a
given night occupy seat at a popular theatrical
performance.
II is a luxury-for which, unfortunately not a
few people in New York are only too ready to out
bid less fortunate lovers of the theatre
Get .nnety-nine per cent of the theatre-going
public to agree that 5o-cent advance over the box
Office price is enough to pay for theatre ticket, that
it will stay home rather than pay more-and your
theatre-ticke broker will cease like magic to be a
gouger
But so long as many theatre-goerS continue to
regard him as their best friend because he can "gs
'em a couple of good ones for that night at $685.
per" he will thrive and manage to keep out of reach
Of any law that will stand the constitutional test.
Tax him more heavily and he will charge more
for his tickets Legislate him out Of one shop ant
he will turn up presently in another. Cut him Oh
from The theatre manager and he win hire hundreds
10 buy at the box Office.
Until the theatre-going publc-with far fewe
exceptions than at preSent-resolutely turns its bach
on him. the theatre-tcke speculator will continue il
one way or another to graft on this "show' ma
town.