The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-11-19
The Scalping Evil.

A student has been suspended at the Uni
Versity of Chicago because it is claimed he
had been discovered engaged in scalping in
tickets for a football game. The newspapers
OF Chicago print long story the scaIping
evil, there are interviews with the various
authorities concerned, and there are threats
and promises intended TO prevent any further
speculation of this sort.
For years there has been public condemna-
ton of scalping in theatre tickets in the larger
cities, but in spite of all of the protests the
folks engaged in this business continue at their
old stands and seem to be prospecting and not
alarmed that there is to be endangering of their
profits a result of the attacks that have
been directed at them by the patrons of the
theare
Whether ticket scalping is the evil some
people try TO make of it is a debatable propo-
sition. The people are responsible for the
scalper. If he was not patronized his business
would soon pass into oblivion. Most of the
leading theatres in the large cities cooperate
with the ticket scalper. He is allotted GER
tain number of choice seats for each perform
ance. These are sold mostly to hotel guests
persons who are willing to pay a premium
rather than run the chance of being disap-
pointed when calling at the theatre box office
Thus the scalper is filling what he holds is
a legitimate niche in the amusement field.
giving service that a large number of peo
pie want and are willing to pay for But the
theatregoer who refuses to pay above the reg
ular admission charges complains that after
Ire has been unable to obtain ticket at the box
office on the plea that the house is sold ont
he can go 10 scalper and obtain seats This
does sound like unfair dealing on the part of
the theatre. yet the theatre has been party
to the scalping practice long enough to have
proven whether it is a success or not from
the box office standpoint Evidently if is =
success
PurVeyors OF amuSements aim to fill the
seats OF the theatre. There is a certain per
centage OF the patrons in the large cities that
has been educated to depending upon tho
scalper for seats. The theatres can't afford To
not cater 10 that patronage. It's simply
matter of dollars with the theatre In the
case of the big football game in Chicago today
there are 10000 seats for possibly 100000 peo-
pie desiring to see the game. The promoters
of the game had fears that the seats wouId
not be filled. and therefore they did not follow,
the practices of the theatres Therefore the
college authorities are absolved of any re-
sponsibility for the fancy prices that were col
lected for tickets. But it was hardly 10 he ex
pected that a few of speculative turn of mind
would pass up the opportunity to profit through
scalping in tickets for the game
Supply and demand are the controlling
factors in all human transactions In other
words, if you want something. you have an
even chance with the other fellow In getting
it until the supply begins to narrow Then
You had better hurry, you are going to get
stung financially or lose out entirely That's
the whole answer to the so-called scalping
evil