The New York herald., 1921-12-22
EQUITY JOINS union
OF WORLDS ACTORS
OF ENGLISH SPEECH
25.000 Linked by Compact
With Players OF Britain
and Australia.
SOUTH AFRICA TO JOIN
Closed Shop Aspirations in
This Country Will BE
Strengthened.
COHAN MAY BE AFFECTED
Producing Managers Here
COHAN NAY BE AFFECTED
Producing Managers Here
Seem Undisturbed by AL
lance Of Nations.

The Actors Equity Association, in
which most of the legitimate actors in
TINS country are enrolled, has formed
an affiliation and working agreement
with the Actors Association of Eng
land and the Actors Federation of
Australasia, the governing bodies in
those countries.
The South African organization of
actors has not yet joined the COM
blnation, but when it is united with
this international body, as is expected
soon. it will mean a union of most
of the English speaking actors in the
world, totaling $4,000 members
Frank Gilmore, executive secretary of
the Equity. said yesterday that this
actors combination was now one Of the
most powerful labor organizations in
the world Further significance was at
tached to it in theatrical circles because
l. was regarded as the first instance in
history OF an international trade union
association OF professional class. some
times called white collar workers" It
was expected by Mr.. Gilmore and others
TO serve as strong instrument in the
establishment of the theatrical form of a
closed shop. not only here. where it Is
called the Equity shop but abroad.
Membership Universal.
Under this afiiliation an English or
Australian actor arriving in this country
automatically comes under the jurisdic-
tion of the Equity. paying dues TO IL and
being entitled TO it's protection il he Is a
member at home. This applies con
versely to American Equity members
going to England or Australia. English
actors have been coming here In increas-
ing numbers of recent years,
No International supervisory body has
been formed, each OF the local organiza-
tions remaining autonomous. but visits
between the executives of the different
associations will be frequent. There is
also possibility that the affilistion may
be extended to embrace France, Germany
and other countries. but Mr. Gilmore
discounted that likelihood for the present.
The outstanding purpose OF the or
ganzaton. 1t was believed on Broad
way, was TO strengthen the Equity shop
here. In 1924 the strike agreement
which protected the Producing Man
ayers Association for five years from
the enforcement against them of any
form of closed shop will lapse. If
Equity seeks to establish the Equity
shop with the Producing Managers
Association and another strike develops
tho new combination would hamper
seriously any manager who tried to
break the strike by importing Eng
lish actors, since most OF them would
become Equity members automa tically.
Cohan Might BE Affected.
Mr.. Gilmore was asked II the new
ARA ngement would embarrass George
NJ Cohan That spirited manager. who
is outside the circle OF protection fur
nished BY the p. NJ. A.. has been moro
and more at loggerheads with the
Equity, and quit producing here be-
GAUGE of the Equity shop. The sec
retary said:
1--WE told our members here we had
no objection to their going abroad with
Mr. Cohan II the English Actors AS
sociation did not object. OF course the
English association has nothing like a
closed shop to put UP bars. But they
desire something like an Equity shop
in England and Australia. and our CO.
operation will be OF great assistance in
helping them get il.
There have now been affiliated in all
three countries. l should say, from
1900 to $4,000 actors This estimate
is for the legitimate actors-musical
comedy and dramatic. whether in tents
or theaters. II does not include the
vaudeville artists. who arc under the
-Four AS In England the chorus is in
cuded In the general body. but here II
Is q separate branch. However, we have
a paternalistic interest in 1t, so It is
TO be included. bringing about 5000
more performers to the total.
"In South Africa ! should estimate
that the number of actors runs from
1,5OO to 1000 About 1000 more play
ers should be added in this country
from the motion picture class. which is
a branch OF the Equity"
Sam n. Harris. president OF the Pro
ducing Managers Association. professed
last night to be undlsturbcd at widened
scope of the actors union He said:
81 don't think that this affiliation will
enbarrass us. Maybe IL would em-
barrass Mr.. Cohan II a closed shop
were effected In England. But believe
he has made his business connections
over there with Charles r. Cochran,
recognized London producer. and IN that
case ] don't see how II could hurt him"