The New York herald., 1922-05-06
THEATER MANAGERS
TO HAVE A LANDIS
Producers Vote to Amend Con-
stitutiOn to Make Supreme
Leader Possible.
POWERS TO BE UNLIMITED
Position Similar to That of
Will Hays With the Motion
Picture Interests.
POWERS TO BE UNLIMITED

The theatrical managers. paralleling
the action of the motion picture mag
mates. made preparations yesterday to
be led by aWil II. Hays of their own.
AT the annual meeting of the Produc-
ing Managers Association. an organi-
zation whose membership of ffty-five
managers includes almost all the i'm
portant producers in the country.
movement was inaugurated to place at
the head of this branch of amusement
business man whose position and
duties will be analogous 10 those of
the former Postmaster-General in the
movie industry and of Judge Lands In
baseball.
A statement issued by the organi-
zation last night said that the amend
ment to the constitution and by laws
Of the organization will be necessary
to crystalize this plan. While several
weeks would be required to accom-
plish this a test vote of the members
\ present at the meeting indicated that
sentiment in favor of the move was
almost unanimous.
To Have Unlimited Power.
The statement continued:
THE proposed amendment. which can
be voted on after twenty days
notice, empowers the directors to
choose from within or outside its MEM
bership one man to whom all their
powers can be delegated. Accordingly.
IL the proposed amendment Is adopted
the new head will have almost un-
limited power in settling disputes be-
tween members of the organization
or with other bodies.
"It was the sense OF the meeting that
some such head was necessary in view
of the fact that the individual members
OF the association did not have time to
try to solve the problems confronting
the business as a whoie."
The officers and directors who served
last year were reelected by acclamation.
They are Sam Fl. Harris, president
Georg II. Broadhurst. vice-president
Ii Lawrence Weber. secretary Benja-
min F. Roeder, treasurer; George II.
Nicolai.' acting secretary. Directors
William A. Brady, John l.. Golden,
William Harris, Jr.. Arthur Hopkins
Henry W. Savage, Edgar Selwyn and
Al II. Woods.
Brock Pemberton said the. idea of 2
supreme leader for the producers was
brought forward by group led by
Sam n. Harris. John Golden and l..
Lawrence Weber. More than thirty
five managers were present at the
meeting. He declined to state whether
any possible candidates for the position
had yet been named.
From another member 1t was learned
that the managers had already several
possibilities in mind and that these men
would be approached in the interim
before the amendment is put to vote.
so that their names could be placed in
nomination as soon as the altered con-
stitution permitted. This manager like
wise declined to give their names He
said that only one negative vote had
been cast on the proposition. with one
manager not voting because represented
by proxy.
To Receive Good Salary.
fThe man TO whom the position will
be- offered" he said, will be paid
good salary. but nothing like the movie
stipend of 100000 year given to VIII
Hays. He will be a man who Is closely
conversant with the theater and inter-
ested in all its problems. but one who
has no business connections with 1T. In
q word the man the managers want
tos represent them is one who has
ali the dignity and prestige of being
noted in the world outside the theater."
He added that the possibility of
political stage censorship did not have
SO, much TO do with this unique seleC-
tion of a general controller as other
factors.
s'We want" he continued. "a man who
can devote all his time to handling the
general aspects of the business, which no
manager can do alone to-day. The aim
is TO have a representative who can al
ways be in contact with the various
bodies whom the managers encounter
labor unions, legislatures and so on.
The move is also very largely in an
ticipation of trouble with the Actors
Equity Association when the strike
agreement with them runs out in 1924.
''The managers. in fact, desire some
one who can spend his time and energy
is Strengthening out that trouble before
It actually arises. Moreover, they
want some one to look after the matter
OF ticket spectators, labor unions and
the thousand other details through
which the theater touches the outside
world