The New York herald., 1922-08-16
Thomas AnsweyS
Equity; Offers a
Neu Peace Plan
Managers Chairman Suggests
He and Frank Gilmore Alone
Settle Stage Differences.


OF the Producing Managers Association.
yesterday sent an opeuletter for Frank
Gilmore, executive secretary OF the
Actors Equity Association in answer
to a letter received from Mr.. Gilmore
In his letter TO Mr.. Thomas, Mr.. Gill
more expressed the willingness of the
Equity Association TO resubfnit the
policy Of an Equity Shop to vote Of
It's members II the managers would agree
to accept the outcome or the vote as
final. Mr.. Thomas's answer to Mr.. Gill
more says in part:
II have received your open letter of
August IL after first reading It in the
morning papers. I refer 70 that to en-
phssze the purpose OK an open letter
which ts of course an appeal to public
opinion. cannot let your generosity in
that matter 80 unaclsnowledged because
with your strong organization capable at
single command OF paralyzing the the
atcr. you are not SO dependent upon pub
lic opinion as IS this association Of man
ayers who have only public opinion 70
which they may appeal
Most OF the morning papers cut out
the recital in your letter OF the fine
things Equity has done for the theater.
| regret this 1eletion because 1t is of a
record Of which the actors are to be
proud. In admitting those benefits 1
also w9fld enumerate them If believed
that tNe editorial desire for brevity
would pay any more attention to my
repetition than they did to your first
display.
The purpose of your letter is the
wish to avoid a conflict that seems pos
sible when the contract between the
Equity Association and the Managers
Association terminates in June. 1924.
The instrument that you propose for
evading this possible trouble Is what
you call Equity Shop. and what the
public calls Closed Shop and which you
define as condition in which Equity
members will not play with non-mem-
bers.' You fortify that definition by
saying. Surely that is their right. or the
right OF any one to make as condition
of acceptance of engagement that every
member of the company shall belong to
their association
Becomes Questionable Right
Il think with you that that is an in
dividual right I think. however. that
as far as the public is concerned It be-
comes questionable right whenever
you endeavoT to make 1t general and
concerted by conspiracy, however
benevolent.
Il note that you propose now at this
time and far in advance of the termina-
tion of the existing contract 20 put this
question again to the vote Of your men,
bership upon the condition that If a
majority of your association feel now
as they did then. the managers will
accept the actors verdict without further
cavil.' I don't want to question the
generosity OF your proposal but i have
something simpler 20 offer. The last
total vote of the Actors Equity Associa-
tion in its annual election of 1920 was
3T55. large number, especially when
| one considers. as you ask me to re-
| member. that most of your people were
constantly on the move and difficult to
| reach The Managers Association,
which numbers but fifty-three. and the
Dramatists Society. which numbers but
! few more, are not so itinerant and can
be more quickly reached. They voted
with equal unanimity against your policy
OF Equity Shop. suggest that we re-
submit the question to them and II they
are still against 1t that the actors accept
| the decision without further cavil, and
both sides get together for cooperative
agreement.
."Theater a Public Institution"
"In supporting your proposition you
say no one will deny that part of the
art and industry of the theater belongs
by right TO the actors. That position
is so securely taken that haven't the
slightest wish to question It, but / be-
lieve a great many will deny that all
| OF the art of the theater and the indus
try belongs to them. My own idea Of
! the theater, my dear Frank, Is that II
doesn't belong to the actor, nor to the
manager. nor to the dramatist, nor to
all Of them combined. 1t Is great
public institution.
I'm conclusion and in the fullest spirit
of the fine wish that is evident in your
offer to reopen the question. permit me
to say that l regard the present status
as fine thing for the theater. I like
the Equity Shop where 1t is applied to
the bogus managers and stranded COM
panies' l don't think we need a referen-
DUN to do this.
| IF your four thousand members will
delegate to you, Frank Gilmore, the
power ! believe can persuade these
fifty-three men to delegate to me an
equal power. and that you and can get
together long before 1924 and extend
this contract profitably to every branch
Of this great art in which we are so
| mutually interested / have an idea that
public opinion will almost demand some
thing of that kind. I do not think that
/ we are ready ior time Wnen every
man who gets any money as a wage
shall be allied In class against every
body who pays any money as a wage.
That of course is class wargare and
contrary 70 the spirit of this country OF
ours, and hope. Frank. that you will
tell Equity that said all of this TO you
many months ago before the question OF
Equity shop was raised. and that repeat
Il now because It Is my belief and not be-
cause ! am retained by the Producing
Managers Association. which as yet ]
have not had time to consult"