The New York herald., 1922-12-14
new PLAN KILLS Off
TICKET SPECTATORS
Producing Managers Vote to
Establish Central Agency
Like Railroads.
CHARGE TO BE TEN CENTS
Selling Branches to Be Scat
tered All Over City and
the Suburbs.

The Producing Managers Association
at meeting yesterday afternoon
voted overwhelmingly in favor OF a
plan to curb the ticket speculation
evil by establishing a central ticket
agency similar to the consolidated
offices Of the railroads, This action
upheld the minority report of the
board of directors and rejected the
majority report The latter report re-
ceived large majority of votes from
the board Of directors last week, but
won only two votes yesterday in the
general meeting.
This vote is practically final, though
more elaborate details will be worked
out by the committee in charge ana
presented soon for ratification at an
other meeting. Lee Shubert. A. l.
Erlanger Edgar Selwyn and Sam
Harris have been on the committee
The proposal Of central ucke'
agency has been agitated for some
time among the managers, and at one
time some of the most ardent advo-
Gates of limiting the ticket specula-
tors. such as William A. Brady, de-
SPARED of any definite decision.
The plan does not necessarily mean
that the proposSl of Joseph LEBLANC
who runs cut rate agency, TO conduct
this centralized bureau personally viii
be adopted. Such details will be left to
the committee. though 1t may be pos
sible that LEBLANC may be connected
with the bureau. An advance or lV
cents will be charged on the box office
price of all tickets at the agency, ID
defray the cost of the overhead.
The alternative plan adopted earlier
bv the committee was submitted by John
Mcbride OF McBride's agency and VIII
lam J. Fallon of Tyson's agency. lhls
called for the sale of tickets through
the theater box Offices and the existing
agencies. the agencies to be regulated
by the theaters through contracts wnich
would prohibit them from charging pre-
miums I'm excess of so cents, from dis
eliminating for or against plays py
pushing ticket sales OF one against the
other and by refusing to sell tickets out
right to yhe agencies placing them on
sale on commission llSttdus
In the discussion of the two plans
submitted IT developed that the sense
Of the meeting was that a central agency
at which seats for all theaters could be
purchased at an advance of 10 cents
over the box office price would meet
with the needs of the public better than
an attempt 20 regulate the present sys-
tenn.
The restoration OF the box office was
suggested. but II was agreed that mod
ern traffic conditions had made shopping
for tickets among the theaters them
selves 80 difficult as to be almost impos-
sibIe. The box Office will be maintained
for the sale OF tickets at performance
time. but AT all other times tickets viii
be disposed of through the central
agency and it's branches. Under the
plan now in contemplation these
branches will he scattered not only
throughout the city but in the suburbs
as well.
The question OF spectators buying
up the tickets for the successes from
the central agency and reselling them
at fancy prices was brought up, and
while IL was admitted that this evil
might continue for some time, the be-
lief was expressed that the proposed plan
would In large measure eradicate II and
that shortly after its adoption 1t would
be reduced to negligible minimum
Thirty OF the fifty-throe members OF
the organization were present. repre-
senting practically every legitimate the
ater in the city. Lee Shubert and A. L.
Eranger. who control the majority Of
legitimate thcaters in New York, favored
the central agency plan. Mr.. Shubert
advocated It's adoption and said he had
authority 10 voice the approval OF Mr.
Erlanger. who is on tho Pacific coast.