The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-10
DAVID BELASCO
THREATENS TO
SMASH EQUITY
He Signed on Dotted
Line Before
By FREDERICK KTJH



(Stan Correspondent of The Federated Press,
NEW YORK, March with an
upstage theatrical flourish, David Be.
lasco has thrown down a fat chaI-
ienge to the Actors Equity Associa-
ton, affiliated to the American Fed
Grafton of Labor. Belasco ANNOUNCES
ms intention of closing his Broadway
theater and shutting down his pro.
auctions now on tour within a few
weeks. He admits frankly that this
move is directed against the actors
organization.
Information elected by The FEEDER.
ated Press in theatrical circles shows
that Belasco's threat to close his pro-
auctions is little more than a stage
trick. AS matter Of fact, all the
Belasco presentations will continue
as originally contemplated. Those
: lays which will be taken off the
boards will have completed their an.
tieipated run. No change of plan will
be effected.
The Belasco version of The Mer-
chant of Venice will be removed from
the theater soon-but no sooner than
had been arranged before Belascc
declared his purpose of exacting the
pound of flesh from his employees
The same applies to The Other Rose
Xxi, and Laugh, Clown, Laugh.
Belasco's personal record suggests
that his dramatic utterances should
not be taken too seriously. Before he
became one of the Thoroly Sue
cessful, Belasco himself used to speak
boldly about his determination OF
fighting the theatrical trust. But nc
sooner had he established himself
comfortably than Belasco emerged as
one of the ringleaders of that same
trust. During the actors strike in
1919, to the accompaniment of loud
publicity, Belasco announced that I'M
der no conditions would he accept the
terms of the striking players. A
few weeks later=without the usual
trumpets and cymbals-he accepted
those terms and signed on the dotted
line.
Union Will Fight.
If the statement of his own inten.
tons may be regarded as sheer stage.
effect, Belasco's eagerness to provoke
new managers war against the &C.
tors organization is beyond doubt
Belaseo Is convinced that the hour ha:
arrived to break up the Equity. The
union is determined to accept Belas
co.'s challenge.
In formal prenouncement to the
press, Belasco has scurried for shelter
behind the skirts Of art before
launching his offensive against the
theatrical workers. He asserts thai
"the theater is not a shop" The
principles. Of organized labor, he says
do not apply to the theater, nor fol
that matter to any art. He does moi
elucidate why actors should not unite
to assure themselves decent working
conditions, living wages and voice
in the Management of the plays which
they produce. With a darkened spot
light and soft tremolo stops, BelascC
cries "Art" and let's it go at that.
Poor PIutesl
"No manager worthy of the name
goes into the theater for money
states the smugly aesthetic Belasco
eve all die poor"
If you have tears, prepare to sheC
a few of 'em for the tattered, hungry
profiteers of Broadway. Remember
how many of them can only afforC
one private yacht, that most of then
must be content with only two yel.ly
journeys to Palm Beach and thai
scarcely single theatrical manager
today can maintain more than foul
upholstered automobiles. No; Belas
90, we would have guessed that yoI
could do better than this. With al
your experience, you appear to be {
tenth understudy when it comes K
kidding the actors. To say nothing
of the audience.
Could Get Along.
In a retort, issued to the press
Frank Gilmore, secretary Actor
EQUITY Association, discounted Belas
co.'s iambuoyant threats and indi
Gated that, if need be, the American
stage could stagger along quite
smoothly without Belasco's man
agerial activities, Gilmore hints tina
that theatrical gentleman is strongl.
inclined to exaggerate his own i'm
portance.
It remains to be seen whether Bel
ssco's effort to arouse his fellow
managers, many of whom are nov
summing themselves on lavish Floridi
estates, to fresh campaign agains
American actors, proves fruitful.