Show I A WEEK IS SMALL SILL SUM FOR TIME BIG ACT By Associated ress cress NEW YORK Feb 7 Testimony that he had been compelled to go to Europe to obtain vaudeville engagements engagements engage engage- ments because some sort of agreement agreement agreement agree agree- ment among managers prevented him from obtaining bookings booking's in the United States was given by Charles T T. Aldrich Aidrich Aldrich Ald- Ald rich at the hearing before the federal trade commission of charges that the Vaudeville Managers' Managers Protective association asso- asso asso association is a combination in restraint of trade Aldrich said he went abroad in 1906 and remained until 1916 On cross examination he admitted he had been offered an engagement bythe bythe by the united booking office while he was in Europe and testified that he now is playing at a theatre here booked through the same office Details of the working of the united bo booking king office which John Walsh counsel for foJ the commission declared he would show virtually controlled the booking business were given by Sam K Hodgson its booking manager Actors are continually demanding higher compensation for their acts he declared citing as an example the case of Weber and Fields who recently recent recent- ly worked for the Keith vaudeville circuit cir cir- In 1884 they played at the old Keith theatre in Boston for 40 a week he said and after the first week weel we got them for 30 because they had no pla place e to go Our Outlast last contract with them was for a week The lowest salary he could think of which a big Jig time act now receives he said was 25 a wee week a and nd the number of acts receiving as little as or was ver very small |