FOREIGN ARTISTS BANNED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21118, 27 February 1932, Page 10 (Supplement)

FOREIGN ARTISTS BANNED.

BRITISH ACTORS' VIEWPOINT. 41 MENACE TO SHOW BUSINESS." A number of British variety artists are organising a protest against the recent action of the Ministry of Labour in refusing to allow foreign performers to appear in this country. The following manifesto is being handed round for signature in various London music-halls: " We, the undersigned representative British variety artists, earnestly protest against the attitude of the Ministry of Labour against ali.en artists, which we regard as. a most serious menace to the British show business in general. " We are strongly of opinion that the situation primarily results from doubtless well-meant, but definitely ill-considered, representations on the part of certain officials of the Variety Artists' Federation, who have allowed their restricted vision to mislead the authorites. We maintain that, it is imperative that immediate steps should be taken to enlighten the Ministry of Labour with regard to the economic disaster to British variety that would bo the inevitable result of further blunders in this direction. "We consider that the Ministry of Labour should be asked immediately to receive a deputation of British artists who are in real touch with the conditions that obtain to-day." Such well-known variety performers as Nervo and Knox, Naughton and Gold, Charles Austin, the Jovcrs, and Sam Mavo are among the many who have already signed this manifesto. When the list of signatures is complete the Ministry of Labour will be asked to fix a date for a deputation. Many British variety artists are not satisfied with the constitution of Variety Artists' Federation, which they regard as somewhat out-of-date and not fully representative. There is among them a remarkable unanimity in the view that any sort of restriction on the appearance of foreign artists will be very bad for themselves. It would, they say, weaken the programmes and thus threaten their existence, already much menaced by the cinema. Further, it would cause retaliatory measures abroad, and thus rob British artists of much-needed opportunities of employment on the Continent and in America..