The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-03
WON'T foot WITH y. s. BANDS.
STAND TAKEN BY UNION MUST.
CANS HERE AND ELSEWHERE.

1--WE Have to buy Our Own Food and
Clothes" they Say, land OF Course We
can't Compete With Enlisted Men"
n L. :. band Plays At Princeton
the Union Bands VIII Ne Silent.
If the union bandmen Of Jersey belong
ing to the American Federation Of Must
clans finally consent to play with the United
States Naval Academy Band at the Prince
ton commencement exercises it will be with
the distinct understanding that the pro-
gramme will not call for any piece In which
all the bands must join.
Musicians in this city don't think that
tine union players Of Jersey will win their
fight against the Governma0t band at
Princeton.
President J F. Kelly Of the organization
in this city, Local IL, American Federation
of Musicians, said yesterday:
If this case was out in San Francisco
things would I've fixed all right. The Gov
eminent bands out there never have even
a smell at outside jobs in which they might
iujure civilian players. F.. f. Schmitz is
not only the Mayor of San Francisco, but
he's musician and is president Of our local
there.
-R1t this is very bad union town, and
it, the same way over in Jersey. Prince
ION is in the jurisdiction of Local 81 Of
Trenton, and {. F. Ruhlman is the presi-
dent who has this college commencement
fghr on his hands
We've been fighting these Government
bands for ysirs because the men are sup
ported by the Government and can afford
10 play for less than we can. They are
enlisted men. 1t is just as bad for them
TO compete with us as it would be for
lot Of enlisted men who happen TO be brick
ayers to compete with civilian bricklayers
Who have to buy their own food and clothes.
If the union musicians in Jersey and the
annapolis band are both at the exercises
they won't play anything together. That's
-ure.
Suppose the university officials wanted
grand wind-up with America or The
STAR, spangled Banner, and asked all the
happen then?" Mr. Kelly was asked.
Government band would plsy Star
Spangled Banner all by itself, or it would
play it. But union and Government win
never play note together, no matter what
the tune is or what the circumstances are"
The American Federation OF Musicians
has headquarters in st. Louis and locals
in os5 cities and towns in the United States.
The local in this city has about 1, 300 MEM
bers, but doesn't amount to 80 much as
the Musicians Mutual Protective Union
of this city. with it's $500 members. There
is no harmony between the two organizA-
lions Both OF them are fighting Govern
nent bands, but they are fighting each
other of and on.
The Mutuals think about the same Of
the Federationsts in this part OF the country
a. Nahan Frankie thought Of those Italian
players that Mascagni brought to this
country with him.
They are not real musicians" said a
Mutual player yesterday OF the American
Federation crowd in Jersey. 1They are
delicatessen men who foot around nights
at Sunday school upicnics after they've
closed their stores
The last row that was brought to the
attention Of the War Departme was at
New Orleans at a recent carnival, when all
the union bandmen were on strike. Twelve
United States musicians stationed at Jack
son Barracks were hired to play at the
festival The American Federation of
Musicians complained to Secretary Root
aud told him that the commanding officer
at the jackson Barracks had allowed his
men to compete with civilians on strike.
The commanding officer replied that he
knew of no competition, and that was the
end Of the matter.