Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-05
Managers Will Not Yield.

Members Of the musicians union assem-
bled at their headquarters today and eager
ly discussed the situation. They had been
| informed that the theater managers would
not yield. and one of the officers of the
union declared:
Then it will be a fight to a finish, for
we will not yield either"
A more conservative member stated to
Star reporter that General Secretary Jo-
seph Weber of the Musicians National AS
ISOLATION. who was here yesterday, Will re-
| turn from Philadelphia one day this week
and endeavor to bring about an amicable
settlement of the differences between the
union and the theaterS.
special meeting of the executive
! board of the musicians union will be
held at II o'clock tomorrow forenoon. to
consider the situation. At this meeting.
it is said. the union members who per-
formed today at Kernan's and the Acad-
envy will be expelled from membership
and the question of applying the boycott
considered. according to a member of
that body.
denied that kernan's orchestra of six
pieces was made up of union musicians
outside of Wagner and Schofield. 1t is
stated that the management of the Lafay-
cite will retain the orchestra of last year.
composed of non-union players, so that
trouble in that playhouse is not expected.
Mr.. Kerngood's Statement.
President William ]. kerngood of the
Musicians Union has given out the follow
ing statement:
The controversy between the musicians
and the theater managers promises to de-
velop from the acute into a chronic state.
The musicians proposed an increase in
wages, which was fatty refused. The re-
Enumeration which the musicians receive In
this city for their services compares most
unfavorably with that paid in most other
cities, whereas 1t is an acknowledged fact
that the living expenses are higher here
Besides refusing the increase in salary
the managers demand that the orchestra
now playing at the Lafayette Theater be
reinstated into the union at a much lower
Zee than the laws of the organizat ton pre-
scribe This would mean an injustice to
the other members of the union. Some of
the members of the Lafayette orchestra
voluntarily resigned to be able to avoid the
rules of the organization; others were ex-
PEELED for violating the rules
The demand of the managers includes
tons of the union rules had nothing to do
with the theater situation. This Clearly
indicates that the managers are trying to
place an impossible proposition before the
musicians and actually do dictate to them
how their laws should be applied. The
union has not refused to reinstate the men
that have violate It's laws or deserted it,
but claims 1t must be done in accordance
with the laws of the organization. Doing
otherwise would place a premium on men
who forsake the union.
"Cnderlying 1t all is the increas e in wages
The demand of the musicians is reasona HE
enough. The local union is affiliated with
the American Federation of Musicians.
which in turn controls all first-class or
ganizations, in fact, % per cent of all first
class performers.
A report has been prepared by the local
union to be submitted to the national Or
ganization, which, If the managers insist
on adherlng to the policy seemingly agreed
upon. no doubt will take up the matter.
In this way every show carrying musi-
clans will be affected. At the present date
the matter rests with the refusal of the
local union to concede to the managers de-
mands. All its members who have COM
menced their season will or have received
an order to stop playing until a satisfac-
tory settlement can be made
''Chase's Theater has accepted the musi-
clans proposition and Is consequently not
included in the controversy