United labor bulletin., 1911-08-03
MUSICIANS EXPLAIN
IMPOSITION OF FINE
Joe Weber Makes Statement for
The Bulletin.
(sy Joe N. Weber, President American
Federation of Musicians)

peg to correct an erroneous impress
SION that the Sorrentino band, which was
recently hned by the committee of the
American Federation Of Musicians. wa.
SO fined for the reason that s,id h,ad
had accepted an engagement in the civ
OF Denver against the wishes of the To-
cal union; such is not the case. The
members of the Sorrentino band were in
violation of national laws, and that the
investigation was held in Denver was
SIMPLY an accident, the national Commit
tee not finding it possible to reach the
band sooner for the reason that the band.
prior to coming to Denver, played onIy
short engagements.
As to the makeup of the band. the
same is not a regularly constituted or
ganlzaton, never having played together
until prior to the opening of the present
season. During the winter time some
members follow other vocations: there
were tallors, BARRIERS, glass jewellers,
lodging house keepers, etc, In the band.
The members of the band were engaged
from all over the country and therefore
II is not an organization, as the public
was lead to believe that mas a continu-
Gus existence; however, that has nothing
to do with the question.
The members of the band belong to
the American Federation of Musicians.
and therefore bound by its laws tbe
1 . IL
| only the law that provides that musi-
clans, when travelling, must have sleep-
ing accommodations, but also other laws
winch the members of the band violated:
Tor instance, great number of them be-
| long to the Italian Musicians union in
New York, an organization which main
tains scale of prices below that of the
Federation. While in New York such
members belong to the opposition, but
when travelling outside of New York they
| carry Federation cards, denying their al
lesiance to the Italian union in New
York. This fraud upon the Federation
was conclusively proven, which led to the
Expulsion from the Federation of quite a
| number of the members of the Sorren-
tino band.
Ii a man takes an obligation to belong
to an organization, and at the same time
commits a fraud on the organization by
maintaining membership in another or
Sanlzauon antaSonlstlc TO it, then the or
Sanlzauon certainly has the right to dis
clpIne such a man As to sleeping car
accommodations, the travelling musi-
clans, with opera companies, travelling
bands, etc. often play one-night stands:
| they must take their trains after the per-
| formance, rehearse the greater part of
the next day, play a performance again
| ehe following evening, travel again that
night, and so on ad in1initum. 1t is abso-
lutely impossible for such men to stand
the strain if no sleeping accommodations
are furnished them. If they must pay
for their own sleepers they would find it
impossible, the wages paid them not per-
hitting it; therefore, the Federation ac-
cepted the rule that sleeping accommoda-
| tons must be furnished the men while
/ travelling
| So far this season SCREENINGS band
/ was the nrst which saved to their pro-
/ prietor the expense Tor sleepers. If the
/ federation would permit this, it would
simply mean that all travelling musicians
would have to return to the hardships
heretofore suffered in that direction. The
] members of the band, as well as Sorren-
/ tino, knew what they were doing, there
fore had to accept the consequences of
the fine placed on them, which at best
was only nominal one
As to the claim that had the Sorren-
uno band not played III Denver, they
would not have been tined, it is too ridic-
ulous TO need further correction.
This much l feel constrained to say,
that if Denver band received anywhere
near the sum that is paid to outside
bands, this city has enough talent to
furnish band which would be second
TO none in the country. l am more than
willing to refer this to the Judgment OF
men of national name, fame and reputa-
tion. To my knowledge, in no other
cities have the local musicians so hard
stand to have their qualifications prop
erly recognized as in Denver. This city
could maintain a band composed of local
talent that not only Denver, but the en-
tire Colorado, would be proud Of Under
present conditions outside bands receive
the preference, and receive a great deal
more pay than is offered the Denver mu-
sieians. Denver musicians are only em-
MI IN fbut
lastingly interrupted. 1t is not the Den
yer musicians fault that regularly or
ganized band. say of 40 men, is not or
ganized. II to men an engagement is
only offered for a brief season they nat
urally look for employment elsewhere,
which then makes it difficult for the
bandmaster to secure the best talent that
can be found in Denver.
In conclusion l reiterate that the
Denver union has absolutely nothing to
do with the discipliniug of the Sorren-
tino band. neither was same disciplined
for the reason that they played an en-
gagement in the city of Denver. IL is
only to be hoped that the money now
paid for outside band will be utilized for
a local band. and am sure local band
can be organized that will be second to
no imported band.
AS long as the Italian bands will live
up TO the laws of the American Fedora
tion OF Musicians their membership in
the organization will not be challenged.
but II they follow the policy. as hereto
fore. of lowering the standard OF life for
the American musicians, the latter will
continue to protect their interests. The
fact that a bandmaster. like Sorrentino.
profits to the tune of about $500 week
by soliciting and finding lucrative en-
gagements for his band viii not deter
the American musician from seeing TO II
that the laws OF It's organization VIII not
be violated.