The sun., 1912-07-02
MUSICIANS QUIT ALL
BUT ONE Of THE SHOWS
Want More Money and the
Show Producers Aren't In.
clincd to Give 1t.
PIANO REPLACES THEM
At the Moulin Rouge Show
Goes On With Two Pianos
and a Bass Drum.

TheatrcgOers were surprised last night
when there was no tuning up Of flddles
from the orchestra. but in the place OF
them one pianist. in most OF the theatres.
striving his best to make up for the noise
made by fourteen. For the latest thing
Is strike among orchestra musicians or
something 80 close to a strike that theatre
managers are getting worried. Tho Globe
Theatre was the only place in town where
an orchestra is really needed that had its
fddlcrs at work last night.
The wage agreement between the Musi-
cal Protective Union. the organizati tion Of
the musicians and the theatre managers
which has lasted three years. expired
yesterday. The union demanded that its
members. who now got s24 n week. receive
$50 week Otherwise they would not
come back. they said.
As a consequence when il was time for
the matinee performance at William Ham
mcrstein's Roof Garden yesterday after
noon the fourteen members of the orches-
ira were told by Mr.. Hammerstein that
he would not grant the increase and they
went away.
Mr. Hammerstein had expected soinc
such action on the part of the union and
he arranged with Max Vincenti a regular
vaudeville performer. to play one piano
that was put on the stage and then he
sent hurry calls out for six more pianists
to relieve each other. lie said last night
that he is perfectly satisfied with the piano
! players and in all probability would not
take hack the musicians who left. but
save money and stick to piano players.
He was thinking of purchasing mechan-
ical piano TO give tired fingers rest.
Over at the Moulin Rouge. where they
have one of the biggest orchestras in
town, thirty-two musicians altogether.
they had Frank Darling. the regular
orchestra leader playing one piano with
drummer. Being a drummer is profit
able just now, for the management OF
the Moulin Rouge said that they paid
the drummer 500 week. They had
been expecting a walkout there since
Saturday night, when the union informed
At the Comedy Theatre, Where Buntv
is pulling the strings, they only had four
in the orchestra, and said last night that
they dismissed them because Of a re-
trenchment policy during the summer
rather than any disagreement about
The proprietors of "The Rose Maid"
at the Globe Theatre. Werba 4 Lueecher
have contract with the theatre owners
whereby the latter agree to provide
the Eltls1c, 40 they SIMPLY yielded 10 the
demands Of the union. raised the scale
and went ahead with their regular or
chestra on the job.
0WilliamJ. Kerngood. president Of Local
$40 of the Musical Mutual Prote ctive
Union. said last night that there wasn't
any real strike. The union had for .
long time been dissatisfied with the terms
of the three year contract with the man
ayers. and when the contract expired
they decided not to work for anything
less than their demand.
A theatre manager said yesterday
that he regarded So4 week as enough
money to pay provided there was no
classified scale among the musicians.
I'VE have to pay the youngest member
of the union exactly the same as tho
veteran. He only has to play eight
times a week. and I think that IS for q
! few hours work of that sort is sufficient