Denver labor bulletin., 1915-10-23
WANT ALL MUSIC
TO Be UNI0NIzED
Federation of musicians Taking
Steps for Protection
Profitine by Example Set by Printers
Years Ago; Denver Houses Are
All in Line

The American Federation of Musi-
clans are confronted at the present time
with means of displacing their MEM
bers in theaters, especially the movie
houses, like unto that the printers
faced some years ago when the Mergen-
thaler made its appearance. This is the
expensive organ machine. 1t will be re-
membered that in the early days many
printers advocated fighting the intro
duction of the typesetting machine, but
wiser heads fought for the unionizing OF
the device, and that course was follow
ed, so that today the printers practically
control the situation. The Musicians
have profited by the example of the
printers and are rapidly placing their
members on the music machines and
propose to keep up the fight until they
are entirely successful, and are asking
and securing the aid of other trades
unions in the good work. The national
convention of Musicians in San Fran
cisco last spring took the first steps,
and various state federations of labor
have followed suit. Missouri was the
latest, and adopted the following reso-
luton unanimously:
Whereas, The machine has finally
invaded the field of music, and today
there are concerns manufacturing ma
over the United States and Canada. In
Many instances such machines have dis
placed orchestras of as high as fifty
musicians, and the American Fedora
tion of Musicians has determined to do
as the printers did with the Mergen-
thaler machine when it was introduced,
namely, control it.
"The American Federation OF Musi-
clans passed resolution at their con-
vention, held in San Francisco, Cal,
May, 1915, to the effect that all locals
of the A. F. of NJ! We're instructed to
resist, not the use OF these machines,
but their displacement of musicians.
The American Federation of Musicians
has absolutely no more objection to the
music machine than the printers had to
the Mergenthaler, but they have de-
cided that wherever these machines are
placed that they shall be operated by
members of the A. +. OF NJ, and that
they shall not be permitted TO displace
musicians; that is to say, where the
rule is that certain minimum number
of musicians shall be employed that
minimum shall not be ignored,
"These machines are being placed
more generally in picture and vaudeville
houses. In many instances the regula
tion in picture houses is but one musi-
clan; from that on up, according to the
size of the building, seating capacity
and price of admission.
In this critical moment the A. +. OF
NJ. needs the support of organized labor;
therefore, recognizing that their de-
mands are just, be it
Resolved, by the Missouri State Fed
Grafton of Labor, That all organizations
affiliated with the Missouri State Fed
Of Tah
sble assistance to the American Fed
Grafton of Musicians in enforcing theiI
demands on the employers of music
where machines are placed"
Musicians union No. 20 of Denver
has been wide awake here and today
their members operate these organs il
the various picture houses that have
them, the Paris and Isis, and they hat
the active support and cooperation o.
all organized trades to bring about thu
condition.