New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
Arnalsganlation
OF OrcIlestr'as
A Wage Issue
Philharmonic and National
Merged Because Players
Refused to- Modify Pay
Scale Granted i'm War
Burden Proved Too Heavy
Union President Advocated
Concession Causing Row
Ending In Police Court

The first toll in the predicted death
knell of symphony orchestras, unless
they can be conducted on 81 non-union
basis, or unless so-called radicals in the
musicians unions .desist in their efforts
10 keep up labor costs in the face of
falling prices and unemployment, was
sounded Yesterday. This came in the
report that the announced amalgama-
tion of the Philharmonic Society and
the National Symphony Orchestra was
due 10 the refusal of large number of
the members of the local musicians
union TO revoke the present wage scale
and thereby permit profit rather than
a loss in the presentation of symphony
concerts.
According to a statement by Artur
Bodansky, conductor of the National,
which is the junior symphony organi-
cation. the amalgamation was due to
the refusal of 100 men in his orchestra
10 heed the appeal Of Samuel Finkel-
stella. president of the local union, to
accept what was He'd q necessary cut
in earnings that the National SYM
phony Orchestra might live without
the need of increasing the burden of it's
support, which is borne by rich men
interested in the organization. That at
least 100 s mphony musicians will suf-
fer from this stand of the alleged radi-
that in the combined body next season
only 100 picked men will be required,
where at present 200 are employed
While Joseph n. Weber, president of
the American Federation of Musicians,
vas unwilling to admit that the con-
so!idation was due TO the action of
the musicians opposing the cut in pay
for rehearsals and for the granting
of more time for rehearsals, he was
80 E,-r.- IL IL L L
Trouble ahead and had asked Finkel-
stein to put the proposal for decreas-
ing expenses up to the union members
This request to the musicians was
made to the members of the National
Symphony Orchestra by Finkelstein re-
Gently after rehearsal and resulted
almost directly in The row which ended
81 the arrest Of eight members of
Musicians Local, $40, Friday Finkel-
STEMS speech asking that the men
vote to revoke the wage scale adopted a
year ago, which provided for a mini
lnum wage scale of $50 week, $5 for
every extra rehearsal and SO an hour
Tor overtime, was reported to the board
OF directors Of the local union.
The board of directors Immediately
suspended Finkelstein from the Office
o. president of the local whereupon he
arpealed to the national president,
Weber. w eber TelnStated Flnkelstein
on stay of Judgment, which resulted
in defiance of the national union by
the hoard of directors, as result of
which Weber expelled the directors
from the American Federation of
Musicians. Then came the meeting
Friday and the row which ended in
police court.
For some time it has been known
that there is wide breach in the local
Union, with the radical element on the
one side ard the conservatives on the
other. 1t has been stated, and re-
peatedly, that few symphony or,
chestras could survive under the pres
ont wage scale, and it was no surprise
when the announcement came several
davs ago that there would be only two
recognized symphony organizations in
New York next season--the Philhar-
monte and the New York.
Whether the amalgamation of the
two societies was due to the action OF
the members of the National Sym
phony or whether it would have come
anyway because Of the feeling that
three such organizations could not sur
yive another slump such as the present
amusement season is going through, is
question" man well up in the
music circle in New York said yester
day