New-York tribune., 1921-08-08
Bands Strike
Puts Singers ON
Film Programs
Director of Broadway Thea
ters Says Audiences Like
Voices as Much as They
Did Orchestral Music
Vaudeville Houses Ready
Outside Musicians Expected
to Take Places of City's
Idle Instr1lmentalists

Tho failure Of more than 1900 mu-
sicians to report for duty at moving
picture theaters along Broadway yes
terday because Of their refusa! to &C
cept 20 per cent reduction in pay ap-
pesred to have very little effect on the
entertainments.
The afternoon and evening programs
at the Capitol, Strand, Rivoli, Rialto
and Criterion were given as usual, with
The musical accompaniment supplied
by organ and piano solosts ard large
shoruses hastily assembled to take the
place Of the striking musicians.
About 500 Of the musicians employed
IN the 100 vaudeville houses Of the city
quit at midnight last night. All the
. enterprises. Of the Keith, Proctor, Loew,
Moss and Fox circuits are affected.
The managers, however, have been
making preparations for the strike and
say they will have full orchestras
ready when the curtains so Up to-day.
People Like Choruses
Hugo Riesenfeld. managing director
OF the Rivoli, RiaIto and Criterion
theaters, said he had little trouble in
obtaining organ and piano solosts for
tho three houses, whore he said he also
added choruses of fifty voices to sub
stitute for the orchestras.
The pretty part about the matter
49," commented Mr.. Riesenfeld, "that
the audiences seem to like the chorus ses
better than the orchestras. dou't
think there will be any musicians
strike after few days.
At the Capitol and Strand large
choruses had also been installed, with
singing and instrumental soloists. It
was said here that the idea Of main
tanning the innovations as perma-
nent fixture is being considered by the
arrangements.
Henry V. Donnelly. secretary OF the
Musical Mutual Protective Union, in
sisted yesterday that the musicians
had been locked out. "The men con-
slider the proposed reduction an injus-
more determined to hold out to the
end" he said.
From other quarters, however, there
we're intimations that the strike would
prove a fizzle, and that a few days
would see many Of the players back at
the reduced scale of pay. Managers
of the motion picture and vaudeville
theatres say that musicians from other
cities are being brought to New York
in large numbers with the assistance
OF the American Federation of Musi-
clans, the national body, from which
the local union recently was expelled
In addition, it is pointed out that the
union men are divided among them
selves, the conservative element argu-
ing with the more radical on the ad-
visibility of returning to work at the
reduced scale.
Leader Explains Status
Managers take the position that She
present attendance at theaters makes
the salary reduction absolutely neces-
sary. In connection with the aid given
the theatcr directors by the American
Federation of Musicians, Joseph n
Weber. head Of the latter orga ganization,
issued the following statements:
"The American Federation OF Musi-
clans does not recognize the existence
of a local union in New York City, but
there will be one soon.
"The city is therefore open to the
musicians of the country who may
want jobs. No man can be blacklist ted
or penalized as non-union who nov
comes here to work or who remains at
work. There is no possibility that un-
der existing conditions that what was
formerly Local $40 of our organi2a-
tion will be restored to good standing
or its charter returned" The national
body is affiliated with the American
Federation Of Labor