Evening star., 1930-09-10
MOVIE MUSICIANS
CONSIDER PLAN TO
BREAK DEADLOCK
BryIawski Promises Theaters
viii Remain Open in
Event of Strike.
DECLARES OWNERS HAVE
"FEW CARDS UP SLEEVE"
projectionists' Leader Says 0rgani-
cation Is Still Under Orders
to Walk Out.

Musicians embroiled with the owners
OF Washington's motion picture the
aters in controversy over tne SIZE Oh
fha orchestras the theaterS snail en-
tlov and threatening to walk out on
fhe theater owners next Monday II their
demands are not met, today were meet
irr to consider ways and means OF
breaking the present deadlock over
negotiations for a new contract with the
theater owners.
Meanwhile, washington today re-
ceived assurance that the movie tne-
aters will not be closed IN tne even' "a "a
81 strike by the musicians, or even IN
the event projection machine operators,
in sympathy with the musicians, walk
out next Monday.
The promise that the theaters would
remain open and continue to show
motion pictures was given by Julian
Brylawski, president OF the Tneater
owners Association here. just now
the theaters would carry on without the
nroiection men Mr.. Brylawski did not
saw but he declared: I'VE still nave
q few cards up our sleeve. can def1i-
nitely promise the public that the
motion pictures in Washington will con-
tinue to operate"
Under OrcerS 10 walk OuGs
Fred Stevens, president of the pro-
iectionists' organization here, tooay
said his organization still is under or
ders to walk out in sympathy with the
Musicians Union If an agreement Is
not reached by the musicians ana tne-
ater owners before Monday.
Brylawski does not believe. he says,
the projectionists, who have just signed
far increases
join the musicians if an agreement Is
not reached.
The statement the tneaters would re-
main open was made by Mr.. BrylaWskl
following q conference between theater
owners and representatives OF the
musicians organization in New York
Yesterday when the musicians repre-
seutatives are reported to have turned
Gown the theater owners latest proposal
to keep peace in the washington
theaters.
An answer to the Brylawski state
ment was made today by the musicians
union, which follows. in part:
Every effort has been made by the
musicians committee to placate the
situation to the uttermost limits that
such could be done, without the Sacrl-
fee of living music in the local theaterS.
Liberal concessions were offered and the
way left open to still further negotia-
tions. These efforts, however, were
absolutely repulsed by the executives,
who advised us at great length OF the
success with which they had met IN
the elimination of theater orchestras
in other cities and informed US that
washington was Just another town.
"The musicians are not threatening
strike. They are making every effort
to retain orchestraS in the theaters-
an effort which is being made In pub
lie interest We have not refused to
place orchestras in the Fox and Palace
Theaters, but the giant corporations
controlling these houses viii not place
any orchestraS there unless we agree
that all other orchestras and musicians
be eliminated in the houses controlled
by the other large corporations. In
other words, an apparently organized
effort is being made by these financial
giants to force all living music out of
the theaters, and they will, in further
ance of this policy, even eliminate their
stage entertainment
Economically the situation is de-
plorable. In the old days the circus
was looked upon as an undesirable
visitor, because it took much money out
OF a city and left but little return. But
& the circus remained but a few days at
any given place. Today we have a
spectacle with regard to these corpora
+ tionS which tranScends anything which
may have been created by the circus
a They operate their theaters every day
a in the year and receive millions OF
dollars in admission fees. Such OF this
money as is left in the town is largely
represented by their pay rolls. These
they seek to cut to such an extent that
the money spent for employees wages
will be insignificant. The portion o1
their receipts which has formerly been
paid in such salaries, and in turn spent
by the recipients with local merchants
will find its way into the New YORK
Golfers of these corporations, thereby
enriching their Wall Street banking
control and correspondingly impoverish-
ing the local business man."
Mr.. Brylawski's Statement.
Mr. Brylawski's statement, issued late
yesterday follows:
Our position in this controversy re-
mains the same. We have no quarrel
with the Musicians Union. We have
no differences on the pay scale, high
as it is; we do not want different con-
ditions. working hours or changed per-
quisites, but we do object to the Musl-
clans Union arbitrarily setting the size
of our orcheStras and debating the
number of musicians we must employ
in order to get any. Yet our offer fol
orcheStras where needed and musicians
in all of the downtown and larger up
town houses was rejected contemptu-
ously. With them 1t is evidently whole
hog or none The Musicians Union
and not the managers. Is taking living
music out of the theaterS.
Nowhere else in their wage scale
do they attempt TO force specin'
1atgV1, I.aR r.F tn I.
sorry employment on their clients
Hotels, dance halls, restaurants, etc.
hire as many men as they require when
ever they want them. Why, therefore
penalize the theaters? And yet music
today is but a small part of moderr
theater program. The silent picture
that required music to fill the void ha!
gone to join the horse car and tht
Kerosene lamp. Sound pictures are thu
modern entertainment, dialogue, drama
human interest, comedy. hod thu
screens--the public will have nothipI
else Songs, dances and revues anC
musical interludeS, living or canned,
Rre rapidly passing.
THE theater owners regret the pres
knt impasse-we do not feel at fault
We have not been stubborn, nor are W,
vindictive. The three-year contrac
that went out of existence September
cost the theaters of Washington hun
dreds of thousands of dollars for un
wanted and unneeded music, but 1t wa
a contract and we kept up our part of II
but we are not going to stick our heai
nm the same moose again. The theater
of Washington will meet any deman
that the public make of them and tn
Motion Picture Theater Owners of tn
District Of Columbia will keep its mem
bers' theaters open no matter wha
ha2pens."