Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-27
MANAGERS OFFER
MAY END DISPUTE
WIT H MUSICIANS
Understood to Have Made
Liberal Concessions at Last
Nights Session.
UNION TO CONSIDER
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Theater Operators Said to Be
Willing to Contract oil
Modified Basis.

A move which, it is understood, would
contemplate the retention of musicians
on a considerably curtailed basis In all
downtown Washington theaters has
oeen made in an endeavor to break the
lmpasse between musicians and their
employers which threatens to result in
strike of all organized union theatrical
employees September /, it was learned
from an authoritative source TODAY.
AT a secret session held late last
night between representative commit
tees OF the Musicians Protective Union
and the Motion Picture Theater Own
ers' Association, which followed the
virtual collapse of negotiations earlier
IN the day, the managers are under
stood to have made an offer far more
liberal than at first intended"
Unions to Receive Offer.
While details as to the exact nature
OF the offer were not forthcoming
through official channels, A. G. HAYDEN
president OF the Musicians Union, said
the latest developments were to be
taken UP by the board of the union
tooay. Inc committees. of both or
CARNATIONS will go into conference
again this afternoon, when the mu-
slc1ans will present to the managers
their answer to this latest proposal.
The managers are understood to have
hberalized their terms to the extent
that they are willing to contract for
musicians in all downtown movie houses
and certain of the larger OUTLYING
houses on substantially modified
basis. This modification, it was indi-
Gated, would pertain to wage scale as
well as time limit of the contract and
quota OF musicians to be used.
1t was learned at the musicians union
today that a liberal offer" had been
made by the managers at yesterdays
conference, but that this offer had been
withdrawn.
BirdSelI Issues Statement.
John e. BirdSell, secretary of the
union, issued the following statement
following board meeting this morning:
Although the representatives of the
Musicians Protective Union are still In
conference with the Managers Associa-
t1on, no definite offer has been received
from that association for the employ
ment OF musicians in theaters. 1t is
understood that certain theaters are
anxious to employ orchestras. but there
Is no official indication of this.
In view OF the stand Of the local
managers association, which at present
embraces no offer to employ any mu-
Sic1anS, there was no action for the
board of directors Of the union to take
at this time"
Upon the conference this afternoon
Will hinge the outcome of q threat of
all union theater employees to walk out
at midnight August 81 If the musicians
ana their employers do not reach an
agreement by that time. Proiectionists
and stage hands all over the city are
under orders from their national organ
lzations to go on strike in sympathy
with the musicians in accordance with
three-cornered alliance of the unions
Night Session Short.
A conference yesterday afternoon be-
tween the musicians and the managers
association, which lasted for four hours.
terminated without any progress being
made toward settlement Last nights
session is understood to have been brief,
convenlng shortly after $3.50 and break
ing up an hour later.
The Musicians Union, through its
secretary, John e. Birdsell, yesterday
reiterated its stand of "unalterable
opposition to the elimination of living
music from the theaters of this city."
The announcement came following a
meeting Of the board of the union
which had been considering a PROPOSE
ton made by the managers Monday.
The statement, which said further that
the union would do all in its power
to prevent the loss of living music TO
the theatergoing public of washington"
was construed as an indication that the
first proposition of the EMPLOYERS did
not meet with the approval of the musi-
clans.
Meanwhile the Rialto Theater, sched-
uled to reopen on Labor day. has
announced that it will defer resuming
operation until after the dispute is set
tied. The Rialto, before its closing, was
unqer contract to use IL men In its
orchestra.