Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-12
CAPITAL MUSICIANS
ARE ASKING PUBLIC
/. TO BOYCOTT SHOWS
Circulate Petitions PIedglng
Signers to Insist Upon
olive Music"
SYMPATHETIC STRIKE
THREAT STILL STANDS
Owners Representative Assures
Theatergoers Picture Houses Here
Will Not Be Dark.

In furtherance of its fight for the
preservation of living music" in the
theaters of Washington, the Musicians
Protective Union, local of the Ameri-
can Federation of Musicians, today is
circulating throughout the National
Capital petitions of opposition to
canned music"
The members of the union are So
lcltlng names of persons for enroll
ment in the Music Defense League, who
sign up under the pledge II will not
patronlze any theater that does not use
adequate living music"
Although the campaign was inaugu-
rated here only yesterday, John E.
Blrdsell. secretary of the local union,
said that approximately 500 names have
been received at the headquarters of
the union. This, however, he explained,
can hardly be construed as an adequate
indication Of the extent and effect Of
the campaign, since 1t has just begun.
We expect through this method to
impress upon the minds of the employ
ers that this is not only fight for the
retention of musicians in theaters, but
battle to provide what the public de-
mands."
The Music Defense League is not q
new organization. 1t was created by the
American Federation of Musicians soon
after the debut of talking and musically
synchronized moving pictures, and the
campaign has been in progress through
advertising in nationally read magazines
and periodicals.
Strikers Are Defied.
With the sympathy strike of all or
ganized union employees in Washington
theaterS scheduled to take effect with
the lockout" of the musicians next
week. A. Julian Brylawski, president of
the Motion Picture Theater Owners
Association, reiterated today the pre-
parednesS of his organization to meet
a walk-out.
Without disclosing to what method
the employers would resort to keep the
motion picture houses open, Brylawski
said, I'VE have not yet laid all our
cards on the table. but we can assure
the public that Washington theaters
will not be dark"
In commenting on the sympathy
strike ordered by the national head
Hands Unions to take effect in the
National Capital, Brylawski said he
failed to understand why similar
strikes were not ordered in other cities
in which contracts for musicians were
not renewed.
I'm Philadelphia and Camden, for
instance, 1 read today that orcheStras
are CUT Vi IAlc J1tCdICAS OCCdltoC Va nun
renewal of contracts" he said. But
no order for sympathy strike OF other
theater employees was issued. If the
unionists expected to get wider pub
licity for the cause of the musicians
by ordering a strike in the Capital OF
the United States, which is certainly
less Of union city than any other,
then they will meet with disappoint-
ment."
Sympathy Strike Order Stands.
No rescission of the order for SYM
pathy strike has been received at the
local of the Moving Picture Machine
Operators Union today. AS the situa-
ton now stands, they must follow ma
tional headquarters instruction to walk
out if no agreement satisfactory to the
musicians is reached"
Although the contract between the
Musicians Protective Union and the
Motion Picture Theater Owners Asso-
citation, which was in blanket form, ex-
pired August 81, a two weeks preserva-
ton of the status quo of the musicians
in local theaterS was agreed to at con-
ference in New York, August 90, 1t
was thought that this extension would
result in the formation of some settle
ment of the dispute. The complete col
lapse of negotiations in New York Mon
day, however, virtually constituted a
termination of attempts to reach an
agreement.