Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-21
BY JOHN f. BRDSELL.

\ wanted in the theaters of washington?
| The corporations which control these
theaters. through their local spokes-
men, have said that such is the case.
| The Musicians Protective Union be-
lieves otherwise. Which is correct?
In a recent article, appearing under
the signature of their local representa-
| tive these corporations so far forgot
their position as to admit that
! theater orchestra is pleasant and deco
rative. but not essential" But this brief
| lapse was speedily atoned by the thun-
derous pronunciamento that the thea
ter owners insist on their American
| right TO employ those whom they, in
! their judgment require, at the proper
time and for the proper scale
In other words. the American rlgnt
of the theater corporations is to employ
what music they please, when they
please. and for what they please. Ana
the article leaves no doubt in the MIND
of any one that their general attitude
is not to employ 1t at all, If such can
possibly be avoided. No American
right" is accorded by thaf statement TO
the public, which pays the expenses and
dividends of these corporations. TO have
any say in the matter whatver NO
American right is accorded TO the
musicians. whose professional reputation
and livelihood are at stake, TO raise
their voice to negotiate conditions wnlch
affect them as directly as they do the
theater corporations.
we fear that these corporations are
attempting to wave the American nag
over a proposition of absolutism, I'M
dreamed of in the days of czarist Rus
STA Are these corporate entities TO
dictate to the Washington public the
type OF entertainment for which 1t shah
pay its money? Are their employees 10
which they shall work? Verify, there
are MANY American rights of which
these corporations have, apparently,
never heard.
Not Merely Unitarian.
In his recent article. the corporate
spokesman informs us that In the Gays
when all movies were silent, IL was
found that music was a necessary con-
comitant to the showing of these pic
lures TO fill the void caused by the
silent screen" We may overlook the
solecism of a screen, silent or other
wise. causing a void. But we cannot
overlook the erroneous inference that
music served merely unitarian pur-
pose In filmic entertainment
The demand for the fine orchestras
in the picture theaters was grounded
in the real love of beautiful music
which has always existed in the hearts
of the people Although the character
of the music played was dictated by
the action on the screen, 1t was the
beauty of the music itself, and not the
necessity of eliminating an offensive
silence. which won for the orchestra
its place in the movie palace.
Before the advent of these theaters,
the love of music, which the American
public has always possessed. could only
be properly satisfied by the large sym
phony orchestras. operate companies
and similar organizations. These, how
ever. could not fill the musical wants
of the vast public. because in order TO
sustain themselves, it was necessary TO
charge a high rate of admission. This
| made 1t impossible for most of the peo-
pie to attend such performances with
any degree of frequency, and many
could not go at all.
The picture theaters, through their
| ability to play to many large audiences
each day, we're able to provide the pub
| lie, not only with acceptable screen
entertainment, but with excellent music,
at a comparatively small admission.
! The late Marcus Loew, in a speech de-
| livered at the opening of the Palace
/ Theater in this city. referred to music
/ and the cinema as the twin arts
which indeed they had come to be-
/ and, like twins, each was separate
! entity, depending upon It's individual
merit for success. The innate fond
! ness for music which the American
I public had always possessed, was quick
ened by the constant opportunity af-
| forded to near the best in musical
( literature. Their artistic perception
/ was so developed that their exactions
| became greater with respect to the
quality of the orchestra than TO the
quality Of the picture. The picture
might be good at times, and at other
times not so good. But no let-down
was ever tolerated on the part OF the
orchestra.
offered No Real Substitute.
The advent of the sound picture has
offered nothing which the public can
accept as a substitute for the splendid
orchestras which it is accustomed to
hear. Not a single theatergoer Is
| deluded by the thought that in listening
to a photographic recording OF even
the most famous orchestra that he is
| listening to that orchestra itself. nor
! anything other than a mechanical and
| distorted reproduction of the work OF
that orchestra In the home, such
| reproductions may be entertaining and
! instructive, but do they possess that
merit which would justify any one
paying admission to theater to hear
! them?
| Feeling that their personal views on
| this subject might be biased by reason
| OF their direct interest in the question,
! the theater musicians have submitted
| the matter to their real employers, the
| Washington public. This referendum,
which has been in progress for only one
1 week, has resulted in over Is 900 people
/ declaring that they did not care to at
! tend theaters which do not provide NV
! iF,o YY4iIcip Frhic number TpnTcCPnfS
more than 95 per cent Of those whom
| our members have thus far, had OPP
portunity to approach. 1t is quite EVIL
| dent that living music is not "unneeded
| and unwanted" by Washington. We
! must emphasize the fact that these
votes, the number of which is given 10
| the public press each day, are en- file
| in our office, and open to inspection by
any properly accredited representative
Of the public, the press or the theaters.
| The few people who have declined to
| sign these ballots based their refusal
upon the false and misleading statement
! OF the thester corporations that the
| musicians union dictates the number
of men which each house shall and
must employ before music will be
| allowed to play in the theater" 1t is
the theater owners and not the must
clans who insist upon being dictators
on this point. The owners insist that
It is their american right" to have
their Judgment alone determine the
| matter The musicians have never
dictated the number of men TO be en-
ployed. any more than they have die
tated the wage scale. To the musician,
these matters always have been, and
still are. matters of negotiation. When
negotiations have reached the point that
| there is a mutual agreement contract
is signed. which equally binds both
parties thereto.
Proper Subject of Negotiation.
| THAT the number of men who should