Evening star., 1939-08-08
Open A. F. Hearing
On Actors Dispute
In Prospect
A. A. A. A. Strike
Threatened if New
Alliance Stands
BY the Associated Press.

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ATLANTIC CITY, N. j.. Aug. g.
The Executive Council of the Amer
lean Federation OF Labor, which
always has met in private, may hold
an open meeting Thursday when
movie, stage and radio stars are
scheduled to thresh out union prob
lens.
William Green, A. F.. l.. president,
said he couldn't possibly remember
what would be discussed and would
not be able to report accurately the
council meeting. 1t has been Gus
tom to have Mr. Green report coun-
Gil discussions.
Custer Starts War.
The entertainers recently had
their ranks split when the Asso-
ciated Actors and Artists of Amer
lea. parent of a dozen theatrical
unions, ousted the American Fed
Grafton of Actors The A. F. A.,
headed by Sophie Tucker, is COM
posed of vaudeville, night club and
circus entertainers. The group was
taken in by the Stage Hands Union,
an affiliate Of the International AL
lance of Theatrical Stage Employees
The A. A. A. A., headed by Frank
Gilmore, has threatened a strike
if the A. F. L. fails to break up the
combination of the A. F.. A. and
Stage Hands Union. The A. A. A.
A., in making its demand for the
breakup, referred the A. F. L. to
a section of its constitution which
reads:
No organization that has been
expelled by an organization
connected with the federation shall
be allowed representation in any
union connected with the American
Federation of Labor under the pen
atty of suspension of the body vio-
lating this section"
Enforcement Refusal Charged.
Recently, the A. A. A. A. in a
printed statement complained Mr.
Green had refused to enforce that
provision by notifying State and
central bodies that the A. F. A. was
no longer a member of the A. F. L."
Mr.. Green said he tried to head
off, the jurisdictional fight, which
he described as the worst I ever
encountered" but that the A. A. A. A.
rejected his offer to appoint con-
ciliation committee.
Among those expected to take
part in the discussion with the
Executive Council are Ralph Nor
gan. president of the Screen Actors
Guild; Wayne Morris, Henry Hull,
Edward Arnold, Jean Muir, Mischa
Auer, Larry Steers, Chester Morris, |
Kenneth Thomson, Ralph White
head, executive secretary of the A.
F. A.; George Brown, president of
the Stage Hands Union; Miss
Tucker and Mr.. Gilmore.
Tallulah Bankhead, the actress, |
said in a statement today that the |
action of George Browne. president |
of the I. A. T. S. E. in invading |
the jurisdiction of the A. A. A. A."
was outrageous"
He should be severely punished
by the A. F. of L." the actress as
serted.
"On what meat does this, our
Caesar, feed that he has grown so
great? This stock company Hitler
should be, and must be hobbled be-
fore he does irreparable damage to
the theater and screen"
If the A. F. of L. "condones" Mr.
Brownies move, she said, the actors |
and actresses would have no recourse
other than to withdraw from that |
body and act as an independent |
union"
The building trades section of the
council was scheduled to meet today |
with the Associated General Con-
tractors to discuss the latter's COM
plants over jurisdictional disputes
between craft unions.