Evening star., 1940-04-21
New Peace Plan
Expected toSave
Symphony
Union Accepts Formula
And Bourd Will Act
Tomorrow

A swift end to the impasse be-
tween musicians of the National
Symphony Orchestra and its board
of directors, which had caused the
management to drop plans for next
season, appeared in the offing last
night.
1t remained only for the board
to accept a formula, to which the
Musicians Protective Union agreed
at a meeting yesterday, for the
whole difficulty to be settled and
the life of the orchestra preserved.
The board will take up the for
mula tomorrow, and DR.. John r..
Steelman, director of conciliation
for the Labor Department, who, en-
gineering the negotiations for a set
tlement, predicted that the pro-
posal would be accepted.
Further weight to favorable ac-
ton on the plan was added when
1t was recalled that the formula was
worked out at a joint conference
between committees from the union
and the management, so that the
directors presumably were ready to
negotiate on that basis.
Sliding Pay Scale Reported.
While the formula was not made
public pending action by the Or
chestra Association, it was under
stood to contain sliding scale of
pay, depending on the length of the
season. A two-year contract was
another clause reported tc be in
cluded
Yesterdays meeting at the union
hall. 11O5 Sixteenth street NV,
lasting nearly four hours, was at
tended by DR.. Steelman and bv
Samuel Rosenbaum, vice president
OF the Philadelphia Orchestra Asso-
citation, who volunteered his services
IN an effort to preserve the National
Symphony.
AT the close of the long meeting,
union officials referred all inquiries
TO DR.. Steelman. He said:
The formula worked out bv orr
joint committee last Tuesday has
been agreed to at a meeting of the
membership of the orchestra, and
1t was submitted today to the as
soc1ation to be acted upon at a
meeting Monday.
=! believe the action will be fav-
orable."
Gives Rosenbaum Credit.
DR.. Steelman said both parties to
the negotiations and the Cancellation
service of Labor Department gave
chief credit for the proposed settle
ment to Mr.. Rosenbaum. The exc
cutive of the famous Philadelphia
Orchestra, DR.. Steelman added, "has
been Of invaluable service to all of
u.s. Mr.. Rosenbaum served as ad-
wiser to DR.. Steelman at that off,
cials request.
DR.. Steelman admitted he had
been In constant touch with both
sides since ray of light appeared
on a dark horizon at the conference
last Tuesday.
That meeting was attended by Mr..
Rosenbaum, DR.. Steelman, A. C.
Hayden, president of the union:
Paul j. Swartz, business manger of
the union: Bob Gatz, union board
member: L. Corrin Strong, president
OF the Orchestra Association; Wal
ter B. Howe, vice president; C. C.
Cappel, orchestra manager, and
Frederick Spaulding, chairman of
the financial campaign.
Entirely Different Plan.
At the close of the Joint confer
ence Mr.. Hayden, the unions presi-
dent, remarked that it was entirely
different from any other plan which
had been discussed.
Negotiations between the musi-
clans and the management over
wages broke down during the pres
ent season. and it appeared that no
compromise could be reached. The
directors had abandoned further
plans for the orchestra when DR..
Steelman and Mr.. Rosenbaum
stepped into the picture. They found
both sides cooperative, however,
and eager to settle the controversy
If some plan could be worked out.
Last Sunday DR.. Hans Kinder di-
fected the orchestra in the closing
concert of the seasonal concert
that might we'll have been the Or
chestra's swan song-and the all
request program, modified somewhat
to suit the mood of the occasion,
brought the conductor and his play