Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-01-23
Pay Deadlock
Threatens
Symphony
Board Agrees
To Cancel Fund
Drive for Season

The end Of the National Symphony
Orchestra which has red lettered
Washington's musical calendar for
nine years was threatened today be-
cause Of an impaSse over wage de-
nands Of its members.
The board of directors of the
National Symphony Orchestra As
ISOLATION late yesterday announced
the cancellation of the sustaining
fund drive for the 1904 season
and prepared to dissolve the corps
of TOO volunteer workers ready to
open the campaign within two weeks.
The board members voted unani-
mously to cancel the drive after the
association president, L. Corrin
Strong, announced that negotiations
with the Musicians Protective Union
local, an American Federation of
Labor affiliate, had collapsed.
Want $40 Weekly Increase.
The deadlock came over a union
demand for a $40 a week pay in
crease for the 80 members of the
orchestra, after other clauses Incl
dent to contract renewal had been
temporarily agreed on.
The union had also requested an
increase in next winters season
from % to q weeks and, according
to Mr.. Strong, substantial but
not final compromise had been
reached for a 25-week season.
Mr.. Strong announced that the
demanded pay raise would swell
the operating deficit by $27 900, max
ing a total deficit of $4,000, the
goal which would have to be an
nounced for the sustaining fund
drive.
Believes Campaign Would Fail.
The negotiations between asso-
citation officials and the union were
begun last November and a dead
lock appeared imminent January
Is. At that time Mr. Strong wrote
q letter to G. r. Brinton, union Sec
retary-copies of which were dis
tributed to members of the orches-
train which Mr.. Strong pointed
out that in the opinion of the ad-
illustrators "a campaign for $780,
600 would fail"
After making it clear that nego-
tiations between the musicians and
the association had gone along on
an amicable basis, Mr.. Brinton said
today that the real foundation of
the deadlock rests with the public.
There actually exists no, dis
agreement" Mr.. Brinton explained,
because the association agrees that
the men should get more money
from an annual standpoint, but
that the trouble comes in collect
ing the money through public SUBJ
sscription. ~
80, you see, that throws it right
up to the public. The orchestra
is and has been their baby"
Mr.. Strong pointed out further
In his letter that the estimated
deficit of the orchestra was in
creased from 100000 to $4,000
last year in order to meet the re-
quests of the union for two addi-
tional weeks service, but I'VE still
fell short of our goal"
On the day Mr.. Strong's letter
was written, the directors of the
association had authorized a cam
paign for sos 900 sustaining fund
for an orchestra next season of not
less than 80 men, on the condition
that on or before January 10 an
agreement be reached with the
union for the same base pay as in
the current contract.
The union asked for an extension
until last Sunday and at that time
voted to reject the directors pro-
posal. Yesterdays special meeting
Of the board followed.
Resolution Is Adopted.
After a review and discussion of
negotiations, the directors adopted
the following resolution:
Resolved: That in view of the
failure to reach an agreement upon
Z the terms of the 1904 contract
J between the Musicians Protective
Union and the National Symphony
Orchestra Association, within the
time limit necessitated by our plans,
{ the sustaining fund campaign sched-
uled for February to Is is hereby
. called off and volunteer campaign
workers will be Immediately notified
Of this decision"
The orchestra, with its conductor
DR.. Hans Kinder, left yesterday for
q scheduled nine-day concert tour
" U}roi,,io and Vast VIRGINIA