Evening star., 1947-07-09

Jill uSlOn Ol tlSHt NY 1CS CiySCdls
either on the lens of the camera it
self or just in front of 1t. They
might just as well have been eireu-
PetriIIo Awaits Recall
By House Probers Of
Music Union Policies
James C. Petrillo, president of the
American Federation of Musicians,
today awaited a return engagement
later this month with the House
Labor Subcommittee which is try
ing to determine whether his past
and prospective policies are out Of
tune with the public interest, anti
trust laws and new labor statutes.
Two days of public hearings ended
late yesterday with Mr.. Petrillo' S
thanks to the subcommittee for not
having turned the sessions into q
"burlesque show"
The investigating group, in turn,
warned the union chief to read
carefully" his own testimony lest he
run afoul of the ban on conspiracy
in restraint of trade. Other wit
nesses are to be heard beginning
next Monday.
Angered by Mr.. Petrillo's threat
to stop his musicians from making
photograph recordings after De-
cember 81 and from participating in
radio network musical programs
after February /, committee men,
bers outlined the following dangers
he faces If he goes through with
that plan:
l. Action by the National Labor
Relations Board, under the Taft
Hartley labor law, to 60 into court
for an injunction to enforce pos
sible charges OF unfair labor prac-
tees
2. Prosecution on charges of con-
L
threatened ban drives smaller COM
panies out Of business.
Penalties to Be Invoked.
3. Invoking penalties of the Taft
Hartley law or the Lea law on the
ground that such a ban might be
construed as a strike to force radio
stations and recording companies
to accept "featherbedding" devices.
4. Charges that Mr.. Petrillo, as
ATM president, might be "coercing"
union musicians in drive that
could deprive them OF jobs.
S. Recommendations for special
congressional legislation to plug
whatever loopholes Mr.. Petrillo
might find in existing laws.
6. An appeal to his good nature
and musicianship" to consider how
millions of people would be deprived
of adequate music and how musical
and scientific progress would be re-
tarded.
Subcommittee Chairman Kearns,
Republican, of Pennsylvania, who be-
longs to the ATM, said he was en-
couraged by Mr.. Petrillo's premise
to meet this summer with educa-
tors in an effort to work out an
arrangement for allowing school
children to make music broadcasts.
He also commended Mr.. Petrillo
for agreeing to confer with military
service bands on plan for record
ing their music for use in training
school children but not for COM
mercial broadcasts.
Mr.. Petrillo, however, refused to
make personal concession in favor
of Mr.. Kearns II the subcommittee
chairman decides to take part in
concerts Of the National Music
Camp at Interlochen, Mich. That
project, he declared, Is still on the
AIM "black list" because the union
considers it as q commercial venture.
"1f Mr.. Kearns conducts an Or
chestra out there without the per-
mission Of the union" Mr.. Petrillo
said, "he would have to stand trial.
I wouldn't advise him to conduct
there. I would advise that we talk
the matter over"
The union chief added that the
Taft Hartley law prevents the AIM
from interfering with broadcasts
from Interlochen.
He admitted also that the recently
enacted law also prohibits his union
from requiring radio stations and
theaters from paying union musi-
clans as "stand-bys" while non-
union musicians perform
II believe the law says no en-
ployer can pay any one who does
not perform any service" he said.
IT believe that stops stand -bys
entirely"
Secondary Boycotts.'
The same applies, he said, to
union secondary boycotts" such as
forcing, a small radio station to
come to terms by threatening to re-
move big bands from national net
work programs.
Representative Nixon, Republican,
of California, declared that the
effect of most ATM restrictive poll
cies would be to force small estab-
liments out of business. The AIM
refusal to allow musicians to take
part in television programs, he said
would force the television industry
to develop other types of entertain
ment and, thus work against musi-
clans.
That could be- Mr.. Petrillo con-
ceded. That remains to be seen
I hope this thing can be settled
All we want is some sort of guaran-
tee from the television people that
all our members won't be thrown
out of jobs overnight"
Mr.. Petrillo said he did not be-
lieve his prospective ban on record
ings and network musical programs
would force radio stations out OF
business. 1t might force some
smaller ones to af1liate with big
ones, he remarked.
Sannte Cnnfirms Rrother