Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-17
By IRVING LOWENS
star Music Critic

Washington faced up to re.
Gently.
Negotiations between tn e
Southern California Symphony
Association and the mu S j.
clans union, representing the
Los Angeles Philharmonic
are deadlocked. As of last
week, talks had ceased.
John v. TranchiteIla, the
union spokesman, says that
the associations negotiators
won't meet with him. The as
sOciation claims it has made
every conceivable concession
It can afford and that there is
just nothing more to discuss.
Letters were sent to subScrib-
ers by the management stat
ing that it seems probable
that the season will be "aban-
doned."
Last year, the orchestra
had a deficit of $125, 900, some
$4,000 more than the year be-
fore.
Wages and Season Length
Two familiar major issues
are the cause of the stale
innate length of the season
and minim u m wage. Both
ssides agree that a three-year
contract should replace the
present one-year arrange
ment.
The orchestra wants its 81
week season increased to IS
weeks next year, So weeks in
1855, and 40 weeks by 1866; it
also wants its $5,O15 minimum
raised to 5000 in 1864, Sc, lbs
in 1865 and $500 in 1866.
The association says that it
Cannot increase the length Of
the season at all in view Of
The growing deficit, pointing
,put that unlike Large orcheS-
slras in the East" it has no
substantial endowment fund.
1T is willing to increase the
minimum wage to $3.50 in
1854, $5,695 in 1865 and $6,12O
in 1866.
Its offer was overwhelming
" rejected.
Union Claims
The union contends that the
Los Angeles wage-scale com
pares very poorly with that in
Boston, Philadelphia, New
York, Chicago and Cleveland,
while the length-of-season sit
uation is even worse. The Los
Angeles Philharmonic is tied
for 18th place with the Kansas
City and Cincinnati orchestras
in the latter department..
The dispute has caused the
cancellation Of some presea-
son concerts outside Los An
geles, and as these words are
being written, it seems doubt
full that anyone has any good
ideas about breaking the dead
lock.
I'VE would be happy to give
the orchestra a 52-week sea
son and a $4,000 minimum, /"
said one responsible associa-
ton member informally, "but
we Just can't afford it. The
men are worth every penny
they are asking, but there is
no money In the till, and you
can't get blood out Of a
stone.
: StOry's Moral
Now that the National SYM
.phony Orchestra is playing
again, and as brilliantly as
ever, it is all too easy for the
average concert-goer to as
sumo that our own bogeyman
has been chased away for
good.
This is not true-all we
have is a moratorium on trou-
BILE. Last Thursday, a commit
tee Of prominent Government
officials met to start work on
plans for a fund drive that
won't conflict with the sym
phOny's regular Embarrassing
campaign, because union-as-
sociation agreement on wages
and season length lasts only
until next March.
Surely, it is Washington who
must be prepared to guarantee
both the associations finan-
cial stability and the players
right to dignity and freedom
from worry.
Is the answer to the prob
lem Federal subsidy, NUM-
cipal subsidy, private subsidy,
or what have you? Whatever
It is, we had best find it soon
if we don't want to 60 through
the same anguish all over
again In 1854.
80 H%
NEWS FROM HERE-Allen
ielectronic organs seem to be
catching on in the area. One
was dedicated on upper Con-
,necticut avenue two weeks
ago, and today, way over on
the other side of town, DR..
WesterveIt B. Romano will
play the dedication recital on
a new Allen installation at the
Washington Brethren Church,
Branch avenue and @ street
Sc. Time: tbs pm.
The centennial of Abraham
LincOln's Gettysburg Address
will be commemorated at the
National Gallery tonight when
Richard Bales conducts the
National Gallery Orchestra
and the Church of the RefOr-
nation Cantata Choir in ap-
propriate music. julie Zabawa
will be the baritone SoloiSt
and Mirek Jan DabrOwSki will
read the speech as it appears