“Musicians Walk Out of Theaters on Eastern Call”

Headline: “Musicians Walk Out of Theaters on Eastern Call”

Subhead: 100 Men Here, 200 in Minneapolis and All Houses in Both Cities Affected.

Move in Sympathy with Movie Men, Stage Hands

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Shows Not to Be Interrupted, Managers Say; Improvised Orchestras to be Attempted.

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St. Paul Musicians’ union, Local No. 30, went on strike at midnight in sympathy with movie operators and stage hands, who walked out earlier in the week.

Theaters owners in the Twin Cities, for both cities are affected, announced Saturday night that the shows would be continued in all theaters.

Approximately 100 men in St. Paul and 200 in Minneapolis are directly affected by the walkout, while about 4,000 other members, who are part-time musicians, hold memberships in the unions.

Answers National Call.

Edward Ringius, secretary of the St. Paul Musicians’ union, announced that the action of Local No. 30 follows receipt of orders from the American federation of Musicians, New York.

St. Paul musicians have been notified of a meeting at the local’s headquarters, 349½ Wabasha street, at noon today.

“At this meeting,” Mr. Ringius said, “plans will be laid for our future actions. We cannot come back to work until we receive our orders from the national body.

Reports Saturday night were that […] Park(?) musicians, without knowledge of the union, met informally and decided to send a protest to headquarters against striking.

This protest, it was said, requested the national body to permit the local musicians to give the theater owners two weeks’ notice, as their contracts call for, instead of the three days’ notification, which preceded the strike.

For One Day Rest in 7.

The strike of the musicians follows the walkout of the movie operators, which in turn followed a strike of the stage hands, who are demanding “one day rest in seven.”

Meanwhile there was little change in the general strike situation. St. Paul theaters were picketed by a sign covered truck of the stagehands and motion picture operators were reported to have entertained normal Saturday night crowds.

Theodore Hayes[sic], manager of Finkelstein and Reuben[sic], said that the theater owners were preparing to continue performances with music if possible today.

Arrangements have been completed for an orchestra at the Capitol theater, he said, adding that it was probable there would be an orchestra at the Tower.

The Metropolitan will be dark next week, but it was announced that orchestras have been arranged for at the Palace–Orpheum and the Lyceum theaters. Arthur Casey of the President theater is installing an electric phonograph to replace his orchestra permanently, he announced.