Screen Guilds Magazine (May 1936)

Mr. Pascal Asks A Question L ADIES and gentlemen. This is the time when it becomes the duty of the president to deliver his annual report. At the beginning of this administration, it was decided that the Guild would face the basic issues which confronted it; and let the members decide whether they wanted a Guild or not. Essentially, for three years the Guild has been purely a defensive organiza¬ tion. It has done the defensive job well, but the history of all organizations of this kind shows that they either go for¬ ward or die. Tonight, you will decide which is your choice. I have heard many writers say ‘ ‘ What has the Guild done ? ’’ ‘ ‘ Why should we have a Guild?”' I wish those writers could have participated ac¬ tively with the de¬ voted group of men and women who have fought for your in¬ terests since 1933. I wish those writers could realize what the Guild has done in the independent field to make sure that writ¬ ers are really paid what, at the begin¬ ning of a writing job, is coming to them. To establish the prin¬ ciple of the actual down payment of a third of the whole sum due, and to es¬ tablish the principle of notice for week to week writers before dismissal. I wish those writ¬ ers knew more about what the Guild has done to protect the pocket book of writ¬ ers, of high-salaried writers, as well as low. The Guild was born of the 50% cut. But the organized attack on salaries did not stop with the 50% cut. The mem¬ ory of writers is short, but 1933 is only three years ago. In 1933 the producers attempted to put over the central book¬ ing office, which was an indirect way of controlling both ends of the bargain and to lower salaries. We defeated it. In 1933 and 1934 came the attacks on salaries under the N.R.A.—salary con¬ trol, anti-raiding, and control of agents. The Guild, with the help of the Actors’ Guild and the Authors’ League defeated these attempts. Let it be said in that connection that the authors and drama¬ tists, with nothing to gain for them¬ selves, lent their full strength to the fight. Without their aid it is probable we would have lost. So much for the defensive history of the Guild. When this administration took over, in spite of these accomplish¬ ments, it found the Guild dying of sheer inertia. At the last annual meeting we had to delay the meeting to get a quor¬ um of 40 active members. Faced with this situation, your ex¬ ecutive Board decided that it would give you a plan at this annual meeting which would mean the accomplishment of our aims. The plan is really a very simple one. It took us until a few weeks ago to complete. At that time we called to- By Ernest Pascal . . . President of The Sreeen Writers’ Guild who delivered the following speech at the annual meeting, May 2. gether some 70 members of the Guild and asked them to aid us in presenting it to all members, both active and associate. That was because we wanted every¬ body to know this plan before they came together to vote upon it tonight. We were concerned about how to do this educating adequate¬ ly—but circumstances seemed to have con¬ spired with us so that tonight I am sure everyone here is en¬ tirely familiar with the plan we are pro¬ posing. I don’t think any proposed plan for the benefit of writers has ever been so thor¬ oughly discussed as this one — and not only by writers, whom it directly con¬ cerns, but by the other talent members of the industry—ac¬ tors, and directors. The plan in brief, provides a way for The Screen Writers’ Guild to achieve what it was founded to achieve. That is to become the writer or¬ ganization of all screen writers, and to be recognized as such by the producers, and by reason of solidar¬ ity and singleness of purpose to achieve this recognition, not only in name, but in fact. That is what this administration pledged itself to when it came into of¬ fice. It’s policy was clearly and definite¬ ly outlined in an article in the maga¬ zine which I wrote early in the ad¬ ministration under the title of “What Does the Guild Want?” It stated our position, detailed our aims and purposes, and ended up by saying that what the Guild wants is recognition, but with a Guild always open to anyone. Guild (Continued on Page 21) Good Luck, Elsie Wilkins! At great personal sacrifice to herself. Miss Elsie Wilkins, Assistant Secretary of The Screen Writers’ Guild, remained with the organization through the trying period up to and in¬ cluding the Annual Election, May 2, 1936. When she re¬ turned from a vacation to Australia three months ago, she desired to leave the Guild for a more lucrative position in the industry. She had several splendid offers, but at the request of the Executive Board and out of loyalty to the organization which she did much to create, she continued as Assistant Secretary through May 2. Therefore, at the Annual Meeting, upon a motion duly made, seconded and unanimously carried, it was resolved that a vote of thanks be extended to Miss Elsie Wilkins. Because you have ever been a faithful, loyal, honest and hard worker for the organization we take this means of ex¬ pressing our gratitude and offering our sincerest hopes for continued success. (Signed) EXECUTIVE BOARD. The Screen Writers’ Guild. • 4 The Screen Guilds’ Magazine