Broadcasting (July - Dec 1943)

Press Hits Petrillo Death Sentence Editorial Wrath Rises ; Congress Asked To End His Racket THE WRATH of the nation's press came down on the head of AFM Czar James Caesar Petrillo last week following his "death sentence" ukase against transcription companies. Without a dissent, editorials in leading newspapers called upon Congress to end Petrillo's "dictatorship" and "racket" through legislation which would subject him to anti-trust and anticonspiracy laws. 'New York Times' The New York Times, in a lead editorial July 3, called Petrillo's action a decision by the AFM head as to what music the American people "can and cannot hear." Pointing out that a few months ago he had expressed a willingness to allow recorders to stay in business if they would pay tribute to his union, the newspaper observed that he now has decided that this was "too lenient". Then came the ukase to abolish the transcription making business entirely. When Mr. Petrillo told the Labor Board conciliator that he would forbid his musicians to make "anv transcriptions at any cost or at any price," that was on the ground that the companies "can't give us anything. If they gave us their entire gross, it's still small peanuts to the Federation." The Times cited the "astounding legal and political implications" of this statement, aside from the economic aspect. It pointed out that in time of unparalleled labor shortage, Mr. Petrillo is trying to create unnecessaary jobs. Drawn in was the jerking of sustaining remote bands from MBS because one of its stations (WSAY, Rochester) refused to increase its musicians staff from one to five. All this was called minor as compared to his effort to "turn back the hands of scientific progress to force the employment of more musicians." The Times editorial asserted it was the labor policy of the Administration and the "timid acquiescence of Congress in that policy" that have built up the "irresponsible power now exercised by the Lewises and the Petrillos." Placed in Petrillo's hands is the "private arbitrary power to tell the American people what music they can and cannot hear" and the power to "ruin theatres, restaurants, concert halls, transcription companies and radio companies that do not do his bidding." «N. Y. Herald Tribune' The New York Herald Tribune on July 3 stated that "for sheer effrontery nothing even in the Lewis saga, we believe, can quite match Petrillo's latest ukase.***" The newspaper called attention to Petrillo's answer to the charge that he was destroying an industry and blocking mechanical progress, wherein the AFM czar replied that he can't get at the radio stations in any other way. "There is nothing in the law as last interpreted by the Supreme Court to balk his dictatorship," said the editorial. It recalled the attempt to prosecute Petrillo under the Sherman Act and how it ended in failure because of the Supreme Court decision in the Hutcheson case, in which it held that virtually nothing a trade union might do in pursuit of a labor dispute could be construed in restraint of trade. Congress was urged to "proceed at once to pass a law specifically defining for the courts those trade union activities which must be held in violation of the anti-trust stat STUDENTS JOIN the radio warof -nerves, recording talks, dialogues, dramatic skits, musical programs and interviews to be shortwaved to Europe via the OWL Project takes place at Indiana U, under direction of Harry J. Skornia, director of radio broadcasting and former program manager of WIRE, Indianapolis. In the University studio are (1 to r) : Prof. Agapito Rey, Spanish Dept. faculty; Kiril Liaptcheff (who speaks Bulgarian); Ellen Gutman, German born, French educated; Ralph Hayn, German born; Jean Artaud, Haitian graduate student. Director Skornia can be seen at work in the control room. utes, as, for instance, such an order as the mighty Petrillo has just issued." 'N. Y. World Telegram' The New York World Telegram, in a syndicated Scripps-Howard editorial July 3 pointed out that Petrillo said the transcription companies paid his musicians about $1,100,000 a year and that he said he had no fight with these companies, but only with the broadcasting industry. "So he is going to cut the transcription companies, whom he likes, out of $4,000,000 annual gross revenue and his musicians out of $1,100,000 because he wants to punish the broadcasting companies, whom he doesn't like. "No thought for the public's interests in the matter. Just a typical rule or ruin Petrillo ukase," said the newspaper. The Neiv York Mirror in its July 3 issue charged Petrillo with having moved to "wipe out a whole industry because it will not meet his autocratic demands." After reciting the many Petrillo crackdowns, the newspaper asserted that the issue is whether "a labor union tyrant, wielding autocratic power out of all keeping with the principles cf American democracy," can be permitted to "destroy an American business enterprise at his arbitrary, peremptory will or whim," The Mirror predicted that Americans and their representatives in Congress "will not swallow such a challenge on their hands and knees." Washington Views The Washington Post on July 5 commented that while the dispute has been certified to the War Labor Board it seemed doubtful whether it can "cope with this sort of racket." The Post called for legislation to prevent the enforcement of monopolies that "destroy trade and encroach upon Government regulation, whether those monopolies are operated by business or labor groups." Asserting Congress had been incredibly slow in meeting this challenge, the editorial declared that it could not see how Mr. Petrillo's "antics can longer stay the hand of Congress in meeting this menace to free enterprise." The Washington Star July 5 described the Petrillo transcription ban as "the death penalty for the transcription industry — an industry which has given no offense, but which happens to be a convenient target upon which this labor dictator can vent his wrath." Expressing doubt whether Mr. Petrillo will be permitted to "destroy one industry" because he has an "alleged grievance" against some other industry, the newspaper said there is small prospect that the transcripion companiese can get GRASS ROOTS TEST Blue Tries Program Ideas On Sneak Preview PUBLIC REACTION to projected program series is tested on the BLUE through Sneak Preview, a weekly series inviting the listener to express his opinion on "samples" of programs submitted by agencies, producers and other sources. While admitting the plan may draw some poor-quality material, Phillips Carlin, vice-president in charge of programs, says "... we think that Sneak Preview, by going direct to the public and asking for an opinion, will offer us a good register of audience reaction before we go to the expense and time involved in putting on a complete series." First broadcast, July 4, was America the Beautiful, dramatizing the significance of this country to foreign-born adults about to become citizens. Producer and announcer will be changed with each broadcast. If public reaction is favorable, the "sample" will be developed into a series and aired at a different time. DISCS or recordings containing personal messages cannot be sent to soldiers overseas, according to a War Dept. regulation designed to safeguard against the transmitting of secret military information. Transmittal of personal message discs within the United States is permitted. any relief from the courts or from the executive branch. But Congress, it said, may decide that the time has come to take Mr. Petrillo in hand. The newspaper recalled that several months ago the AFM head was reported to have assured Senator Wheeler that the union did not intend to wipe out an industry. At that time Senator Wheeler said that such a move "would be met by prompt Congressional action," the editorial continued. "Now, however, Mr. Petrillo has changed his mind and has served notice on the transcription industry to prepare for summary execution. It remains for Congress to say whether the sentence is to be carried out." Even before the July 1 Petrillo ukase, the San Francisco Call Bulletin on June 25 characterized the original Petrillo demands upon the transcription companies as an "arrogant and enormous racket". The newspaper stated editorially that the matter should be adjusted so that broadcasting can survive, declaring "it cannot survive as a racket conducted for the benefit of James C. Petrillo." Alluding to the proposal of the union that transcription manufacturers agree to prevent their use by any broadcaster who does not maintain a fixed quota of forced employment of musicians, the newspaper said that many stations are not financially able to maintain full staffs of musicians. Many could not exist, it added, if they were compelled to do so. Page 26 • July 12, 1943 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising