Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1956)

the general policies endorsed by this association. "(4). That said John te Groen has openly assumed a position inconsistent with his duty and loyalty to this association and to the obligations of his office as president thereof in each of the respects stated herein. "(5). That said John te Groen by his conduct and statements has indicated that he no longer is competent and qualified to continue to act as the president of the association, in that he is not sympathetic to nor in accord with the aims and objectives of the association and the desires of its membership. "(6). John te Groen is guilty of improper conduct in office in that he has made, caused to be made, and approved untrue statements about the general membership and the general meeting at which he was temporarily suspended, in that he has wrongfully and improperly informed the federation and James Caesar Petrillo that the general membership meeting of Feb. 27, 1956, 'was improperly packed' and that his temporary suspension was the result thereof, whereas in truth and in fact, said John te Groen well knows that he has lost the confidence of the great majority of the 'working' members of Local 47 and that his temporary suspension pending formal removal proceedings was voted by reason thereof. "(7). That said John te Groen has been guilty of misconduct in office in attempting to paralyze the activities of the board of directors of this association and in improperly preventing the discharge of their duties and obligations to this association, in that on March 1, 1956, John te Groen wrongfully threatened members of the board with disciplinary action including expulsion if they proceeded in the discharge of their duties as members of the board of directors in holding or purporting to hold a special meeting of the board duly scheduled for hearing on that date." The March 1 board meeting was a special night session called by Mr. Read to plan today's impeachment meeting and draw up formal charges but it was never held because Mr. te Groen and Financial Secretary G. R. Hennon protested it was illegal and walked out, leaving the remaining Read faction of the board without a quorum. Instead, the weekend petition drive was undertaken. Both rebels and loyalists received encourag ing news March 1 which was equally discouraging to their respective opposition. Mr. Petrillo wired all Local 47 officials that upon appeal by Mr. te Groen the AFM president was staying the effectiveness of Mr. te Groen's "suspension" and nullifying all board of directors actions after Feb. 27 where Mr. te Groen did not preside as chairman. Mr. Petrillo declared that pending the appeal, Mr. te Groen "shall continue in his official elected position as president of Local 47 with full powers of that office and as chairman of the board of directors of that local." In an all-day general membership election, however, the Read group won a smashing victory over the loyalists in a vote for officers of the Musicians Club, legal operator and Battle-Weary Local 47 Hit with 35 Subpoenas MORE TROUBLE hit AFM Local 47 in Hollywood Thursday with disclosure that 35 of its members have been subpoenaed to appear April 16 at renewed hearings of a House Un-American Activities Subcommittee to investigate Communist infiltration of the Hollywood entertainment profession. Action came a week after rebel members had assumed control of the local [B»T, March 5]. William Wheeler, committee investigator, told B*T that mass service of subpoenaes was made at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. He said the radio, tv or film fields, explored by the committee earlier, would not be involved at this time. He said the April 16 hearing has been in the planning stage for five or six months, and in no way is connected with the current antiPetrillo fight within Local 47. "The Hollywood section of the Communist party has a musicians' group as one of its units. It is the activities of that Communist group in behalf of the Communist party in which the committee is interested," Mr. Wheeler said. No questions will be asked witnesses about internal affairs at Local 47, Mr. Wheeler said. Heading the investigation will be Subcommittee Chairman Clyde Doyle (D-Calif.). The congressional group was assigned to conduct the hearing by Rep. Francis Walter (D-Pa.), chairman of the parent Un-American Activities Committee. i a • THE $10/0 STATION THAT CINCINNATI! ANN* WSAI-Radio's cost-per-thousand story will amaze you! WSAI-Radio's rating story will astound you! WSAI-Radio's acceptance story will convince you that WSAI is the station you must buy to sell Cincinnati. IN CINCINNATI . . . EVERYBODY LOVES wsai GORDON BROADCASTING CO. Sherwood R. Gordon, President and General Manager Nat'l. Representatives WEED Broadcasting THE NEW SOUND IN CINCINNATI HAS A CASH REGISTER RING )•••••••••••••••••••< • » • i : I Telecasting # ® • • • March 12, 1956 Page 55