Jurisdictional disputes in the motion-picture Industry : hearings before a special subcommittee of the Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, Eightieth Congress, first-session, pursuant to H. Res. 111 (1948)

634 MOTION-PICTURE JURISDICTIONAL DISPUTES Mr. Maxnix. Congressman, an organization we built for 20 years was disrupted at that time. Of course, I knew I was losing a lot of valuable men. I knew it was going to cost me money to reorganize. I was hopeful at all times it would be a very short strike. I didn't see the justifiability of the strike at all. I thought it would be a short strike. I lived with that hope. As time went on, I said, "Here I have got to build a new organization." Building a new organization isn't a very easy task. But you can rebuild, and we have rebuilt. But it has been 9 months that we have been rebuilding. It is always costly to rebuild anything. Mr. Kearns ^Yhen you decided to keep the studios open, throuo-li an agreement you had, as you testified here, with the lA, they said they would try to keep the studios open, even when you accepted the — may I put it this way: You accepted the suggestion of Mr. Walsh, when he said he would try to keep the studios open, and it has never been the intention, I imagine, of management of the studios to keep these carpenters out permanently ? Mr. Mannix. It has never been our intention to keep them out permanently. Mr. Kearns. It has never been your intention ? Mr. Mannix. Never. ]Mr. Kearns. That is all the questions I have. Mr. McCann. I have a few more questions that have been presented here. Here is one that is presented bv Mr. McMahon. Did the August 31, 1946, ultimatum of the lATSE, as given in the letter of Richard Walsh, play any part in the making of your decision between September 11 and 23? Mr. Mannix. What was the letter ? Mr. MgCann. Does somebody have the letter here for me? Mr. McMahon. Here. Mr. Mannix. I don't think we have to get the letter. 'Wliether Walsh sent us a letter in Aug-ust with an ultimatum in it — it would be received with the same fear and the same feeling as tf the letter came from any other union. An international sends you a letter that — I don't know what the letter was, whether Walsh threatend to close us down or not. I. don't think so. I never received that kind of a letter from him. AVhat is the letter, now ? Mr. McCann. This letter, sir, was written August 31, 1946, closing with this paragi'aph : If the committee's decision as originally rendered is not fully complied with by you— I assume, Mr. Chairman, that refers to the three-man committee — this International Alliance will take such action as may be necessary to protect its interests. Mr. Mannix. It worried us. We didn't know what the letter meant, but it worried us a whole lot. It caused me a lot of concern. I didn't sleep that night, trying to figure it out. Mr. McCann. Now, I have two questions which have been presented by Mr. Esterman.