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)

1154 MOTION-PICTURE JURISDICTIONAL DISPUTES Mr. Levy. That is all I can do. I am giving you my answer with respect to a specific arrangement here which was conceded all around to be quite unprecedented. Mr. McCann. We are thoroughly versed on that. Now, I wanted to ask you this: Wliether or not you know if it has been the policy of the American Federation of Labor in times past, whether there are any regulations or rules, or whether there is anything in the constitution, to consider the detei'mination of such committees and whether or not in the past they have ever clarified those deteiminations. Do you know that ? Mr. Levy. I do not. Mr. McCann. Now, is it not a fact, and I ask this purely from the standpoint of information—we have both read and listened to the Miami minutes and I am trying to get your impression. Is it not a fact that the over-all impression gained irom reading the Miami min- utes was that there was a question of doubt in the minds of the pro- ducers as to the meaning of the directive of December 26, and that it was because of that that they came down to secure some aid from the council ? Mr. Levy. I cannot speak as to what was in the minds of the pro- ducers, but I am of the opinion that what might have motivated their trip to Miami was the fact that one of the organizations affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, which had agreed to abide by the final and binding decision, was, to use the language of one of the pro- ducer witnesses here, seeking to welsh on the agreement. They wanted full power and support of the executive council, which was also a party to this agreement, to enforce it. Mr. MoCann. Now, there is one thing still left in doubt in my mind and I read all of the minutes, according to the record sent to me by Mr. Hutcheson, this morning. I did not find any deteraiination by the council at all at the conclusion of the arguments which went on before the council in Miami. I am wondering who communicated to the lATSE and to the producers and those interested parties, what the council had decided in Miami, because I found no record in that council meeting with respect to any determination. INIr. Levy. Would you wait just a moment until I get some papers? Mr. ZoRN. I think Mr. Johnston answered that question yesterday on behalf of the producers. I think he said Mr. Green gave him that information. Mr. McCann. That is very fine, Mr, Zorn, that Mr. Green gave him the information, if that is correct. I am not questioning the accu- racy of that, but I am wondering why the council did not take some action. If there is anyone who knows about it, if Mr. Freeman knows about it, or anyone else. I would like to have some information about any action taken by the council at Miami. I do not find that any action w^as taken at all. Mr. Levy. I cannot speak for the minutes of the executive council in Miami. This is the first time I have heard them read, the first time I have seen them today. On February 1, 1946, the New York Times stated as follows: Although the council declined to take action on jurisdictional disputes which are again threatening to upset motion-picture production in California, Mr. Green said that he considered the danger of a strike very remote.