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1172 MOTION-PICTURE JURISDICTIONAL DISPUTES Do you remember that ? Mr. Balaban. I do not remember that. Mr. McCann. Does it conform with your recollection of what did transpire ? Mr. Balaban. It does not, because I have no recollection of that. Mr. McCann. You have no independent recollection ? Mr. Balaban. No, sir. Mr. McCann. Do you recall whether or not any instructions were given by the presidents to the labor committee in Hollywood? Mr. Balaban. I do not recall any conversation with the labor com- mittee except the one I referred to through Mr. Mannix. Mr. McCann. Will you tell us what was said ? Mr. Balaban. The basis of that whole discussion was the question of whether we stay open or closed. We called Mr. Maiinix more for the purpose of telling him how we felt about it, the divided opinion in New York. When we heard his reasons—whatever they were I do not recall the details; I was not on the phone—they seemed convincing if we went along his route; having had some experience closing down many, many years ago we knew it was an easy step to take and a very difficult one to correct. You would no more than close down than you would worry about how you could get open. You are subject to all kinds of influences and you can never recover those losses. Mr. McCann. I only have one or two more questions to ask, sir. I want to ask you whether or not you were advised by Mr. Freeman or anyone else in Hollywood that the studios planned to create incidents on September 23 by assigning all the carpenters in the studios to work on sets which were hot, so that when they refused to work they could clear the carpenters out at one time? Mr. Balaban. I never heard of such a plan, Mr. McCann. I heard you mention the September 23 date earlier in the day. Mr. Freeman would not discuss a detail of that kind with me. He is a top officer of our company and has almost the same authority I have. He is located on the coast. Mr. McCann. In other words, he is able to speak personally on be- half of the company on a matter of this kind ? Mr. Balaban. Yes. sir. Mr. McCann. And has authorit}^ from the board of directors of your company to exercise his best judgment under any emergency situation ? Mr. Balaban. Not a written authority but we regard Mr. Freeman to be a man of great experience and highly qualified. No recom- mendation of his has ever been reversed by the board of directors nor myself. We take his recommendation and word at face value. Mr. McCann. We have a rather high opinion of Mr. Freeman, too. I think that is all, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Kearns. Mr. Landis ? Mr. Landis. Mr. Balaban, would you care to comment on your man- agement relations man? That was mentioned on the witness stand before and I thought you might care to comment. Mr. Balaban. Yes, sir, I am glad of the opportunity, sir. I heard what Mr. Doherty had to say. I respect his judgment. He seems a very, very able man. You refer now to the efficiency experts, so-called? Mr. Landis. Yes, sir.