Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1948)

Labor Committee To Hear Petrillo, AFM January 13 Washington Bureau The full House Labor Committee will hold liearings on James Caesar Petrillo and his American Federation of Musicians here January 13, Representative Carroll D. Kearns announced Monday. With the recording industry closed drum tight at midnight December 31 as a result of a Petrillo ban on recordings, witnesses from the fields of radio, recording and transcription companies, television, standard and FM broadcasting companies are expected to testify, according to Mr. Kearns. Petrillo will probably take the stand January 19, Mr. Kearns said. The hearings are expected to last two weeks or more. Importance of the hearings is indicated by the fact that the full Labor Committee will meet to hear witnesses and not merely Mr. Kearns' sub-committee which conducted the previous hearings and which prepared the first House report on the AFM. On December 31, the last day on which recordings could be made, presentation of evidence was completed in Chicago in the Federal Court trial of Petrillo, who is accused by the Government of violating the Lea Act, which seeks to control the labor union leader in the field of radio. Only one picture company, MGM, has a phonograph company subsidiary. Although its recordings have been on the market only since last March, MGM Records is understood to have built up a backlog of records sufficient for a year or more. MGM Auditors Hold Annual Meeting in New York MGM's field auditors met in annual meeting Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Astor Hotel, New York City. Alan F. Cummings, in charge of exchange operations and maintenance, and Charles K. Stern, assistant treasurer of Loew's, conducted the meeting. Charles School, formerly field auditor for MGM, has been named office manager of the company's Boston branch. Arthur Sklar, who had been substituting in that position, returned to his former duties as field auditor in time for the meeting. General Bradley Thanks Industry for War Work General Omar Bradley, new Chief of Staff of the Army, at an industry luncheon in Hollywood January 1, thanked the film industry and other fields of entertainment for their war-time service to the army and for their post-war service to the hospitalized and the occupation armies. The general's speech came as he presented a joint War-Navy Department citation to the industry for its war services through USO-Camp Shows, Inc., which formally closed shop December 31. Matsalflua ahoub these Alffmnb harnesses ? Replacement parts for the aviation industry must be received fast. This business is a big user of Air Express. Speed pays. Everything from fountain pens to serums and medicines flies these days by Air Express. Importers and Exporters, too, find Speed pays. Builders get what's needed the fastest way — by Air Express. No holdups! Speed pays. Speed pays in your hiAsme$5, too Air Express helps keep your business in high gear. Because your shipments go on all flights of Scheduled Airlines, there's no delay. That, plus door-to-door service — at no extra cost — makes Air Express the fastest possible way to ship. Rates are low: 16 lbs. goes 1400 miles for $6.88—4 lbs. for $2.04. Use it regularly. • Low rates — special pick-up and delivery in principal U.S. towns and cities at no extra cost. • Moves on all flights of all Scheduled Airlines. • Air-rail between 22,000 off-airline offices. • Direct air service to and from scores of foreign countries. Just phone your local Air Express Division, Railway Express Agency for fast shipping action. Rates include pick-up and delivery door to door in all principal towns and cities. AIR EXPRESS, A SERVICE OF RAILWAY EXPRESS AGENCY AND THE SCHEDULED AIRLINES OF THE UNITED STATES MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 10, 1948 37