"DOWN FIDDLES"

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1941, 26 December 1913, Page 5

" DOWN FIDDLES"

UGHTNIiXC STIiIKK AT LONDON* JiUSIC-iIALLS. Lightning-strike methods were adopti cd recently by the Aniaigaamcd 'Musicians' Union in London. Four, iirusic-hidls were visited by union oiii-' cials, tho Surrey (Biackfriars Road), C'blliiis'a (Islington), tl;6 Queen's (Poplar), and the Imperial (Canning Town). These are independent hails. '.tho "down-fiddles" policy was first' brought into operation ct the first pert'armanco at the, Surrey Theatre, Before the prograraiiio was duo to start several oliiciuls interviewed 3lr. S. F. Harrison, tJio managing director, ixnd 1 asked that the members of tho orcliestia should receive an increase of Bs. a week; each, with annual increases bringing the wages up to tho union minimum > of £2 '2a. a week for two-houses-a-night.! halla. Thesu tonus were refused, and'the orchestra did not take their seats, Ten minutes behind time the sound of a piano in tho wings was heard, and Jli. Fred Lincoln, a comedian, appeared ou tho stage. A section of the uudicncfl booed loudly, but the interrupters soon left, and tho remainder of the programme, was i;iven successfully. Tho i&cond performance was abandoned. • A trombone player in a London suburban liiiisie-hali expressed approval of the demand for higher pay for musicians which liar, led to tho lighUiin<; "down fiddle." strikes. "The public,.' lie said, "don't realise What we have to put up with. Here am 1 oi'lv 335. a week. Yet 1 have, nutdo « lilo study of my instrument, and k eu.-„ •a mint of money to teach mo how n> play it. Although 1 only put in about four hours a day at tho music-hall (two houses) 1 have to blow the instrument six or seven hours a day at home to keep in practice. That causes a lot of bother. Tho wife is an angel. She simply grins and bears it. The children are very good, too. But the neighbour:! —they make no bones about their feelinejs. Sonic of tho messages they send iu'mako my blood curdle, i. know orchestra men whose wives aro rdivays hinting at separation orders and sue!; things. Sunday is my only rest day. I daro not play then, because all tho neighbours lira at home, and there might be a regular demonstration. I'vo. spent a small i'ortuno in teeth in tlio last twenty or thirty yours. A mail; does not blow a trombone every day of his life without raining his teeth. Ha what with paying dentists' hills, buy-: in« dress suits, being insulted by neighbours, and blowing one's heart out four} hours a night, I think my job is worth j a bit more than thirty-three, hob «J week." ■