Used Record Drive Ready
NEW YORK-An American Air Corps
squadron commander in Australia relays
home a message that good phonograph rec-
ords are among the best investments Amer-
ica can make in the interest of soldier
morale_
The squadron commander sent this mes-
sage home in late June through a New
York Times correspondent Down Under_
The commander said:
"Music is swell for these kids_ They
ought to have more of it_ I've watched them
listening to broadcasts from home, and
there's something about the music from San
Francisco anp New York that's different_ If
somebody at home wanted to do something
for the boys who are fighting in this war,
they would see to it that every squadron
had a first class phonograph and records, so
there would always be available good hot
jazz and classicals_ There is no better mor-
ale builder."
The somebody referred to in this message
has already come forward in the person of
the Records For Fighting Men, Inc.-an
organization of some 100 musical artists
with Kay Kyser at the head and more than
a million and a half members of the Amer-
ican Legion and Auxiliary.
On July 17th these organizations will
start a house-to-house canvass to pick up
37,000,000 old records to convert into cash
to purchase new records for our service
men wherever they might be.
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AF-M PielY Pelrillo Orders Augusl lSi
Boll on Records for Phonos
LOS ANGELES.-James Petrillo, presi-
dent of the American Federation of Musi-
cians, touched off a keg of dynamite at the
47th annual convention of the union in
Dallas, Texas, in June when, in 'his open-
ing day speech, he announced that as of
August 1st no further recordings or tran-
scriptions by members of the Federation
would be allowed in automatic phonographs
or on radio stations. Recording would con-
tinue to be allowed for home use, the armed
services, and at the request of the president
of the United States but all others were
definitely out.
Petrillo's stand was not unexpeGted for
certain Locals in various parts of the coun-
try have been campaigning for some action
as related in the May and June issues .of
THE REVIEW. Petrillo used the ban to high-
light his .opening speech and to win pub-
licity and notoriety for himself in the news-
papers of the nation. At the 1941 convention
Union Rascal 'Sought
the matter was brought up and the conven-
EL CENTRO, CaliL-Mike Henry, busi-
tion voted Petrillo the authority to take the
ness agent for Local No. 12, Union of Op-
matter up with the executive b.oard, and
erating Engineers in Imperial and San
they voted him the power last October to
Diego counties, an AF of L affiliate, was
take action as he saw fit.
being sought on a misdemeanor warrant
Last January when new recording licenses
charging malicious mischief, issued on June ·
were to be issued to recorders for another
17th.
year Petrillo issued licenses for only six
Complaint, issued in Brawley Justice
months and when one .of the larger com-
Court and signed by Dale Freeman, al-
panies asked for an extensi.on to January 1st
leged that the defendant, Henry, damaged
was given only until August 1st instead .of
three of the plaintiff's music boxes by
to the first of 1943.
tearing them from a counter in a Brawley
Petrillo contends, according to Down
cafe, causing damage estimated at $75.00.
Beat, that phonograph records and trans-
Henry had been active for more than a
scriptions as they are used today are
year unionizing employees on defense pro-
gradually running the men who make them,
jects in Imperial County.
-
the musicians, .out of business. He feels
Pennsylvania Music Men
Issued Defense Unil Charier
PHILADELPHIA.-The first favorable
publicity break given t.o any phase of the
coin-operated machine business in many
long, betroubled months occurred .on Thurs-
day, June 25, when Judge Harry McDevitt,
President of Common Pleas C.ourt pre-
sented a charter as a Defense unit to the
members and servicemen of the Phono-
graph Operators Association of Eastern
Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
His Honor recessed his trials in order to
make a special presentation to President
William King, Business Manager Jack
Cade and the other .officials and group
leaders. He c.ommended the group for
their willingness to make an all-out effort
t.o make their services available t.o the
governmen't where they were needed.
As outlined in last month's COIN MACHINE
REVIEW the 155 operators and servicemen
affiliated with the l.ocal gr.oup will serve in
continu.ous, twenty-f.our, round-the-cl.ock
du'ty as repairmen and bomb removers in
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case of an air-raid. The heads of the various
sector units are always in contact with cen-
tral city headquarters and in a positi.on to
assign their aides to duty in their home
section in any emergency need. The cars
and trucks of every operator are used as an
integral part of the outfit's equipment, t.o
be requisitioned for instant duty.
All local papers ran large stories .on the
charter presentation and several reporters
were laudatory in their comments about the
fine work being done by the Phonograph
Operator's Association.
Another result of this Associati.on's co-
.operation was the scheduling .of a special
feature story .on the entire coin-machine
industry by the area's most widely read
publication, which has a circulation running
.over a million readers. A special reporter
has been visiting all operators gathering
material f.or his article.
A few m.ore such smart publicity stunts
(See PHILADELPHIA, Page 16)
that unless some system of taxing them and
contr.olling them is found, their output
must be stopped altogether.
In New York, opinion was divided as t.o
what would happen. Some officials felt
that the edict was only a threat, to be used
t.o f.orce the transcription and ph.onograph
operators into some form of royalty agree-
ment. Others feel that a sixty day peri.od
of complete stoppage of rec.ording may f.ol-
l.ow, during which time the Federation and
the operators can make some kind of deal.
Commenting on Petrillo's action Glenn
Burrs, of Down Beat, had this to say:
"President Petrillo has come out with the
long-awaited m.ove t.o collect r.oyalties .on
phonograph records and transcriptions. N.o
musician feels that the idea is bad. But
every bandsman sh.ould feel that the method
is wrong. However desirable the end .of
cutting musicians in .on the waxed pr.ofits
of their own making, you don't get it by
"announcing" that it is going to happen or
else. Prexy Petrillo is in no legal posi'ti.on
to force what he wants. Not only will he
run into court acti.on if he tries, but very
definitely the g.overnment is going to have
something to say ab.out shutting off a prin-
cipal source of amusement for the 130,000,-
000 people that are on the way to losing
their cars.
Amusement will have to start in the home.
And while not everyone .owns a phonograph,
they d.o have radi.os, and can listen t.o the
all-recorded shows that have become s.o pop-
ular in the past five years. Or they can
snag a coke and listen to Glenn Miller for
an additi.onal nickel down at the c.orner
drugstore. Does Mr. Petrill.o honestly think
he is going t.o put musicians in here? Of
c.ourse he doesn't. He is t.o.o realistic a
union man for that-also too realistic a
union man t.o go ahead with this record ban.
As a matter of fact, we suspect Mr.
Petrillo of playing a very smooth game of
politics."
It seems definitely certain that Petrill.o
can't force the record companies to sell t.o
homes and n.ot t.o phonograph .operators. T.o
d.o so would be clear and illegal restraint
of trade. Petrillo must either stop record-
ings altogether, .or attempt to bargain with
that threat in mind.
The c.onsensus of opinion is that if he
does stop recording, he will be faced by
the toughest fight in the history of the
Federati.on. All.of the networks along with
the record c.ompanies, transcription firms,
and automatic phonograph operators, can
institute suits for conspiracy in restraint of
trade. Rep.orts reaching us from the East
indicate that some firms have already in-
structed their legal representatives to pre-
pare briefs for use "just in case."
'As this issue of THE REVIEW ,goes to press
the outcome is stilI d.oubtful and we suggest
.operators write in for late devel.opments and
refrain fr.om being intimidated int.o any
locati.on license or royalty fee arrange-
ment.
COIN
MACHINE
REVIEW
15
FOR
JULY
1942