U.S. IRON CURTAIN RULING

‘Symphony six’ protest
TSO dismissal edict

SIX MEMBERS of the Toronto
Symphony Orchestra whose con-
tracts were not renewed because
the United States refused them
entry into that country — have
issued a statement sharply criti-
cal of the TSO action. :

They pointed out that the or-
chestra has 80 engagements
’ scheduled for Canada and they
are deprived of their jobs be-
cause of only two concerts in the
U.S.

“The TSO has won a fine re-
wutavion as a Canadian institu-
tion,” the statement declared.
' “Ts it now to be harmed because
of the readiness of the board of
directors . . . to accept an ar-

bitrary ruling of the U-S. Im-,

migration Department?”

_ The orchestra, they said, in-.
stead of extending its bookings
‘to other Canadian cities prefer-!
‘red to seek éngagements in the.

United States. “By this action,”

said The Six, “the TSO is depriv-;
ing Canadian musicians: of the
right to earn their livelihood’ in
Canada.” The action violated
the spirit of Canadian demo-

~. eracy, they ‘added. If the orch-

estra wished to play in the U.S.
for two of its 80 ¢oncerts, the
six members could be replaced
_ for such engagements, without
- depriving them of their jobs for
- the remaining 78 concerts, they
said.
* => ee

THE SIX, TSO members dis-

charged are William Quinka,

John Moscow, Ruth Ross, Dirk -

Keetbass, Abe Mannheim: and

_ Steve Staryk. —

{It is recalled that last year
the symphony orchestra of Am-
-sterdam cancelled its U.S. en-
‘gagement when one member was
refused entry by U.S. immigra-
tion authorities. )

The TSO announced May 21

ne that the six members of. the or-
chestra would not be re-hired,
because U.S. immigration auth-

tract.
‘that they could not fulfill all en-

orities would not permit them to
eross the border. Their entry,
according to U.S. immigration
director Karnuth at Buffalo, was
“considered detrimental to the
best interests of the country.”
As TSO members, they were bar-
red last November when the or-
chestra played in Detroit.

The discharged musicians
have hired Donald Walkinshaw,
Q.C., as counsel in their fight to
regain their jobs. He said no
reason had been given for bar-
ring the players from the U.S.

Walter Murdoch, president of ©

the Musician’s Union in. To-

ronto upheld the action of the
orchestra’s management. So did

his executive board to which The
Six appealed.; Both he and John
Elton, TSO manager, said there
was “nothing political’ behind
the refusal t
The official reason was

gagements, Further appeal’ may
be made to a membership eee
ing of the union.

Elton said he “considered it
an honor” to play-in the United
States, but cited only one defin-
ite engagement. He agreed that
the vacancies would be difficult
to replace indicating. that. the

orchestra will be seriously weak--

ened (especially in the bass sec-
tion) by the firing of musicians

_who have played with it for from

five to more than 12 years..

The
comment in Toronto on the fir-
ing of The Six is: ‘‘Why not can-
cel the engagement, keep the or-
chestra intact and in Canada?
Why fire six players: for one or

two concerts in Detroit because |

of a Yankee witchhunt?”

THE ROAD TO

| Swi Cn

- Obtain copies of Hee Baograth Rem Peoples’
| Co-operative Bookstore, 337 W. Pender St.

Tour a success

to renew the con- ©

most frequently heard

Paul Robeson, heard by
more than 25,000 at the Peace
Arch May 18, drew another
2,000 at a Seattle concert and
large audiences in two per-
formances in San Francisco
last week. For readers of
this paper who would like a
beautiful picture of Robeson,
taken at the border concert,

the Pacific Tribune is making

a Special offer (see advertise-
ment on this page).

Capsule
Reviews

SYMPHONY OF LIFE

This Soviet film introduces us
to the new Siberia in striking
color, the kind first used in The
Stone Flower. Photography is
excellent, but plot is somewhat
mechanical.
PHONE CALL FROM
A STRANGER

Surprisingly human _  Holly-
wood film about a lawyer (Gary
Merrill) who survives a plane
erash and in trying to comfort
the families of some of his dead
companions solves some prob-
lems of his own.
ROOM FOR ONE MORE

Entertaining story dealing
with the adoption of children.
Cary Grant and Betsy Drake,
‘LAVENDER HILL MOB

A collection of British char-
acter actors turn the theft of a
million pounds worth of gold
bullion from the Bank of Eng-
land into a pleasant frolic.
SINGING IN THE RAIN —
’ Another Hollywood musical

of the new, slicker (‘American
in Paris’) type. Hollywood kids:

itself somewhat on _  circum-
stances surrounding advent of
talkies, but otherwise standard
Gene Kelly stuff.

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GUIDE TO GOOD READI

NG

He took ‘truth - drugs’ then
reported Mindszenty trial

WHEN THE Voice of America
said that Cardinal Mindszenty
had been doped with the tr uth-
drug aktedron, an Australiart
correspondent ‘at the trial walk-
ed into a Budapest chemist’s
sho and bought a packet.

Aktedron is the Hungarian
version of benzedrine, and is solc
everywhere without prescription.

The correspondent ate three
tablets, and returned to report
the proceedings.

Wilfred Burchett recalls the
incident in People’s Democra-
cies (available at People’s Co-
operative Bookstore, 337 West
Pender, at $2), a lively and brac-
ing record of visits to those
countries in their exciting for-
mative years,

The former London Daily Ex-
press correspondent, who resign-
ed to devote his vivid talent to
the fight for peace, has. written
a book packed with authentic
political and personal thrills.

* * x :

WOVEN INTO the record are
answers to most of the stubborn
questions: Is liberty suppress-
ed? Why do they confess? Why
are there no strikes?

To the last question, this was
the answer given to Burchett
by -Dindoffer, veteran rank-and-
file trade unionists in Budapest:

“No terror ever stops workers,
Strike leaders in prewar Hun-

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Woody Guthrie’s
DUST BOWL BALLADS

that great epic of the ’30’s
formerly in 2 albums, now on
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gary have gone to prison and.
been tortured and have come
back to lead new strikes.

“If the workers didn’t. sup-
port this government it couldn't —
last 24 hours. Tell your friends
in the West that it isn’t police
or rifles that stop us from ote
ing.

“It’s because this is our gov-
erament and these tactories are
ours.’ t

‘On the question of liberty,
Burchett concludes roundiy: }

“Tf the same advance is made —
in the next 20 years as has been

,,made in the past five years in»
‘bringing real liberties to the
peasants and workers , . . thé
whole, population will be enjoy-
“ing liberties, of a quality not yet
dreamed of in the WesterD
World.” :

_. —STANLEY HARRISON

NOW PLAYING — TILL —

SATURDAY

All Russian Cast

Russian Dialogue |
English Subtitles ’

Symphony of
Life:

“SONG OF SIBERIA”

Produced in the USSR |

ful Soviet Magicolor

International Festival

Added Attraction:
STAGE SHOW

SYMPHONY OF LIFE
5 TIMES DAILY AT *
12.15, 3.00, 5.50, 8.40, 10.54

Doors open at 12:00

Until 5 p.m. - Adults 50¢.
After 5 - 75¢ - Children - 25¢

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142 East. Hastings —

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3

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — MAY 30, 1952 — rae 8