Out of Key

A Pittsburgh violinist last week lost his job because he was named as a Communist. Max Mandel had fiddled among the first violins in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for five seasons. Last week, after a former FBI agent had told the House Un-American Activities Committee that offstage Mandel fiddled earnestly in the party key, he was called to answer by the executive board of Pittsburgh Local No. 60 of the American Federation of Musicians. After a hearing, the union ousted him. Pittsburgh Symphony officials wore a hands-off look. A spokesman explained the obvious: "To play with the orchestra you must be a member of the union. Mandel no longer has a union card."

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