▁Fox ▁had ▁stopped ▁making ▁silent ▁films ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁industry ▁soon ▁followed . ▁There ▁was ▁a ▁decl ine ▁in ▁membership ▁to ▁the ▁Union ▁as ▁many ▁mus icians ▁became ▁un emp loy ed ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁rise ▁of ▁the ▁' t alk ies '. ▁The ▁American ▁Federation ▁of ▁Mus icians ▁( AF M ) ▁was ▁also ▁put ▁under ▁pressure ▁with ▁ 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁members ▁being ▁put ▁out ▁of ▁work ▁by ▁ 1 9 2 8 . ▁ ▁MP PA ▁ ▁The ▁Musical ▁Perform ers ' ▁Prote ction ▁Association ▁( MP PA ) ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁by ▁the ▁M U ; ▁this ▁was ▁to ▁fight ▁against ▁the ▁reprodu ction ▁of ▁member ' s ▁work ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁adv ancement ▁in ▁technology ▁which ▁allowed ▁for ▁the ▁recording ▁of ▁mus icians ▁work . ▁There ▁was ▁no ▁fee ▁to ▁join , ▁and ▁by ▁June ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁the ▁Association ▁had ▁over ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁members . ▁It ▁was ▁short ▁lived ▁as ▁it ▁could ▁not ▁fight ▁against ▁the ▁rise ▁of ▁popular ity ▁in ▁the ▁' t alk ies ', ▁the ▁Association ▁real ised ▁this ▁and ▁chose ▁instead ▁to ▁focus ▁its ▁energy ▁on ▁the ▁rise ▁in ▁popular ity ▁in ▁using ▁record ings ▁on ▁the ▁radio ▁and ▁in ▁public ▁places . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ ▁The ▁Union ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁follow ▁Williams ▁foot steps ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁and ▁b arg ain ▁for ▁less er ▁w ages ▁for ▁mus icians , ▁instead ▁they ▁hoped