▁membership ▁rose ▁from ▁ 8 , 6 0 8 ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁to ▁ 1 4 , 6 4 9 ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁Williams ▁called ▁off ▁the ▁disput es ▁and ▁strike ▁action ▁that ▁branches ▁were ▁to ▁take ▁part ▁in , ▁Williams ▁spoke ▁with ▁the ▁management ▁of ▁h alls ▁and ▁the at res ▁in ▁the ▁hope ▁of ▁keeping ▁the ▁establish ments ▁open ▁he ▁agreed ▁that ▁every ▁Union ▁member ▁would ▁take ▁a ▁pay ▁cut ▁to ▁try ▁and ▁keep ▁the ▁buildings ▁open ▁during ▁the ▁war . ▁There ▁was ▁a ▁rise ▁in ▁people ▁wish ing ▁to ▁be ▁ent ert ained ▁during ▁the ▁War , ▁which ▁meant ▁that ▁though ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁turn over ▁during ▁the ▁War ▁there ▁was ▁still ▁enough ▁mus icians ▁to ▁fill ▁the ▁numbers ▁needed . ▁This ▁was ▁partly ▁due ▁to ▁mus icians , ▁like ▁women , ▁am ateurs ▁and ▁foreign ers ▁being ▁allowed ▁to ▁fill ▁sp ots ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁not ▁typically ▁have ▁been ▁able ▁to ▁apply ▁for . ▁ ▁Mus icians ▁Union ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁the ▁Mus icians ▁Union ▁was ▁formed ▁when ▁the ▁Am alg am ated ▁Mus icians ' ▁Union ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁National ▁Orchestra ▁Union ▁of ▁Professional ▁Mus icians ▁( NO UP M ). ▁Williams ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁Union ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁after ▁he ▁announced ▁partial ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁wife ' s ▁and ▁his ▁own ▁ill ▁health . ▁E . ▁S . ▁Te ale ▁took