WRITERS GUILD--IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES

As a current (Writers Guild of America, West) board member and one who was quoted by reporter Horn, I must protest his lack of objectivity and misstatements.

Former WGAW Executive Director Naomi Gurian’s supporters were quoted liberally. Opponents were not. After three months research and 35 interviews, one would think that WGAW president Ernest Lehman would be the first person interviewed by Horn. Lehman was never contacted.

Horn’s statement that members refuse to run for elective office because of strife is belied: 38 members are running for 11 offices, more than any time in the guild’s history; 16 are by petition.

I was one of Gurian’s unanimous enthusiastic supporters, as was Lila Garrett, when Gurian was first proposed as executive director. Within the three years of her contract she incurred 10 disaffections on the board. Gurian did that to Gurian with her attacks on board members.

Horn cites only four members of the board--Garrett, Steve Shagan, Stephen Lord and myself--as voting against her retention. Overlooked were six former Gurian supporters: Pamela Douglas, David Harmon, Lehman, Secretary-Treasurer William Ludwig, Oscar Saul and Malvin Wald.

OLIVER CRAWFORD

Los Angeles