Editorial: Baltimore can not afford a #Metoo civil war

Two months ago, the principal oboe of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra went public with a complaint against the concertmaster, alleging that he came to her room while on tour and asked for sex, which she refused.

The incident took place in 2005 and the complaint had been investigated by legal counsel and found insufficient to warrant further action.

That seemed to be the end of the matter.

At the start of this month, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra management confronted its musicians with demands for a 23 percent cut in working weeks in order to address mounting deficits.

The demand produced an impressive show of solidarity from the musicians as they dug in for what looks like being a nasty long fight. That solidarity was shattered this weekend when the concertmaster Jonathan Carney was suspended after complaints from two more women. The principal oboe voiced her satisfaction. The players, we hear, are divided.

Legal issues aside, Baltimore musicians can ill afford another conflict at this point.

Allegations of misconduct must, of course, be aired and investigated, but the musicians surely need to button their lips and put old scores on hold. Their livelihoods are at stake. Their future looks much diminished.

All other issues must take second place to survival.