"hand biter", noun phrase, 1930 (not in OED Online)

[Joel S. Berson]

Variety, 1930 Nov. 12, p. 5, col. 3.

"Horowitz-Myers Asks for Censors /
Film Industry Boils Over Display Advertisements by Indie Exhib in
Houston Papers Traducing Picture Bisuness---Uses Myers' Quotation /
Maybe Their Finish /
The picture industry at last is determined to rid itself of such
masqueraders as leaders of independent groups who are 'hand biters,'
unable to keep up with these salary moochers in an effort to extort
fancy prices for theatre holdings."

"hand biter", noun phrase, not in OED Online.  Meaning unclear to me;
perhaps someone who bites the hand that feeds him, but I don't get
enough from the article to understand the dispute.

Joel

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