As the Writers Guild of America and the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers resumed negotiations today (Wednesday), the expiration day of their contract, it was still anyone's guess whether the writers would walk out after midnight tonight or whether they would continue to work while negotiations proceeded. Each side issued statements Tuesday saying that it was preparing a modified proposal. However, the two sides remained far apart, published reports observed. Nevertheless, trade reports suggested that the writers will work for at least a few days without a contract while negotiations continue. "The emerging consensus is that WGA leaders won't start a strike until next week at the earliest," Daily Variety observed today. Meanwhile, the Walt Disney Company has become the latest studio to warn writers about the "script validation program," which requires members of the guild to submit copies of their scripts to guild headquarters if a strike occurs. "This written material, in any and all of its forms," the studio said "is the sole property of the Company, who owns all such material in its entirety. As such, writers are prohibited from giving, sharing, or otherwise depositing such material with the WGA." The guild characterized Disney's notice as "unlawful and discriminatory." The combative rhetoric over the issue represented yet another reason to suppose that a strike, if not imminent, is almost certainly unavoidable.