Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

COVERING MASSACHUSETTS, RHODE ISLAND, CONNECTICUT, VERMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MAINE EXCHMGE HEADS, WORKERS CONFER Mijers Expounds Allied's Triumph Boston — Abram F. Myers, general counsel for Allied, declared in an article written especially for the monthly bulletin of the Independent Exhibitors, Inc., that, “much of the seemingly unproductive activity of Allied during the past several years has been the publicizing of the monopolistic practices of the Big Eight and the cultivation of public good will.” “When on March 16 Governor Langer of North Dakota approved the Allied Theatre Divorcement Bill thereby making it a law, he, in effect, wrote a cloud on the title of every theatre and every share of theatre stock owned by major producers and distributors — the Big Eight,” Myers stated. “Symbol of Determination” “While the law is limited in its operation to North Dakota, it stands as a symbol of the determination of independent exhibitors to cast off the shackles of the motion picture trust and as a warning to bankers and investors who may be called upon to finance future incursions by the Big Eight into the field of exhibition.” Myers says, further on: “To the timid and unimaginative the legislative policy of Allied has seemed visionary and incapable of accomplishment. One of the most important results of the outcome in North Dakota is the rekindling of hope in exhibitor ranks.” Report Before MPTO New Haven — Arthur Lockwood of Middletown and Harold Tabackman of West Haven reported on the recent MPTOA convention at a regular Connecticut MPTO meeting at the Hofbrau Haus Tuesday. The bills to be heard in Hartford and the labor situation also were discussed. Seek Earlier Sunday Opening Hour Hartford, Conn. — Theatre owners made a second attempt to secure a 2:00 o’clock Sunday opejiing instead of the 5:00, presenting 40,000 votes secured in lobbies and 1,000 additional votes of business men in the city. The matter was previously tabled by the ordinance committee of the commoji council, but theatremen ask that it be reopened and acted on. Exchange Union's Membership Grows New Haven — The newly-organized union of film exchange employes held its second meeting since granting of its charter, at the Hotel Garde Friday evening. About 20 attended and membership of the unit was increased. John F. Gatelee, international organizer for the International Alliance; Frank Fenton, New England AFL organizer, and a representative of the teachers’ union spoke. A final meeting before presentation of demands was scheduled for Friday evening. New Tax Commission Boston — A special commission on taxation and public expenditures has been created by the legislature upon request of Governor Charles Hurley. Republican Senate Leader Joseph Cotton is chairman. Other members are Patrick J. Welch, Thomas Buckley, Norman MacDonald, Christian Herter and Arthur Burgess. The commission has been appointed to study the problems of taxation and the relative cost of government. Admission taxes and other levies affecting theatres, killed at the present session, will no doubt be considered. A similar commission last year became involved in partisan disputes and accomplished little. Scheduled Discussions Are Concerned With Hour, Wage Demands Boston — Several conferences between exchange heads and representatives of the Boston Film Exchange Workers Union were to have been held this week. The scheduled discussions concerned the proposed standard wage agreement and uniform working week that the newly organized American Federation of Labor affiliate is trying to have the Hub distributors adopt. Seek 5 1/2 -Day Week It is generally understood that the guild of shipping and inspection department employes is seeking a five-and-one-half-day week. Wage demands are in a more uncertain form, with various union members in apparent doubt as to what wage scale will be asked. It was stated by one source that the union would demand $55 per week for head shippers, $40 for shippers, $35.00 for head inspectresses, and $27.50 for inspectresses. Whatever the initial requests may be, it is conceded that they will be but a common meeting point on which distributor and union representatives can base amicable considerations. The new union, according to one spokesman, has no arbitrary demands to make. Nor, according to the same leader, will independent exchanges be compelled to list at least one shipper and one inspectress as the head of that particular department with a resulting wage increase. Exchange Managers Notified Major and independent exchange managers received notifications by registered mail last week that a union committee had been chosen to submit a working agreement to Boston distributors. The letters, which were written on AFL stationery, requested that an early date be set for a joint conference. The letters, signed by Ann Earley of Paramount, recently elected recording secretary of the few weeks old union, were generally similar. One read: “At a meeting of the Boston Film Exchange Workers Union, Local 20450, American Federation of Labor, a Committee was appointed to submit to the (Continued on page 52) NEW ENGLAND EDITION Is One of the Seven Sectional BRAD ANGIER, New England Editor, 14 Piedmont St., Editions in Which BOXOFFICE Is Published Weekly. The uMiglf Boston, Mass., Phone: Liberty 9305. GERTRUDE PEAROther Six Editions Are: MIDEAST, CENTRAL, MIDWEST, SON, Suite 915, 42 Church St., New Haven, Conn. C. A. WESTERN, SOUTHERN, EASTERN. ROSSKAM, 106 Miller Ave., Providence, R. I.