Educational film magazine; (January-December 1920)

The National Authority jvenng Educational, Scientific, Agricultural, Literary, Historical, Juvenile, Governmental, Reli Scenic, Social Welfare, Industrial, and News Motion Pictures Published Monthly by the City iVetvs Publishing Co.,- 33 West 42m/ Street {Aeolian Hall), .Vp.v York DOLPH EASTMAN, £<ii/or fl. 111. MARCH, 1920 gious. Travel City No. 3 r "SAFETY FIRST!'- HE first issue of this magtizine. dated Janu- an'. 1919. contained an editorial announce- ment entitled ""Plan. Purpose, and Policy." ""Each article will be published serve our readers in some useful way," we wrote, »r to promote the acceptance and practical daily iployment of what Mr. Edison calls 'one of the eatest things in the world.' " Under the sub-title rhe Policy" we said furdier: The editorial policv of this magazine will be in complete harmony with the plan and the purpose . not small-minded. It will not be "trade-paperish." It will not provoke and promote controversy. It will give the news and tell the truth. It will lead all great movements tending toiiard the accomplishment of our purpose. It icill be constructive, not destructive. It will have ideals, and adhere to those ideals. It will have principles, and never swerve from those prin- ciples. And the pages of the Edlcation'.a.l Film Mag.\zine will always be open to those who have an idea to suggest, a plan to propose, a truth to impart, a tvrong to right. Its message and its mission are plain, and are fraught with profound significance to mankind. Thorouglily in accord with this policy, and pur- ant to an investigation of conditions prevailing in e non-theatrical field of motion pictures, we have solved to take a firm stand for safety in the exhibi- »n and handling of motion picture film—a stand th which we have always been in sympathy but to lich we did not give expression because of factors t now concerned. We are taking this stand because ! no longer wish to shirk the moral responsibility of feguarding thousands of human lives nor longer to placed in the position of tacitly or impliedly en- uraging violation of the country's laws. Moral responsibility and civic duty- —here are two ligations enough for any loyal American citizen d any member of the motion picture industry to live I to and respect not only in passive obedience but actively seeing that the laws are enforced without ar or favor. Nearly all manufacturers, distributors, ,d exhibitors connected with this industry are good yal Americans and law-abiding citizens: they oved that beyond a doubt during the late war. But there are- a few, a very few, among them who are eitlier indifferent to the law, or evasive of it, or deliberate in their violation of it. It is these few who constitute a menace to the vast majority in the industry, a menace even to themselves if they were only broad-gauged and far-visioned enough to realize the fact. For should disaster come the blow will fall alike upon the just and the unjust, and those who helped to pull do^vn the house will be buried in the ruins alongside of those who helped to build it up. The time has come for plain speaking and fearless action. With the sale of each projection machine using nitro-cellulose film and operated in utter dis- regard of the wise rules adopted years ago by fire insurance underwriters and state and municipal fire audiorities all over the United States, a new hazard is added to the many already existing, thereby in- creasing the possibility if not the probability of another Iroquois theater disaster. We have no desire or intention of creating a state of terror or of unduly alarming users or prospective users of inflammable film in unprotected projectors, which are safe enough in themselves but which encourage the handling of such film under unsafe and dangerous conditions. We desire not to alami but to warn, not to prophesy ill but to try and prevent ill from befalling the entire non-theatrical field of motion pictures. \\ hat is the life of your child worth? Is it worth the price of a fireproof booth, or the cost of an expert operator; of a reel of film, or a thou- sand reels, or a million reels? \oii would not sell or give away or lose your precious little one for all the wealth of the world. Hundreds of thousands of other parents feel the same way about their children. Educational films are wonderful things, but their use nmst be made safe—relatively safe—under all conditions. A vampire may be beautiful to look upon, but in her heart is a black menace to all weak men. In this issue two experts—one the very able and highly respected director of the Underwriters' Labo- 1M