Educational film magazine; (January-December 1920)

as I can see. to weaken in our determination to safe- rd the public and at the same time tlie many millions loUars worth of property placed in jeopardy when such sguards are disregarded. Lcelate-cellulose or slow burning film costs a little more a and is not as efficient nor as durable as nitro-cellulose 1. but is not the life of vour child worth the difference price and quality? "But." you say. "we cannot obtain Qts on slow burning stock in standard width, at least. in anv desirable subjects or appreciable quantity.'" haps not. because the underwriters will not approve use of either inflammable or non-inflammable film in [idard width unless fireproof booths, expert operators. I the other safety provisions laid down are observed, rtable projectors using both kinds of film which do not ; up to the letter of the law cannot be approved by the lerwriters because, even though the user would promise writing to emplov only slow burning film and would be •ject to fines or imprisonment for violation, the tempta- n to substitute inflammable film for the other would be I great for the average owner of a projector to resist, e onlv way to avoid this risk is to make it impossible take it. 50 far as the large standard professional projectors are icerned, the question as to the use of dangerous film was ■ the most part settled years ago. Each of the states has ingent laws on this subject and these laws are carefully served. If thev were not observed, the operators and ! owners would find themselves behind prison bars, or the eration of such machines would be prohibited. This brings us to the question of portable and semi- rtable motion picture projection machines. The growing ; of these tvpes of projectors for non-theatrical purposes s led to a laxitv in the observance and enforcement of the «rs. This condition is to be deplored, for I fear that if ; bars are let down we shall wake up some morning and id that a horrible calamity has occurred with the loss many little lives. Fire Haz.\rds Mainly Outside of Machines The danger is not so much in the machine itself—many the portable machines are safe enough within themselves ■but in the handling of nitro-cellulose film outside of the achine. I have made this statement hundreds of times It persons both within and without the film industry do >t seem to get the point. Furthermore, all devices which e designed to make the handling of hazardous film less izardous within the machine and outside of it. which do )t comply with the laws, are merely evasive and do not eet with the approval of the underwriters, no matter hat state and local authorities may think of them. We «1 that our adamant attitude in this matter is justified f the ever-present menace to life and property, and if a isaster does occur the responsibility will be on their heads ad not on ours. It will not require more than one holo- iust of the kind to bring about a tightening of the lines nd strengthening of the fire laws everywhere. But it is great pity to think that we must face such a possibility, le perhaps many lives may have to be paid as the price f carelessness, to call it by no harsher name. At the present time a very promising development for le non-theatrical motion picture industry, in so far as the se of portable projectors is concerned, is the safety stand- rd which was adopted in 1918 by the Society of Motion 'icture Engineers. As the number of small machines used acreases and as the pictures on the narrow slow-burning ilms become still more widely distributed the wisdom of he Society's decision will become more apparent. The movement itself must naturally become accelerated by the insistent demand of educators, churchmen, industrial man- agers and others for motion picture facilities which are at "lice efficient, practicable, and above all safe. The im- ]'ortaiit '"Safety First" campaign which was inaugurated in the United States a few years ago was started by the industrial interests of the country—hard-headed, practical business men and publicists who realized that the safelv factor was of the very greatest importance in all lines of industry. Today there is not a manufacturing plant of any consequence which does not provide for safeguarding the lives and limbs and even the health of its workers, and the "Safety First" movement has penetrated even into log- ging camps and the most out-of-the-way places. Safety Idea Shoh.d Be Encouraged Portable projection machines using the regular theater film, without booths, competent operators, and the other fire preventive and protective provisions of the law, are unquestionably a menace to life and propertv. Safety standard projectors and the slow burning film which thev employ are officially approved by the underwriters and bv fire officials evervwhere because nitro-cellulose film such as the theaters use cannot be used on such machines; be- cause the handling of safety standard film by amateurs and inexpert operators is not dangerous. The future of the non-theatrical field of motion pictures, if it is to depend upon portable or semi-portable projection machines largely, lies apparently in the broad development of the safety idea in machines and film libraries. GOLDWYN-BRAY FAR EAST EXPEDITION E. Alexander Powell, famous as a traveler, war corre- spondent and author, has started on a tour in the interest of the Goldwyn-Bray Pictograph and other releases of the organization. Mr. Powell and his cameraman, E. L. Haw- kinson. will visit Japan, the Island of Formosa. China, India and other places in the Far East. Manv of the localities on Mr. Powell's itinerary have not been visited bv a photog- raphic expedition. • This trip is in accord with the policy of the recently allied Goldwyn-Bray companies to send the most ex- perienced men available to far-away comers of the world where interesting and instructive films may be secured. Thev will make an important addition to the service sup- plied theaters and also will be a valuable contribution to the librarv of films being compiled for schools and other educational institutions. It is expected that the e.xpedition will be of six months" duration, during which approxi- matelv eightv 1.000-foot reels of film will be exposed. S- 9" CHURCH AND THEATER COMPETITION Rev. Charles \^entworth of the First Methodist Church. St. Joseph, Mo., recently announced something out of the ordinarv for his Sunday night service. The theme was ■'How Can the Church Compete With the Movies?" Mr. Wentworth was the first minister on the Pacific Coast to install a motion picture machine in his church. He has had more experience than the average minister in movies, and many came to hear what he had to say. During the week seven members of the congregation were delegated to visit that number of picture theaters and they reported on the subject. ""Vi'hat Did You Observe in the Program That Might Elevate the Educational or Religious Standards of the City ?" Each gave a three-minute report. It would be interesting to read the opinions of these seven lay critics. 11