The Exhibitor (Jun-Oct 1939)

* Western Mass. Vote Goes Against TMAT Conn. “Bingo" Amendment Tabled Trade Watching House Developments An attempt by sponsors of the Cole bill legalizing "Bingo” in Connecticut to amend it so that the games could be played only by bonafide social, civic or fraternal organizations of two years standing caused the Republican majority in the House to stall the measure, and the bill was tabled last week. "Bingo” bill sponsors used the amend¬ ment to sound out House sentiment and the resultant action indicated the chances of eventual passage for the bill are very slim. Bill will undoubtedly be consid¬ ered this week. Methuen Theatre Local Issue A petition of chairman Arthur Thompson, Methuen, Massachusetts, Board of Selectmen, to revoke the license of the Merrimack Park Auto theatre — outdoor moving picture house — was lost last fortnight when other members of the board voted it tabled after receiving a petition from 5 0 residents of the Glen Forest district, asking that the theatre be declared a nuisance. The theatre was wrecked by the Sep¬ tember hurricane and plans to rebuild it are now understood to be under consid¬ eration. Joseph Cifre and George Swartz are the guiding lights of the house. Bishop Raps Conn. “Bingo” Bishop Frederick G. Budding, head of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Con¬ necticut, told delegates to the annual diocesan convention last week that he never could sanction in the diocese of Connecticut the use of parish houses for things like "Bingo” games. MR Hearings Resume Hearings on the Morse-Rothberg anti-trust case resumed last fortnight after a brief recess. The case should end within the next few weeks. May 24, 1919 Montpelier Dispute Concerns New Playhouse Building Requirements Center of Attention An unofficial vote endorsing a strictly fireproof building to replace the Play¬ house, Montpelier, Vermont, destroyed by fire April 1, was taken by the city council at a special meeting May 16. Vote was taken in the face of pro¬ testations by designer Roger G. Rand, Boston, that the cost would be exorbi¬ tant. The special session was attended by Ralph S. Gilbert, theatre manager, fire marshal Francis T. Regan and Rand. Center of the debate between the the¬ atre representatives and the aldermen was whether the theatre should have a con¬ crete or a wooden floor. Matter was left undecided. Gilbert said it was planned to utilize in the construction of the new proposed $100,000 theatre, 80 per cent of the side and back walls of the old building now standing. An entirely new front is planned. Rand, hired as designer by the MaineNew Hampshire Company, said that any but second-class construction would not be feasible in a town the size of Mont¬ pelier, which has a population of less than 9,000 persons. He indicated that the demands of the city council were unreasonable. The new building when completed will be as fireproof as any metropolitan theatre, Rand said. Kurson-Graphic Expanding The Kurson-Graphic theatres organi¬ zation indicated this week that it is pre¬ paring for expansion. Newell Kurson, who opened the Graphic circuit’s Boston office last month, announced that it will take over Massa¬ chusetts sites for new theatres. Kurson is also interviewing men for summer situ¬ ations. Men with knowledge of, and interest in, the theatre are welcome to come to the company’s headquarters and anyone really good will be taken over, he stated. THE EXHIBITOR Union Appears to Have Lost Decision The Theatrical Managers, Agents and Treasurers union, an American Federa¬ tion of Labor affiliate, this week ap¬ peared to have lost its contest for the right to bargain for the eligible em¬ ployees of the Western Massachusetts Theatres, Inc., chain owned by Nathan and Samuel Goldstein. In an election sponsored and con¬ ducted by the Massachusetts Labor Re¬ lations board, the union lost 14 to 10, with seven ballots contested. Not enough of the contested votes (both TMAT and the Goldstein management issued pro¬ tests on the ballots contested) would go to the union if all were allowed, it is conceded, to give the TMAT bargaining authority. Still to be settled is the question whether George Coleman, former em¬ ployee of the chain, was dismissed be¬ cause of union activity. This and the question of the protested ballots will be considered at a later meeting of the labor board, probably within two weeks. Announcement of the election results was made by Labor Board Commissioner Daniel J. Collins, who supervised the election. Three of the ballots were chal¬ lenged by the board, and two each by the management and the TMAT. A total of 32 ballots was cast, one more than the TMAT considered eligible to vote, and the balloting was done in Springfield, Pittsfield. Employees of Springfield Goldstein theatres, and in Greenfield, Westfield, Northampton, Holyoke, Chic¬ opee voted in Springfield, while those in Pittsfield, North Adams voted at the Hotel Wendell, Pittsfield. The Pittsfield votes were impounded and brought to this city by a representative of the the¬ atre management and one from the TMAT. That the TMAT considered the elec¬ tion of vital importance was conceded on all sides. Both W. S. Scott, busi¬ ness manager of the motion picture divi¬ sion of the union, and Attorney Gustave A. Gerber, TMAT counsel, spent several days in the city contacting eligible mem¬ bers. Later, it was disclosed, the TMAT organizers had been confident that 17 eligible employees they had signed up as members would vote to have the union serve as their bargaining agent. On the other hand, the Goldstein or¬ ganization maintained all along that it welcomed the election. Attorney Harry M. Ehrlich, was hired as company coun¬ sel, and other lawyers were engaged to represent employees not belonging to the union. N. E.