The Exhibitor (May-Oct 1945)

THE EXHIBITOR 4a SOPEG Contracts Signed NEW YORK — By order of the War Labor Board, Loew’s, Inc., 20th Cen¬ tury-Fox, and United Artists last week signed their first contract with the Screen Office and Professional Em¬ ployees Guild, Local 1, United Office and Professional Workers of America, CIO, covering the front office em¬ ployees in the companies’ New York exchanges. This action terminates a three-year controversy between SOPEG and the companies. SOPEG last year won a 15 per cent general increase for the employees at the three exchanges through another WLB order. New salary increases based on job classifications are cur¬ rently in dispute before the Board. Terms of the contract, which expires on Aug. 1, include arbitration of dis¬ charges, grievance machinery with arbitration, a defined seniority pro¬ cedure, and other benefits. STATEWIDE MEETINGS PUSH SEVENTH WAR LOAN New York — As the opening of the Sev¬ enth War Loan neared this week, reports continued to come into area headquarters of the results of sectional and district meet¬ ings to push the trade’s participation in the big push. Albany Area Holds Session Albany— The area’s Seventh War Loan was started with a luncheon meeting at the Ten Eyck Hotel Flag Room on April 30, with all distributor organization per¬ sonnel and many exhibitors from the entil e eastern part of the state present. Approxi¬ mately 150 people heard the details out¬ lining the plans for the entire campaign. C. J. Latta, exhibitor chairman for the area, welcomed the distributors and ex¬ hibitors, and introduced the guests' Alonzo P. Adams, Treasury Department; Frank Williams, Albany County chairman, Sev¬ enth War Loan; Reverend George A. Tay¬ lor; Lieutenant Commander Robert Green, representing the Navy; Lieutenant Com¬ mander Thomas Kiley, Navy Public Rela¬ tion Head for this area; Lieutenant Colonel Mark R. M. Gwilliam and Captain John J. Buyer, representing the Army, and Rabbi Solomon I. Moseson, who pronounced the benediction. Latta complimented the theatres and ex¬ change representatives on the marvelous job done on the Red Cross drive, wherein a total of $82,916.43 was collected. He urged immediate signing by exhibitors of the pledges, agreeing to a kiddie morn¬ ing show, a bond premiere, and the Free Movie Day. He also spoke to the key theatres to plan for a Major Glenn Miller Day. Latta urged all theatres to cooperate 100 per cent in becoming issuing agents. Herbert Kneip, president, National Com¬ mercial Bank of Albany, and chairman of the area for the Treasury Department, spoke about the need of putting this drive over. Ray Smith, distributor chairman for the area, stated that pictures are available for ( Continued on page 4b) Metropolitan Theatremen Hear Comm. Corsi On Compliance With The State Labor Laws New York — At a mass meeting of over 400 theatremen last week at the Riverside Edward Corsi, industrial commissioner of the Department of Labor, stated that 76 theatres out of 234 inspected in Greater New York City were found to be in violation of the state Child Labor Law. Corsi said the inspections were made during the six months from October, 1944, through March, 1945, with the violations affecting 103 children, of which 80 were between the ages of 16 and 17, and could have been papers. Corsi stressed the importance of the law, and asked the cooperation of the theatre men as a public service to the rising gen¬ eration. Other speakers were Walter E. O’Leary, Board of Education, and Arthur Gagnon, Division of Enforcement. Corsi said 22 serious violations had been discovered involving children, ages 14 to 15, who were being employed with¬ out working papers, and working illegal hours, usually after 6 P. M. He pointed out that most of the minors were employed as ushers, ticket collectors, and cashiers, but sometimes they were changing signs and overhead lights. He stated that this industry holds a middle position on the list of violators, and continued by revealing that inasmuch as the majority of complaints come from civic groups, churches, citizens, and patrons, it would be deemed good public relations to eliminate this social outlaw, child labor. Corsi said that the industry, as a whole, however, has been complying with the reg¬ ulations. Fabian Circuit, RKO Circuit, and Randforce Circuit were complimented by him for their moves in attempting to al¬ leviate the situation. O’Leary initiated his comments by out¬ lining the requirements for working papers, and stated that his department has attempted to facilitate the obtaining of working papers. O’Leary said his department wished to cooperate fully with the exhibitors and managers on rules governing the admit¬ tance of unaccompanied minors, and that he realized their problem, but, on the other hand, the department must be firm in see¬ ing that the law was observed. O’Leary said that it was on his complaint that Com¬ missioner Paul Moss suspended Warners’ Strand’s license for 11 hours as penalty l’or admitting a minor. He explained that a member of his staff saw a Stand usher take an 11-year-old boy out of the theatre, and refund his money. The question, ac¬ cording to O’Leary, was why was the boy admitted in the first place? Louis M. Weber, counsel for Skouras theatres, presided at the meeting, and the theatremen promised to cooperate in see¬ ing that the laws were enforced. In a survey conducted last year by the Division of Women, Child Labor and Minimum Wage, New York State Labor Department, embracing 175 film theatres, about one-seventh of the state total, in cities of varying sizes: New York, Buffalo, Rochester, Utica, Schenectady, Bingham¬ ton, Mount Vernon, Elmira, and Pough¬ keepsie, it was found that 69 per cent of the houses violated the state child labor law. Four of every 10 theatre employes under the age of 18 were not legally em¬ ployed, it was pointed out, and one of every three in the 16-17 years of age group, and four out of every five of 14-15 years were illegally employed. employed legally if they had had working LICENSE HEAD MOSS CLOSES B'WAY STRAND New York — For the first time in the 25year history of Warners’ Strand, a penalty was imposed last week by License Com¬ missioner Paul Moss for admitting a minor to the theatre, although it was admitted at a hearing in the Commissioner’s office that the boy appeared older than draft age, and that it was difficult, under the circum¬ stances, to establish he was a minor. Com¬ missioner Moss ordered the theatre closed from midnight on April 30 to 3.05 P. M. on May 1 and from midnight on May 1 to 3.05 P. M. on May 2. The following statement was displayed as a notice to the public in front of the Strand during the closed hours: “This theatre will not open until 3.05 P. M. Tuesday and Wednesday. This is an arbitrary penalty imposed by Commis¬ sioner Moss after he found an accidental violation of the law concerning admitting minors to theatres. “The Strand Theatre makes a special effort to comply with this ordinance. It has always successfully eliminated from its ticket lines children obviously under 16 years of age. “Considering the circumstances involved in attempting to judge the age of individ¬ uals, the management feels it has been consistently successful in upholding this law. It believes that the Commissioner’s decision to shut down a theatre because of his finding of an accidental and technical violation is unjust. “The management sets forth these facts so that the public will understand why the Strand Theatre will be closed today and tomorrow until 3.05 P. M.’’ New York radio commentators came to the defense of the Strand following an¬ nouncement. Meanwhile, Moss pointed out that the penal law prohibits children under 16 from being admitted to a theatre unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, or authorized adult. According to the admin¬ istrative code, a theatre may also be licensed to admit minors provided a matron is in charge. Moss said the Stand had no such license. It was estimated that the loss in revenue resulting from the closing of the Strand amounted to approximately $4,000. Albert Senft Honored New York — Albert A. Senft, president, Cinema Lodge. B’nai B'rith, was presented with a ‘ silver inkwell set at last week’s open meeting of the Lodge and the Ladies' Auxiliary at the Hotel Astor. Harry Gold¬ berg, Warner advertising and publicity head, Rabbi Judah Cahn, and S. Arthur Glion were guest speakers, and a screen¬ ing of Warners’ “It Happened In Springfield” was held. Tribute was paid to the late Franklin Roosevelt. May 9, 1945 N.Y.S.