Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1922 - Mar 1923)

[anuary 20, 1923 EXHIBITORS HERALD 37 C. E. Cook Has Financing Plans For Exhibitor Units Three Methods Considered by Kansas League Business Head Are Outlined (Special to Exhibitors Herald) KANSAS CITY, KAN., Jan. 9 — Three ilans, one of them a novel one. are being onsidered by C. E. Cook, business manager of the M. P. T. O., Kansas, as a means to make the Kansas organization one of the strongest financed bodies of exhibitors in the Middle West. The first plan of Mr. Cook req ui r e s a tieup with some large banking institution in which M. P. T. O. K. funds will be kept. Mr. Cook, through uch a bank, would obtain the distribulon of small pocket banks to each memer of the state organization. The first cket sold each night, regardless of price, ie amount would be placed in the small ank. Collection of money thus oblined would be made about once every iree months. Mr. Cook said. Banks Would Cooperate "The price of the first ticket sold every ight never would be missed by the exibitors," Mr. Cook declared, ''regardless f how small the theatre may be. Such revenue would amount to a respectable Dtal at the end of the year. Any large ank in Kansas City would be glad to ooperate by distributing such banks, I :el certain. Such a plan would be much isier than requesting a flat sum as an ssessment from exhibitors." Under No. 2 as outlined by Mr. Cook, e would make a certain film exchange i Kansas City a flat offer for about six ictures of the program variety for six lonths, the theatres in which the pictures ere to be played not specified. Mr. ook, with the cooperation of Kansas chibitors, then would book the pictures . ail M. P. T. O. K. theatres, the price i the pictures depending upon the size id drawing power of the house. Others Favor Idea "'The marginal profit in such a plan lould net the association about SI. 500 ich six months," Mr. Cook said. "I ive sounded the sentiment of several ansas City exchanges on this plan and ey all have expressed favorable opinns, asserting that arrangements with e home offices would be the only necsary formality. Of course, this plan. I well as the bank plan, would not in ly way conflict with annual dues of •2 from each exhibitor. It simply offers i opportunity for the exhibitor to prove at hje is willing to lend his cooperation the organization." Mr. Cook's third plan offers an alteritive for small town exhibitors who el that the annual dues of S52 is too uch of a burden. In a tour over the ate Mr. Cook would close contracts ith as many concerns as possible for e running of advertising slides. The nail town showman, or the bie town, r that matter, would run the slides and e M. P. T. O. K. receive payment. Will H. Hays Stands Pat in Final Word About Arbuckle Better Films Committee of Atlanta Declines to Act on Matter— Public Relations Body Opposes Return of Actor Will H. Hays, president of the M. P. P. D. A., is through talking about the Arbuckle affair. Courtland Smith, his secretary, said as much in a note appended to the latest Hays statement which read, "This is the final word on this matter and no later statement will be issued by Mr. Hays. Question Must Be Left to Judgment of Public Furthermore, President Hays, in his latest and final communication, stands pat on his original decision relative to the return of the comedian to the screen. Protests from various individuals and organizations have not moved him to change the attitude assumed at the time of lifting the ban on the former Paramount star. Says Mr. Hays: "This is the kind of question that must be left finally to the judgment of the public on the one hand and on the other hand to those who have business associations with the individual and the individual himself." Of particular interest in the Arbuckle situation is the decision of the Better Films Committee of Atlanta. Ga., a strong organization in the South, to take no definite action at this time relative to the comedian's pictures, should he resume production. Patterson Sways Meeting Willard C. Patterson, manager of the Metropolitan theatre, Atlanta, presented the arguments which crystallized the sentiment of the meeting against hasty action on the Arbuckle matter. Other speakers concurred in his opinions. The Committee on Public Relations, the body comprised of prominent people appointed by Mr. Hays to cooperate with him in his movement to maintain a high moral and artistic standard in pictures, met last week at the M. P. P. D. A. headquarters in New York and adopted resolutions requesting the industry "to refrain from exhibiting pictures in which Mr. Arbuckle appears." "Any consideration shown him (Arbuckle)," the resolutions read, "as an individual, should be along lines not involving his appearance before the public as a motion picture actor." Reaffirms Its Pledge Further the committee reaffirmed its desire to assist Mr. Hays in every way possible in the improvement of motion pictures. Opposition to the Hays decision was expressed in resolutions adopted by the Ind'ana Indorsers of Photoplays and the Indianapolis Ministerial Association, the latter declaring that it "deplores and resents the attempt to place Mr. Arbuckle in trre position of an instructor of the youth of the land." Mrs. Edward Franklin White of Indianapolis, chairman of the legislative committee of the National Federation of Women's Clubs, has sent a letter to Mr. Hays in which she says that she regrets "exceedingly that you have seen fit to give your permission to the motion picture producers to present Fatty Arbuckle again on the screen." Open Letter Hits Theatre An open letter has been forwarded to the M. P. P. D. A. chief by W. W. Black, head of the education department of Indiana university, in which he says that indiscriminate theatre going by children is one of the greatest evils of the day and discusses at length the Arbuckle situation. All suggestions, resolutions and the like "will be referred to the proper parties." says the producer president in his final note. The Motion Picture Exhibitors League of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri. Joseph Mogler, president, adopted resolutions at its last meeting declaring that no Arbuckle pictures would be exhibited on any screens controlled by members of the organization. Precipitates Censor Fight The Arbuckle case has precipitated a censorship fight in Missouri. C. C. Pettijohn. general counsel for the M. P. P. D. A., has been called upon to direct the defense of the industry and it is understood that he will be in Jefferson City shortly to discuss the nature of the campaign to be launched. The final statement of Mr. Hays follows in full: "All suggestions which have been received from all viewpoints, and they are many and varied, will be referred to the proper parties. This is the kind of question that must be left finally to the judgment of the public on the one hand and on the other hand to those who have business associations with the individual and the individual himself. I have removed the artificial situat*on of one man being or appearing to be the judge in such matters either for one hundred and ten million people, or for a great industry and art. Such a condition in the development of a business is absolutely unsound economically, and from «very other standpoint, and permanently must not be. A temporary framework or scaffolding may be a very valuable tool for a period in the remodeling or construction of a great buildine. but it must be remembered as the building progresses that such structures are only temporary facilities." Charters Are Granted Seven Firms at Albany ALBANY. N. Y., Jan. 9.— During the first week of this year, a total of seven motion picture companies were incorporated in New York state, these having a capitalization which amounted to S165.500. The first motion picture company to incorporate in the new year was Fascination Pictures, capitalized at $10 000. and having its principal office in New York Citv.