Exhibitors Herald (Mar-Apr 1924)

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March 29, 1924 EXHIBITORS HERALD 27 Cohen Retirement May Not Alter Stand of Insurgents Denniston and Griffin Believe Strong State and Local Organizations More Effective— Varner Doubts President Will Quit at Boston Sydney S. Cohen's retirement from the presidency of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America at the Boston convention on May 21, 22 and 23, may not bring back into the ranks of the national organization those states which seceded following the reelection of Cohen at Chicago in 1923. Statements made to the Herald by executives and a former exhibitor leader in the insurgent states indicate that the sentiment is opposed to again affiliating with the present national organization. Strength Lies in Local Associations, Says Denniston Michigan, according to its president, Joseph R. Denniston, believes that "our main strength lies in the state and local bodies," and concurring in this opinion is C. C. Griffin, former Cohen supporter and president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Northern California during that organization's existence. Hugo Ballin Stirs Exhibitors by His Critical Article When Hugo Ballin, well known producer, contributed an article to the Exhibitors Herald recently criticising the conduct of the majority of theatres in the country, he started a discussion which has attracted widespread attention. Mr. Ballin's article under the heading "What the Exhibitor Did to Me" appeared in the March 8 issue of the Herald. Last week, he was answered by Hilda H. Angell, manager of the Park theatre, Wappingers Falls, N. Y. This week, in the "Letters from Readers" column appear two more answers to the producer from exhibitors, one from V. G. Ballman of the Castalia theatre, Castalia, la., and the second from George Baskerville of the Princess theatre, Okolona, Miss. Committee Refuses to Report Out Bill for Repeal of Censorship (Special to Exhibitors Herald) ALBANY, N. Y., March 18.— The past week witnessed a preliminary skirmish on the motion picture censorship bill at the State Capitol when the Assembly ways and means committee, by a vote of 10 to 4, refused to report out the Hackenburg bill designed to abolish the censorship commission. The committee consists of 15 members, 11 of whom are Republican. All were present with the exception of Assemblyman Walter F. Clayton, a Republican, who was responsible for the introduction of the censorship bill at the time of its adoption. The action taken by the committee in not reporting the bill out is not in the least surprising in view of the fact that Assemblyman Hackenburg is a Democrat, and his bill is in line with Governor Smith's recommendations. The committee later on stated that it would reconsider next week its action, but those who know the ropes declare that next week's action will be much the same. In the Senate, the Walker bill calling for the repeal of the censorship law will be reported out of committee, and passed within the next few days. There is no question whatever relative to its passage in the Senate, in view of the fact that it is Democratic by a majority of one. Introduce Censorship Bill in Oklahoma Senate (Special to Exhibitors Herald) OKLAHOMA CITY,, March 18.— A bill providing for a state board for censoring moving pictures has been introduced in the Oklahoma State Senate, at Oklahoma City, Okla. The board would be composed of three members to be appointed by the governor; the chairiyan would receive $2,100 a year and the other members $1,800, the secretary to be paid $1,500. Members of the board would serve for three years with terms overlapping. The board would be empowered to censor immoral or cruel pictures which would include prize fight pictures. * * * H. C. Robinson, truant officer at Oklahoma City, has condemned the showing of pictures in the morning as providing for a large number of small boys playing truant and attending the movies instead of going to school. In contrast to the foregoing is the statement of H. B. Varner, who says that Xorth Carolina is anxious for a national organization. The president of the Southern body adds, however, that he doubts very much whether Mr. Cohen will retire at Boston because of "his love for the limelight." Commenting further upon the M. P. T. O. A., Mr. Denniston, who is a member of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners Special Committee organized to campaign for the repeal of the admission tax, declared it as his belief that it might be better to utilize this special committee as the foundation of a new national organization rather than to make an attempt to "resuscitate and revitalize the old Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America." Believes Statement Is Exploitation Mr. Varner is of the opinion that President Cohen's statement that he will retire is a play for attendance at the Boston gathering. "I don't think that the exhibitors of the country will have much faith in that announcement," says the North Carolina exhibitor official. "They will likely believe that the announcement was made for the purpose of inducing the exhibitors of the country to go to Boston to have a great attendance and make a great show." The complete statements of Mr. Denniston, Mr. Varner and Mr. Griffin are appended. Expresses Michigan's Attitude In his statement, which he believes correctly expresses Michigan's attitude toward national organization, Mr. Denniston said : Michigan withdrew from the national body at Chicago, not so much because of any one personality, but because the national organization was failing to function properly and was not getting results to justify the expense of maintaining it. We felt that the national organization, if it was to be of any value, needed a new deal all the way around. New officers and directors, a new platform and a new program, new ideals and new purposes and methods. The activities or rather the inactivities of the national body of the past year have proven that we were right. Favors Strong State Bodies While there are of course many things that a national organization can do for the exhibitors of the country, yet I am firmly of the opinion that our main strength lies in the state and local bodies as they can accomplish much more for their members than a national body ever could. If we have good state and local organizations it is no trouble to get together and work effectively when some national problem arises. Take for example the work done by the Motion Picture Theatre Owners Special Committee, which was appointed at French Lick to work for the repeal of the admission tax. It is a well known fact to all who are at all conversant with the situation that the present advantageous position now occupied by the industry on the tax repeal matter is due entirely to the work of that committee, cooperating with the Hays organization. Without the support and cooperation of Mr. Hays and the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors we could not have accomplished the results that have been accomplished, and I hope they receive their full share of the credit and glory if the tax is repeated as I think it will be. I am of the opinion that the national organization would have been in a much better position today had Mr. Cohen and his advisors cooperated a little more with the other branches of the industry instead of making political capital out of his differences with various producers and distributors. If we are to have a national organization I am not quite sure that it would not be easier to build a new organization on the framework established by the Theatre Owners Special Committee than it would be to resuscitate and revitalize the old Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. While the M. P. T. O. of America has the advantage of several years of advertising it also has the disadvantage of being in a deplorable condition and in ill repute in many quarters. Want Business, not Politics I feel quite sure that Michigan would join in any movement that gave promise of effective national organization work, but we are getting along so nicely now that I believe the boys would require some assurance that the organization was for business rather than political reasons before there would be any stampede in Michigan to join a national organization. A year ago the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America could have been saved but it would have been a big job. Today it is a much bigger job, but if some valiant soul can be found who has the ability and the courage to tackle the job it may, possibly, still be done. But it will be necessary to find a strong, able and courageous man who can command the respect and confidence of the exhibitors of America, and who will devote his time to the building of an organization and in getting results for its members, rather than to building political fences for himself. I cannot close this letter without commenting upon the splendid condition of the Michigan state organization. You will perhaps remember that when we assumed the office of president at Jackson last October we said that we would attempt to close the year with $25,000 in the treasury. We have progressed so well up to the time of this writing that it looks like we would certainly reach that mark, which you will agree is something to be proud of. The credit is not at all due to any special ability on the part of the writer but to the splendid team work and devotion of the directors and the membership at large and the efficient services of our manager, H. M. Richey. Jealousies Are Absent The petty jealousies, the suspicions and distrusts which ruin so many organizations of this kind are entirely absent in Michigan. That may be due, and undoubtedly is largely due, to the fact that everyone works for the good of the organization as a whole without stopping to give any thought whatever as to who is going to get the credit. How sad this could not have been said of the national organization and how different things would have been if it could have been truthfully said. I know some fellows who do not like to hear us Michigan boys brag about our own success, but as the writer is about ready to retire from the presidency of the Michigan organization and (Continued on page 44)