The Film Daily (1938)

22 W*\ DAILY Monday, October 31, 1938 TO ADJOURN HEARING ON GOV. EQUITY SUIT (.Continued from Page 1) prepared to ask for an adjournment. It is understood that a 2-week adjournment is being talked. Reported reason for the government's advocacy for an adjournment was assumed in motion picture legal circles on the week-end to have been induced primarily by the magnitude of the action itself, and the feeling on the part of the attorney-general and his staff that time should be taken to comprehensibly study the government's own course of action in light of the lengthy briefs already at hand. Myron Selznick Rep. Confers with RKO on Pix Releases West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Regarding reported negotiations by Myron Selznick for release of productions made by the Myron Selznick unit, spokesmen for Selznick admitted that Nat Deverich conferred in New York with RKO Radio regarding release of the Selznick unit productions, but added that Deverich also conferred with other companies. They further stated that nothing definite has yet been consummated with any company. DRUGSTORE SHOW BIZ Provides Freak Opposition In Harrisburg Harrisburg, Pa. — John F. Rogers, manager of the State Theater, is on the verge of advancing objections to what he considers unfair competition by drugstores. "Talk about theaters with bank nights and dish nights!" Johnny says. "They're really beginning to look like pikers compared to Harrisburg drugstores.'' Several Harrisburg drugstores have placed hundreds of articles in show windows with a prize to the person finding two objects exactly alike. In addition, one pharmacy offers patrons the privilege of asking Mme. Anitra, a psychic, two questions with a 50-cent purchase; four with a $1 purchase, and a complete reading for a purchase of $2 or more. Mme. Anitra has been "held over" for the second week. "Next thing you know," says Johnny, "they'll start using the slogan, 'Drugstores Are Your Best Entertainment'.'' Chi. Pact Meeting Today Chicago — Chicago operators union and theater owners will confer today, object, the negotiation of a new contract. 9<A <?.J \.oiJ> t^ ' ^ w RCA PHOTOPHONE The Magic Voice of the Screen The Trend Today Is Decidedly RCA Foreign Complications Call Jack Cohn Abroad (Continued from Page 1) at the home office via the announcement that Jack Cohn, company's vice-president, will sail on Nov. 4 from New York aboard the Queen Mary, and will be accompanied to Europe by both J. A. McConville, general foreign manager, and Jack Segal, latter's assistant. While the Cohn argosy was billed as an annual visit, and stress also placed on his proposed jaunt to Denham to look over the company's British Quota setup, the first feature of which, "Q Planes," has been completed, New York's Film Row pointed to far more vital matters which Columbia is facing on the Continent. Not only is Columbia, like all the majors and larger indies, faced with a loss of the Italian market, but the company's setup in Czechoslovakia and Middle Europe is extremely complicated for the reason that native representation has been used, without direct branches. Further, Columbia's interests in Poland, the Balkans, France, and other countries, if not already affected, are subject to the need of clarification and solidification as the result of kaleidoscopic conditions. Sources close to Columbia declared on the week-end that no definite time has been fixed for Cohn's return. Conferences have been planned between Cohn, McConville, and Segal, with all of the companies representatives on both the Continent and the U.K. NO FLSA RULINGS TILL LABOR IS CONSULTED! Schaefer Plans no Early Visit to Coast Studios (Continued from Page 1) lems at the Hollywood studios that require my attention at this time and therefore there is no need for such a visit," Schaefer told The Film Daily Friday. Schaefer, who attended the Pittsburgh Variety Club dinner yesterday, leaves the Smoky City today for Oklahoma City where tomorrow afternoon he is scheduled to address the MPTOA convention. Leo Spitz, RKO prexy and former president of RKO Radio, will not attend the Oklahoma City meeting. Spitz has been forced to cancel by Chicago engagements. IMPPA to Sign SAG 54-Hour Wk., 10-Hour Day Agreement West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Members of the Independent M. P. Producers' Ass'n will follow the lead of Monogram pnd Republic in signing agreement with the Screen Actors' Guild which will allow the independents to have a 54-hour week and a 10-hour day with straight time for overtime on westerns and serials costing less than $30,000. Producers and the Guild have agreed that at the end of six months arbitration hearings will be held on the agreement if the lower bracket producers ask for arbitration (Continued from Page 1) with Administrator Elmer F. Andrews, Calvert MacGruder, chief of; the wage-hour legal division; and Paul Sifton, Deputy Administrator included Ross Hastings, RKO legal department; William S. HT \an, studio manager of Columbia; T. Keith Glennan, operations manager of Paramount; Maurice B. Benjamin, of Loeb & Loeb, counsels for Metro, Universal and other majors; Victor H. Clark; Pat Casey, labor representatve of the studios and Austin C. Keough, of Paramount. Apparently no clarification of the application of the Fair Labor Standards Act to the industry resulted from the conference. The industry representatives asked the officials to formulate at least a temporary classification for the some 600 different! positions but MacGruder told reporters after the conference that the! question was too complicated to give any decision now. He said that| labor would have to be heard first; and the Administration could not! issue any opinions on the classifications now, as they might be wrong and be reversed by the courts. He pointed out that under the Act the courts must ultimately rule on which employees come under the Act. He strongly advised the industry representatives to return to their headquarters and there get together with labor in an attempt to reduce the number of classifications which must be clarified The industry representatives cited | two examples of the type of rulings which must be made. Whether or not a gaffer, in charge of electrical work with electricians under him and who received well over the minimum 25 cents per hour is exempt as a professional was one of the questions put to Andrews and MacGruder. The representatives pointed out that while there is no dispute over the gaffer's minimum salary, which is covered by union agreement, it is sometimes necessary for him to work over the 44-hour week, provided by the Act. Another example given was that of a mixer, who is vital to the sound recording and who brings up the same problems. Actors and actresses are professionals and thus exempted, the industry spokesmen declared, but Andrews did not discuss the point. It was stated that the question of theaters and particularly of circuit theaters was not discussed. The principal question here is whether or not circuit theaters are in interstate commerce. No further meetings are scheduled, it was stated, and it is anticipated that the suggestions that the industry boil its list down before asking clarification will be heeded.