Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1925)

N o v e m her 14, 1925 2239 Seider Business Manager of M.P.T.O.A; Harmony Seen Conferences Held With Hays on Contract Revision ANEW era in exhibitor organization affairs, and in exhibitor-producer relations, is foreshadowed this week, with the appointment of Joseph M. Seider, President of the M. P. T. 0. of New Jersey, as Business Manager of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. Mr. Seider 's appointment was announced in an official statement by A. Julian Brylawski, of Washingtonn, D. C, Chairman of the M. P. T. 0. A. Administrative Committee, which is composed of the following other members: Harry Davis, of Pittsburgh; M. E. Comerford, of Scranton, Pa.; Nathan Yamins, of Fall River, Mass.; and Jake Wells, of Richmond, Va. Together with R. F. Woodhull, President of the organization; Sydney S. Cohen, Chairman of the Board; L. M. Sagal, Treasurer, and Mr. Seider, the Committee held a series of meetings in New York extending from Wednesday to Saturday of last week. They took up an intensive study of the general situation which confronts the industry at this time. Mr. Seider was engaged as Business Manager, and new and larger quarters for the organization are being established at 745 Seventh avenue, New York City. The significance of the Seider appointment was made evident in the official Brylawski statement which said : "Mr. Seider will immediately proceed with the organization of a Service Bureau for exhibitors and take up in a large way the conduct of the affairs of the organization in conjunction with the National President and the Administrative Committee which functions for the Board of Directors. "The Administrative Committee and Mr. Seider have had a series of conferences with Mr. Will H. Hays, President of the M. P. P. D. A., with a view of advancing the general conditions. Progress was made on the question of a more equitable contract. Severa1 suggestions for the perfection of the Arbitration situation have been advanced and most cordially received. The further co-operation of the two great branches of the motion picture industry holds forth great promise for real advancement in solving many of the vexatious problems facing the industry." Mr. Seider declined to issue a statement for publication, but it is know that he is proceeding with the utmost energy to tackle the bigtask that is now his. In response to a request from Motion Picture News, Sydney Cohen made this statement : "It is needless to say that it is with the greatest pleasure that I welcome the appointment of my associate on the Board of Directors of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, Joseph M. Seider, to the office of Business Manager of the National organization. Mr. Seider's ability is so unquestioned as to be that 'good wine that needs no bush.' His acquisition to our ranks of National active workers in this new capacity will mean relief from detail work for thos<> of the Board of Directors who have been daily rendering service throughout the country; leaving them freer to co-operate with Mr. Seider and President Woodhull in the great work — legislative and constructive — confronting our National organization. "I feel confident that the aid and support of all independent forces will be freely forthcoming to help Mr. Seider to that real success which can only conic as a result of whole-hearted united action." The Seider appointment is regarded by close observers as having a two-edged significance : first, regarding the internal situation in the M. P. T. 0. A.; and second, the relations of the M. P. T. 0. A. with the Hays organization. It is, of course, a matter of common knowledge that affairs in the M. P. T. 0. A. have not been running smoothly for some months. The Allied States participated actively for some time after Milwaukee but then virtually withdrew from participation after the famous Board of Directors' meeting at Detroit in October. While no statement in confirmation could be obtained, it appeared probable that the appointment of Mr. Seider was the outward expression of distinct moves for harmony in the National organization. Or, to put it another way, observers pointed out that Mr. Seider's appointment woidd hardly have Joseph M. Seider, who has been named business manager of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. been made by the Administrative Committee without definite assurance that he would be acceptable to Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Texas, and the other members of the Allied group. Jf this assumption is correct, an entirely new deal in the internal exhibitor situation lias come about. Mr. Seider has forged rapidly to the front as an exhibitor leader in a sur prisingly short period. He succeeded R. F. Woodhull as head of the New Jersey organization, and his work there attracted national attention. He quickly entered the inner circle of the National organization, and at Milwaukee handled the extremely important report on arbitration and contract matters, with the result that he was made Chairman of the M. P. T. 0. A. Contract and Arbitration ( 'ommittee. Revision of the contract and reform of tire arbitration situation then became Mr. Seider's study. He wrote several articles for the trade papers in which he urged reforms on specific points. His activity along this line culminated in his drawing up a new contract and arbitration ride.-;, which won wide attention in many quarters. It was this campaign which brought Mr. Seider definitely out into the limelight and paved the way for his appointment to the important post of Business Manager of the M. P. T. 0. A. While he is known as a fighter, Mr. Seider, in the opinion of those "in the know," is acceptable to all leading factions, and it will not be surprising to find within a compara(Continued on next pnge)