Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

October 4, 1930 M otio n P i c t ii r c .V . w s 35 Aleograph Court Battle Against ERPI Starts Nov. 3; $20,000,000 Involved Chains Licked On Tax Raleigh, N. C— The U. S. Supreme Court will be asked to rule on the constitutionality of the state chain store tax, legality of which has just been upheld in a ruling handed down by North Carolina Supreme Court. The fight to higher courts will be brought by the A. & P. grocery chain, which sought to establish unconstitutionality of the $50 a year tax on all stores under the same management. Theatre chains are included in the tax law. Demand Federal Film Supervision AtW.C.T.U.Meet Delavan, Wis. — A petition was signed here by members of the W.C.T.U. in session at its fifty-seventh annual state convention, addressed to the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, requesting the enactment of a law for Federal supervision of motion pictures so as to establbli higher moral standards of production. It was stated in the petition that efforts to improve the morals of pictures through co-operation with the motion picture industry have failed, and the petition charges the producer with being mostly responsible for all "unwholesome and immorality in films." It calls attention to the fact that the hands of local exhibitors are tied because pictures are sold to them in "blocks," thus making personal selection almost impossible. The petition further sets forth the stipulation that the Federal motion picture commission be safeguarded as far as possible from the danger of corruption through pressure from the industry and political Industry to Aid in Jewish Charity Drive Fifty-three members of the theatrical and picture industry have enlisted in the volunteer army of the Federation for the Support of Jewish Philanthropic Societies and will visit about 530 persons in the name of the 91 charities affiliated with the Federation when its 1930 campaign formally opens on October 19, it was announced by Eugene J. Zukor, Maurice Goodman, Al Lichtman and David Bernstein, division heads of the theatrical and picture industry of the Business Men's Council of Federation. The objective of this year's campaign is the erasure of a $2,221,000 deficit remaining on a budget of $5,499,000. Rogers Going Abroad Buddy Rogers sails from New York Oct. 10 for a trip abroad. He now is making a series of personal appearances. Gov't in Canada Is Readying for Industry Probe Ottawa — A. C. Heighington, K. C. of Toronto, will be counsel for the government in the investigation of the picture industry m Canada, under the Combines Act. No date has as yet been set for the hearings. Peter White, K. C. of Toronto, will be commissioner in charge of the hearings. The government plans to investigate sale of the Famous Players Canadian chain to Paramount, as well as complaints of independents that a monopoly exists in the Dominion. Selected List Out for Annual Book Week Shows Twelfth Annual Book Week is to be celebrated Nov. 16 to 22. The week, sponsored by the National Association of Book Publishers, has become a permanent institution, securing each year the attention and support of interested groups in all parts of the country. Book films are shown by exhibitors during this week from a selected list supplied by the National Board of Review. Michigan Exhibitors to Open Meetings Monday Grand Rapids, Mich. — With percentage bookings and the proposed new contract to be major topics of discussion, Michigan exhibitors will get under way here Monday. A number of leaders of Allied States Association are slated to attend. Offers New Service Kendell & Dasseville, New York, now is offering an engineering service to exhibitors, embodied in the Kendell method of acoustical correction. It is confined to three factors, focalization, vocalization and synchronization. Fox Releases Werker Hollywood — Alfred Werker, who has been directing westerns for Fox, has been released. Further plans have not been announced by Werker as yet. San Antonio Company Charges Infringements of Disc Patent Rights Legal seconds of Electrical Research Products and the Aleograph Company launched this week an extensive "training" campaign preparatory to a stiff battle over disc method of making and exhibiting talkers. The fight is all set for Nov. 3 at San Antonio, when ERPI will defend its disc title in a Federal Court suit which began in Texas some time ago. Western Electric filed an answer denying infringements of Aleograph patents, and the case was ordered to trial. Further complicating the sound patents tangle, Aleograph seeks an injunction against further alleged infringements and asks for an accounting of profits derived by ERPI. If the Aleograph Co. wins its suit, Motion Picture News learns, legal action will be brought in Canada, Germany, Australia and other countries where sound manufacturers use disc. Martin J. Arnold, San Antonio attorney, assisted by Frank Steinle, heads the Aleograph legal battalion, while ERPI is represented by Brooks, Templeton & Matthews, San Antonio. The name of a prominent New York firm is linked with Aleograph, jumping into the case near the trial date. In 1920, Allen Stowers, now living in New York, and Leo De Hymel invented the disc film which the Aleograph company claims is being infringed. A patent on this are interested in this company, film was secured in 1924. Later on Stowers and De Hymel assigned their patents to Aleograph, receiving a certain amount of stock in return. Nearly 400 San Antonians The Aleograph Company takes its name from the first names of the two inventors, Allen Stowers and Leo De Hymel. When they first tried out their idea, they used the crowing of a rooster as their subject. This achievement was the result of years of inventive effort on the part of the two San Antonio men. Other officials of Aleograph are: John L. Pridgen, president; F. L. Toepperwein, second vice-president ; James Knapp, treasurer, and the following directors: Nathan K. Tracey, Dr. W. D. Hicks and Dr. C. J. Boes. De Hymel long ago disposed of his share in the company, but Stowers retains some of his stock. It has been learned that the Aleograph Company hopes to recover approximately $20,000,000 from ERPI and about 40 other concerns alleged to be infringing on the patent. Seek Bobby Jones Warners and Paramount are reported to be dickering for picture services of Bobby Jones, golf star.