Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

January 5, 1918. MOTOGRAPHY 21 National Association Accomplishes Much Good REVIEW OF YEAR'S WORK SHOWS MANIFOLD BENEFIT RESULTING FROM LABORS CALLED UPON time and again to perform herculean tasks in the interests of the industry, and nearly always coming out with colors flying, the National Association of the Motion Picwill enter the new year confident of outdoing the great work it has accomplished during 1917. The year now rapidly drawing to a close will always be regarded as the most critical in the history of the industry. Besieged on all sides by enemies, manufacturers, exchangemen and exhibitors — in fact, every branch of the business — have fought shoulder to shoulder under the banner of the N. A. M. P. I. and the good that has been accomplished is unbounded. Censorship, taxation and all inimical legislation was defeated through the untiring work of the members of the Censorship committee. The heavy impost placed on films by congress was placed over the objections and good work of the organization, but it is possible that before 1918 is very old, changes will be made in the measure which will considerably lighten the war burden the motion picture industry now totters under. Gives Government Support Even while engaged in its most strenuous fights against a common enemy, all branches of the industry found time to rally to the support of the government in carrying out its war aims. At this very minute exhibitors, manufacturers, •exchanges, directors, and photo players are engaged in furthering the war interests of the United States through the medium of the film and the screen. It was largely through the efforts of motion picture men that both the Liberty Loans proved successes. The screen has been of incalculable value to Herbert S. Hoover in his food conservation campaign. In fact, government propaganda of all kinds is being thrown on the screen largely through the efforts of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry in co-operation with the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America. While it is true that the combined efforts of the biggest men in the industry failed to prevent the great split of the exhibitors at the Chicago convention, nevertheless, right now the National Association has brought the rival factions together and it is not beyond hope that the Exhibitors' League and the American Association will be merged as one powerful unit. Starting back in January the officers and •committeemen of the National Asso ciation have been kept on a perpetual jump. When, soon after the New Year, word was received that various bills, covering taxation, Sunday closing and censorship were to be brought up in several state capitols, the strength of the National Association was fully mobilized and battle lines effectively drawn. Bills were introduced simultaneously in some states providing for the opening of motion picture theaters on Sunday, and a most notable victory was achieved in the State of Indiana, where the theaters are now open through the passage of a bill introduced at the instance of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of Indiana and which was signed by Governor Goodrich. Sunday Opening in Prospect A favorable report for the Sunday Opening Bill in New Jersey was lost through the absence of one vote at a committee meeting, through circumstances beyond human control. In Connecticut the "blue laws" were amended by a bill which passed the General Assembly by a large majority but which was subsequently vetoed by Governor Holcomb. While state wide Sunday opening was defeated in New York nevertheless splendid work along educational lines was accomplished and it is believed that there is a good chance of passing such a meas ure at the forthcoming session of the legislature. Through the adoption of a joint resolution of the New York legislature an investigation of the motion picture industry, covering a period of several months, was conducted by a legislative committee, the chairman being Assemblyman Heber E. Wheeler, a co-introducer of the distasteful Christman-Wheeler censorship bill. The association waged an aggressive fight against the Wheeler Committee's report which if enacted would have entailed an expense upon the film interests in the state of New York of at least $1,000,000 and made necessary the complete re-adjustment of the business throughout the Empire state. While the committee's report was passed by the Senate and Assembly, it was referred to the Judiciary Committee of the upper house, from which the bill was never reported. D if eat Censorship Bills The association assisted in a large degree in securing the defeat of taxation and other obnoxious bills before the judiciary general committee in Pennsylvania, one of which would have entailed an expense of $750,000 a year upon the manufacturers and distributers. None of these bills was reported out of committee, though it was freely predicted that the taxation bill would be passed for revenue purposes. Mae Marsh in a scene from Goldivyn's "The Cinderella Man.