Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

284 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XIX, No. 6 What Theater Men Are Doing NEWS OF EXHIBITORS WHO ARE SUCCEEDING— ARE YOU ONE? This department of Motography specializes in giving to exhibitors stories of the accomplishments of successful theater managers. If you have attempted any experiments and they have succeeded or failed write Motography about it. Fight Begun on Maryland Censor Law State Exhibitors' League Seeks Repeal at Present Session of Legislature — Film Men Prove System Is Failure DISGUSTED with the state's censorship law, Maryland exhibitors have begun a fight for its repeal and expect action from the present general assembly. The Exhibitors' League of Maryland is carrying on the fight. The league has opened headquarters at 210 West Lexington street, Annapolis, and has issued a pamphlet on "State Censorship— What It Means." The book dwells with emphasis on article 40 of the Maryland Constitution, which provides for the liberty of the press and the inviolable right of every citizen. to speak, write and publish his sentiments, being responsible for the abuse of the privilege. The book reviews the history of the censor law in Maryland and its origin and result. Further it gives an extract from Bagby's Annotated Code, showing plainly the police power already possessed in the state to deal with obscene or other improper pictures without resort to the arbitrary censor law, which has been shown to be the hobby of a small group of people, and it carries extracts showing George Creel's repudiation of arbitrary censorship and the editorial views of many of the most prominent papers of the country unanimously against censorship. The resume shows that the censor board produced a revenue of $8,000 during its first year, with $4,000 to its credit during the first six months of the second year. Against this, however, is the fact that the present censors propose to ask the Assembly for several thousands of dollars additional funds to cover traveling expenses and additional paid inspectors in various parts of the state. This additional allowance will cut the revenue to the state to almost nil. Against this situation is the fact that conditions in the motion-picture world have changed since America entered the war. The movie houses have been doing their bit in Maryland and elsewhere with patriotic propaganda thrown hourly on the screens and with thousands of benefit exhibitions to raise funds to increase the comfort of the soldiers in the camps and trenches. Despite this increased expense the amount of film used in pictures has been curtailed and will be further curtailed at the request of the government with an increase in quality. This condition will cut down by almost a third the receipts of the censor board, which are based on the amount of film by feet which is censored. Therefore, with a curtailment of the film and with increased operating expense it is predicted that the revenue from the law will be wiped out during the year, leaving the measure to be operated solely for the benefit of those who desire arbitrarily to pass upon what the general public shall be allowed to see on the screen. The exhibitors' league is headed by Frank A. Horning, president ; Louis Schlichter, first vice-president; Eugene McCurdy, second vice-president; W. A. Humpf, treasurer, and L. A. De Hoff, secretary. These officials, with E. C. Sandell and Walter Pacy, constitute the legislative committee. Louis Rome is counsel for the league. New Montreal Manager F. Lee of the Orpheum Theater, Montreal, formerly with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in France, has been appointed manager of the Mount Royal Theater, 143 Laurier avenue West. H. B. Young has notified several Canadian exchanges that he is opening a new moving picture theater at West Summerland, British Columbia. A laugh-provoker in the new Fox-Lehrman Sunshine comedy, Hospital." 'Hungry Lions in a