Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

Page 4 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW June 10, 1939 Left to right above: Nate Yamins, President of the Independent Exhibitors of Mass. and former president of National Allied; Martin C. Smith, Pres. of Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, and Member of the Executive Committee of National Allied; Henry Lazarus, Pres. of Allied Theatre Owners of Louisiana; Maurice Rubin, Pres. of Associated Theatre Owners of Indiana; Max Cohen, Pres. of Allied Theatre Owners of New York; Charles H. Olive, Secretary of National Allied and Pres. of Allied Theatre Owners of District of Columbia; and P. J. Wood, Recording Secretary of National Allied and Business Manager of the Ohio Association. FIGHT PREDICTED AT ALUED CONFAB Al Steffes Sees Battle On Trade Reforms, Arbitration A hot fight on the floor of the AlHed Convention in Minneapolis is expected next week according to W. A. Steffes, chairman of the convention committee who predicts it will be a "knock-down drag-out aiTair" before it is over. Steffes was rritical of Ed K u y k e n dall's early refusal to attend the convention. In a bulletin this week Steffes says, "One exhibitor leader says he is sorry he can't come because his organization and our organization are too far apart. What a joke! Since when ha\ e men who are supposed to be leaders, been afraid to meet others with conflicting opinions in a public debate?" he asks. the national Allied organization. Many subjects besides arbitration and the trade practice code will be taken up at the convention, according to Steffes. Exhibitors have written to ask him if anything is going to be done about film prices. "Hell, jes was his Abraham F. Myers Ed Kuykendall, MPTOA president, wired his office late Thursday afternoon that he would attend the Minneapolis convention despite his earlier refusal to do so. Up to the time of going to press, no further details could be learned. W. A. Steffes Allied will have nothing to sell, according to the bulletin. There will be no attempt to raise funds on the floor nor will the organization ask non-affiiated organizations to break their ties and join answer. "Something must be done for unless we receive meritorious product at a price that each and every theatre owner can afford to pay all of the other subjects mean nothing whatsoever as first and last it is the duty of Allied . . . to attempt to keep every independent theatre owned in the United States in business. Therefore, film prices, selling policies, nature of product, etc., most assuredly will be discussed and how!" "Something must be done at this Convention about non-l!ieatrical competition which is gaining a foothold in the country and unless stopped immediately will put legitimate theatre owners out of business by the thousands. 16mm. film furnished to non-theatricals will most certainly come in for a lengthy discussion . and a solution should be arrived at. "Trade papers, some exliibitor leaders and officers of some organizations have sent out statements that the Neely Anti-Bkv:k Booking Bill w-ill be a subject for discussion and a vote taken as to what disposition the Association should take as related to the Neely Bill. This, in my opinion, is a subject that is entirely out of order as Allied States Association of Motion Picture Exhibitors have unqualifiedly gone on recurd as being in favor of the Neely Bill and should use their best efforts lo bring about the passage of same. This has not only been done once but on several different occasions. Therefore, I can see no reason why any time should be wasted on the Neely Bill as we are for it first, last and all the time, and we hope to be able to report to you at the Convention that the Neely Bill has passed the United States Senate. With Congress remaining in session until August or perhaps September, the chances are very good that it will become a law before the adjournment of Congress." Bearing out his prediction of a knock-down and drag-out fight, StelTes pointed out that some of the members of Northwest Allied have said that if Allied goes for arbitration and the trade practice reforms they are going to pull out and start a separate organization. Others have said that it is about time the fighting stopped and that the differences should be settled by adopting the trade practice proposals and doing everything possible to see that arbitration is accepted by the industry. "As a warning to exhibitor leaders who are not members of Allied" said Steffes, "please bear in mind that if Allied States SHOULD happen to endorse the proposals or arI)itration, you are going to have one hell of a time trying to reject it for your terri Left to right above: Jack Kirsch, Pres. of Allied Theatres of III.; James C. Quinn, Sec'y of Allied Theater Owners of Calif., Ariz, and Nev.; Ray Branch, Pres. of Allied Theatres of Mich.; M. A. Rosenberg, Pres. of Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Western Penna. and Maurice W. Schulman, Pres. of Independent Allied Theatre Owners cf Conn. tory. For as Allied goes, so goes the nation," he said. Producer-distriljutor representatives will be on tlie tioor of the convention io explain why they think the reforms should be adopted. Others will appear to explain why they are wrong. Steffes statement went on: "Now those of you who want reforms, ,a;et to Minneapolis and vote for them. Those of you who don't had better be here to vote against them if you think they are going to work a hardship on you. We know that some companies have already cheated on the so-called reforms but bear in mind that we are going to have a representative of every film company in the United States present and why not put them on the spot and ask them whether or not the trade practice reforms are going to prevail if adopted or if the opinion of the local managers or some salesman is to prevail. "There is no one who has to remain home to take care of his business because from the information we are receiving there is no business to take care of. "Something has to I)e done about high film rentals and done damn quick or trade practice reforms and arbitration will mean nothing as there will be very, very few theatre owners left to enjoy them. "We don't e.Kpect this open forum to be a pink tea. It will probably be a knockdown drag-out affair before it is over. What's wrong with that?" SHOWMEN'S MOTION PICTURE Trade /Hf^^ Review Vol. 30, No. 20 June 10, 1939 Title and Trade Mark Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. Charles E. "Chick" Lewis Editor and Publisher TOM KENNEDY Associate Editor JOS. H. GALLAGHER Film Advt. Mgr. HAROLD RENDALL Equip. Advt. Mgr. ROBERT WILE Managing Editor WEST COAST OFFICE ANN LEWIS, West Coast Manager Guaranty BIdg., 6331 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, Cal., Tel. Hollywood 1390 CHICAGO REPRESENTATIVE MARSHALL REINIG 612 No. Michigan Ave., Chicago, III. Telephone: Superior 7646 FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVE JOCK MacGREGOR, 20 Portsea Place Hyde Park, W., London, Eng. Showmen's Trade Review is published weekly by Showmen's Trade Review, Inc. Publication office, 34 North Crystal St., East Stroudsburg, Pa. Editorial and advertising offices, 1501 Broadway, New York City. Tel. : Bryant 9-5606. Subscription price in the United States and Canada, $2.00 per year. Foreign $5.00 per year. Single copies, ten cents. Subscribers should remit with order. All contents copyrighted 1939. Entered as second class matter at the Post Office at East Stroudsburg, Pa., under the Act of March 1S79. 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