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PRESIDENTS ADDRESS
Chicago, July 16, 17, 1917.
The Society of Motion Picture Engineers is rapidly losing its aspect as a collection of individuals and instead is commanding a national recognition as a solidified body. I may have taken a personal pride in complimentary references to my connection with the initial establishment of this Society, but my ov^n individuality is rapidly being lost in the office of President, as the Society becomes more and more useful. And this is as it should be, and confirms what has been said before, that this Society's recognition and the regard in which it is held by the industry will be directly in proportion to the unselfish service its individual members are willing to give collectively.
And this has its own reward, too, for there is a pleasure in unselfish service, which many of you know, a lasting satisfaction which no pecuniary reward can give. It is no particular credit to one to do a thing for a salary, anyone can do that ; the most enjoyment in life comes from doing for the love of doing.
In the same spirit let us now establish as many standards as the data before us warrants and prepare to continue the work at each succeeding meeting. Certainly there's plenty that can be done when standardization is accomplished. Take projectors for an example:
It is curious anomaly that in the motion picture projecting machine business the usual rule of supply and demand does not hold good. One may buy anything else, a watch, an automobile a house, paying as much or as little as one chooses, getting increased value with increased cost, but for a motion picture projector, one pays about the same price for all makes, a remarkable situation, surely. Suppose we all had to pay $1000 for automobiles — no more, no less.
There is not today a picture equipment comparable with the magnificence of a great many of the theatres built and many more projected. No matter how much the builder of a fine theatre may desire a correspondingly fine equipment, he can't get it, it doesn't exist. He may pay as much or as little as he likes for music, lighting and other accessories, but when it comes to the picture machine, that which produces the thing he sells