Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

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BOXDFFICE THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY. PUBLISHED IN SEVEN SECTIONAL EDITIONS Steffes' Harmony Note I I DBLISHBD WEEKLY BY ASSOCIATED UBLICATIONS BEN SHLYEN Editor -in-Chief I and Publisher WM. G. FORMBY Editor i A. L. FINESTONE I Associate Editor JESSE SHLYEN Managing Editor ' J. HARRY TOLER Modern Theatre Editor J. H. GALLAGHER Director of Advertising ' Publication Office: 4704 Sast 9th St., Kansas City, iflo. Phone, Chestnut 7777. 13 e n S h I y 8 n. Publisher. I>IEW YORK: 551 Fifth Ive., Joseph H. Gallagher, Hgr. Phone, Vanderbilt 1-7138. CHICAGO: 908 So. Wabash Ave., Calvin Her'•ner. Mgr. Phone, Webster 1233. HOLLYWOOD: 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Ivan dpear. Mgr. Phone, Gladistone 1186. SECTIONAL OFFICES: BOSTON, 14 Piedmont St.; PITTSBURGH, 1701 Blvd. of the Allies; CLEVELAND: 12805 Cedar Road; DETROIT, 12425 Cass Ave.; MINNEAPOLIS, 801 Wesley Temple Bldg.; DALLAS, 210 S. Harwood; ATLANTA, 148% Walton St.; SAN FRAN f lSCO, Golden Gate Bldg. Oc Per Copy. Per Year $2, Foreign $5 'ntered as Second Class latter at the Postoffice at fansas City, Mo., under jAct of March 3, 1879. *1* HE Allied convention in Milwaukee was one of the best-attended exhibitor meets to have been held in a long while. Not only did exhibitors come to the convention — they also attended the business meetings. There was little "play" scheduled on the program and little to distract business-minded exhibitors from the purposes for which they converged. Those independent exhibitors who came to Milwaukee in the interest of their trade problems were seriousminded and they participated actively in the business meetings scheduled for them through each of the three days of their convention. To those who like to see such genuine interest in exhibitor organizational affairs, the good attendance at Allied's business meetings was most gratifying. Last week we cited briefly some of the things that took place at the old MPTOA.'s meeting in Milwaukee in 1925. There was no Allied then, but there were many more independent exhibitors. The Milwaukee history of 1925 did not repeat itself and, although much of what has taken place at previous Allied conventions did show a return, it may be stated to Allied's credit that the return was largely a carrying forward of plans laid in Cleveland a year ago and activity surrounding those plans in the interim. Allied is determined to continue its program of legislation to divorce distribution from exhibition. The Supreme Court ruling on the Louisiana chain store case has given impetus to Allied's "divorce" plans, augmenting the original plan of enacting state legislation against theatre chains by taxing all chain theatres, affiliated or otherwise. With all of this it was the more surprising to see A1 Steffes, leader in the "divorce" movement, take a turn-about-face and advocate conciliation with producers. Opposed to round-table conferences, which Steffes plainly stated he always had been, he thought that Allied's North Dakota victory and other similar actions pending, had sufficiently demonstrated to producers that Allied "meant business" and that drastic legislation could be averted by the will ingness of producers to concede "peacefully" to Allied's demands. Steffes also advocated that affiliated theatres be asked to disband the MPTOA and join with Allied to combat "the common enemy." This united front suggestion revives the memory of moves of this kind in the past, particularly one held in Chicago some few years ago. "The common enemy" to which Steffes refers has been gaining in number, if not in strength, during the past few years. A united industry defense against the many anti-industry measures should be a welcome move. Many times we have stated in these columns that conciliation is far better than litigation. But there must be two parties to any conciliation move. Allied extended the olive branch after its convention in Atlanta two years ago; but nothing came of it. And, probably, then were born the ideas for the farflung legislative activity that has since gained a foothoM in some states; that is taking on national significance. In the interest of industry harmony, it would be a very fine thing, if the opposing factions within the business could get together and peaceably settle their major differences. That will one day have to come about — perhaps through the costly legislative route now mapped out — so it would be much more beneficial to all concerned, if that day were hastened by voluntary action. Discretionary power was voted Allied's Defense Committee to act on A1 Steffes' suggestion. It seems like a good idea — one that will save the industry a lot of money and grief, if acted upon without delay.