Camera (May 1922-April 1923)

Page Twelve Weekly Wake-' Em-U p— CAM ERA!' S News Section CAMERA I EDITORIAL PAGE Camera's Weekly WaUe-em-up The price of shad has Rone up again, which is more shad news. One thing is sure, if Russia doe.sn't pull herself together, her enemies will gladly pull her apart. An era of unprecedented prosperity is at hand. Let no one be stupid enough to put his foot down on it. The present coal situation indicates more people than coal are being burnt this winter — especially back east. John Beer, a Chicago realty agent, has joined the "wets" in a new fight against Prohibition. Beer evidently fears being prohibited. Incidentally, good pictures should no longer be accidents. There is a basis of guaging nowadays and also a reason for discontinuing all gouging. Let us give the reform-crazed "Reds" plenty occasion for getting the "blues" as a result of the futility of their finding any points of attack upon the screen ! Tlie latest "dope" on the dope situation is, the authorities do not .seem to have enough "dope" on the dope ring to "dope" many of its members away in prison. It does seem high time for the low-down on what is the matter wilh officials that they cannot make headway against such a glaring, unmistakable menace. When the Motion Picture Exposition opens here next June with President Harding and many other notables present, the film-making industry will take on a new importance immediately. This is to be a bi.g project and any industry capable of promoting big, laudable projects is sure of gaining big credit and big achievements for the cinema and its people. Be among them I So-called temperament — whatever that is — may be serviceable as a subterfuge or an alleged "means" of attracting attention, but it has no place in motion picture studios. Many develop temperament in the misguided belief that it attaches importance and arouses respect, but as a matter of fact those vulnerable to the fallacy are the only ones who do not know that it is human fault more to be pitied than censured. When anyone brags of being temperamental, he or she is VTagging of being foolish. THE TYRO THE WORLD MUST NEVER TIRE O' When the tryo is eliminated from the theorizing you find you luive mighty thin air for posterity. Therefore, the one who is learning to do the big things which are to be accomplish<'d tomorrow must be an essential and all ridicule of such a plodder is as unpardonable as it is reprehensible. There are far too many flippant remarks passed at the cxpen.^e of the humble aspirant, and we seek witli all of our might to awaken the thoughtless to the wanton fallacy of thus knocking the very props from under the future prospects of the race. It is entirely uncalled for and unjustified that an ambitious person should be the object of the sliglitest mirth under any circumstances, and the less promising one may be the more sympathy and encouragement should be bestowed, because history proves that the greatest of men were often the roughest of diamonds in tlie lough. The tree of ambition has always been frugiferous and it always will be. Attempts to retard its development or to stultify those of lowly standing who faithfully try to cultivate it are iconoclastic in the extreme, and the happiness of generations yet to come is thereby maliciously menaced. Hence, there can be only the severest condemnation for the contumely of the bigots and imbeciles v.'ho blab ard laugh because earnest men and women wifl aspire though they dwell in hovels. If ever the day comes that the would-do-well fatigues the world, God help His children on this terrestrial sphere. Mongrels will infest the monasteries and the spissitude of degenerate deterioration will stifle the strongest. No one or no thing will amount to the whoop of the emaciated. Mental inertia will resemble typhoons. Morals will lag and sag ultroneously. The ubiquity of don't-care will be appalling, overwhelming. Humanity will have to hypothecate to the shabbiest hawker. .Achievement would become an unknown quantity DO YOU WANT SUCH DISASTERS TO BEFALL US? Of course you don't. Then do not permit anyone to poke fun at the other fellow because he aspires as he perspires! Treat the transgressor who feigns weariness over the aspirations of the meek with unmistakable di.sdain. Let it be known that you do NOT condone such fatuity. Meanwhile you lose sleep worrying over how you can help the tyrol He or she is as important as the master performers of our contemporary history, and don't let anyone forget it. Incidentally, all producers and all motion picture magazines adherring to the old policy of ignoring the "new blood" constantly making its advent into the film industry and the cinema art, are destined to be sadly out of step with the true march of progress, a progress which is ever a form of evolution whereby the tyro is incessantly moving up from the rear to ihe front ranks. ONE EFFICACIOUS "CURE-ALL" There are very few physical ailments which can be placed in the incurable class, providing the proiier treatment is started in time. The market has always had an over-abundance of nostrums for which cure-all claims are nuide vociferously, and the people have become so accustomed to quacks that they accept them as an unavoidable nuisance which must be tolerated indulgently. Little did anyone dream that a really efficacious cure-all was within the range of possibility. Still the screen is just tliat, if taken in time in the proper doses and with sufficient iiersistency. Except in.!; a few malignantly contagious diseases, the photoplay can cure anything, through the principle of mind diversion, to the e.xtent of controlling matter! Did th(> subtle influence of the cinema, to relieve mental distiess, ever impress you as being marvelous? It is all of that, and we have ample testimonials proving cures upon cures affected by this joy-infusing medium. You are incredulous? All right, the first time you get a bother some headache, go see a rousing screen comedy or an engrossing drama and concentrate your mind on the flitting shadows before you. Your headache will vanish in ninety-nine cases o\i\ of a hundred. Nervous disorders causing mental depressions yield readily to the treatment prescribed by Doctor Photoplay. Many a picture has prevented many a suicide and has cured the ones afflicted with such mania. Pictures ai d digestion, too, and they serve as an antidote for the grouch of the dyspeptic. Toothaclies are for.gotten— yes, the screen is an aid to the dentist. And there is no medicine on earth which will cure the "blues" like Ihe movies do! Moreover, if you wish to remedy untoward physical conditions wrought by imagination, which inflicts all kinds of ills, don't take a pill — take in a picture show at least three times a week, after meals. Pray, dig down underneath the surface of jest and see the serious side of the possibilities of cures a la photoplay, M. D., meaning "Moving Delights." Every time you feel like excoriating someone, excoriate yourself for feeling that way. When a woman does rule is when she takes her husband's measure after his visit to the club. Never grumble 'cause you tumble — It's all a part of life's jumble, And laughter sounds good after — Do grin and bear, since you have'ter. I MIDNIGHT MUSINGS A nasty sip — gossij). The last drink — a bier. Size u\) and keep sighs down. If you would wear well, be wary. It is poor policy to envy the rich. An upstart never even starts up. Wanted— a good cure for a sinecure. Sweet peace tuincd sourthat's war. Love is often the tail that wags the head. ■Wean yourself of weening in platitudes. It is funny how one can be "short" so long! Making sure of your ground — keeping clean. One thing there's no "kid" about — old age. So-called big bugs are too often humbugs. One ship that should never be sunk is friendship. Love may be blind, but it is some eye-opener. The naked truth should shock no one's sense of modesty. If you want to count for something in this world, be a real one. The best that can be said of idle gossip is, it shouldn't be said. The reason why many a man never gets ahead is, he's a blockhead. If a fellow doesn't fit into something worth while, he is soon out of style. It's paradoxical, but feasible — deep thinking results in rises to the heights. Too many people who think they are "simply great" are simply simple. Avoid as many debts as possible. In fact, you should not even owe apologies. II is easy to "get over" by doing and just as easy to go under by overdoing. The trouble with too many stage plays nowadays is, they consist of three overt acts.