Canadian Film Weekly (Jul 12, 1944)

| eee 4 Page 8 Canadian FILM. WEEKLY July 12, 1944 Kuykendall on Trade Unity In June, 1942, Ed Kuykendall, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, issued a bulletin to the membership that reviewed every aspect of the relations between exhibitors and the distributors. At that time the problem of controlled wartime operation of each section of the motion picture industry along the lines of the Canadian pattern was a distinct possibility. Indirect control through taxation, priorities, etc. was a reality but it was foreseen that definite machinery of government control, perhaps like our Wartime Prices and Trade Board, was not too far away. The Canadian industry is quite satisfied to let the amount of government control stay just the way it is now. That is, we would rather not see it increased. Some feel that more extended power over the Canadian motion picture industry by Ottawa appointees and bureaus would almost cause a feeling of being without independence, though no one disputes the government’s right to it if necessary to the war effort. To remove the need of extended control attempts are being made at self-regulation through regional conciliation boards. The possibility of such boards succeeding in their duties would be much increased if their was one powerful national association of exhibitors that strived for a common point of view. Ed Kuykendall’s bulletin contained much that applied as much to Canada as to the United States. Reprinted below are some pointed statements: Government Regulation of Business Impends Theatre operation and the continued functioning of this interdependent motion picture industry will rapidly become more dificult and precarious from now on. All business enterprises are being disrupted, shoved around, wiped out and unexpectedly upset by the governments war activities and program. We can’t escape unscathed, though the authorities are sympathetic and don’t want to hurt us unnecessarily. The population shifts and conscription for military service... is only one example. The rubbez shortage, tire rationing, gasoline rationing, priorities, dim-outs, drastic taxation and so on are only the beginning of what we can expect as the war goes on Most of these are not especially aimed at our industry, but afl have their decided effect on theatre operation and theatre attendance, none the less. (Ed. note—Some sort of stay * trade Canadian Conciliation is slow in developing, despite agreement by exhibitors and distributors. The need for a broad exhibitors’ body is important as is made plain by the MPTOA prexy. bilization within wartime economy has since taken place in both United States and Canada. In Canada individual restriction has been relaxed when possible in some cases. The uncertainty of what may happen if the war continues for several years longer, and during the post-war period, makes greater government control something to be anticipated.) Sacrifices — Necessary And Unnecesary Whatever is necessary in the way of regulation and restrictions we will cheerfully comply with, however much sacrifice is involved, but we don’t want to get pushed around when it is not necessary just because some official is ignorant of our business and there is no one to suggest a better and less destructive way to achieve the same necessary result. The same principle holds true, of course, with regard to state and city regulations and restrictions, but with national decrees, orders and regulations, the source of such difficulties is far removed from most exhibitors. It is only by representation in a national exhibitor association that his interests are watched and protected, as only such a national association can have readily available and previously established and organized, the indispensable and effective connections and representation in such vital matters that can get any substantial consideration or results. Unorganized Exhibitors Helpless and Futile In Public Affairs And in both local and national affairs, individual exhibitors, no matter how important they may think they are, get scant consideration or attention by those in authority. Only organization spokesmen carry weight; unless an exhibitor is authorized to speak for other theatre owners as an organized group, he is looked upon as probably the sort of a person who can’t work or co-operate with other people in his own business, therefore politically without influence. No committee or temporary spokesman can také the place of @ permanent, well organized association of theatre owners. This does not mean a high-pressure, hell-raising outfit promising to get your film for half in return for heavy dues. But it does mean a sincere, cooperative group of reputable theatre owners that can work together for mutual benefit and protection. Unless an exhibitor supports and fosters such an organization, he should expect to get the worst of government re gulation, discriminatory taxation, unfair competition and grasping, crafty general sales policies and methods, It is only by pulling together systematically all in the same direction that exhibitors can accomplish anything to improve and protect their business in such non-competitive matters. Reciprocal Cooperation Between Organizations Most Advantageous The same thing is just as true of a national organization as it is between the local association and the slacker individual exhibitor who withholds his support and cooperation. Unless the regional exhibitor associations have the foresight and willingness to work with each other through a national exhibitor organization to participate in conferences with other authorized representatives of local exhibitor associations on common problems, there can be no national association to protect the theatre’s interests in Washington or on national issues of every sort. State organizations absolutely require individual exhibitor support to exist; a national association just as obviously must have the active participation of state and regional exhibitor associations, and local associations that fail and refuse to support any national organization are doing their. part to disorganize and render ineffective exhibitor interests and defenses on national issues. How can they complain if the exhibitors in thelr State withhold support from the local organization? Permanent, Constructive National Organization We in MPTOA have worked together for over twenty-two years to provide a national federation of state exhibitor associationg who were willing to work with each other for mutual benefit and the protection of theatre interests in national matters. We do not believe a high-pressure, expensive organization is neces sary (or desirable) to coordinate the constructive activities of the well organized state exhibitor associations on national issues that call for conference and collaboration on a national scale. Our membership is voluntary and unsolicited, by exhibitors organizations who believe in our sound, constructive and progressive policies and program. We think a national exhibitor organization is not the agency to fight other exhibitors, nor to provide jobs for promoters, nor to interfere in the affairs of State exhibitor association members, nor to promise honey benefits to small exhibitors. We think exhibitors should speak for themselves on all matters, that they are quite capable of arguing their own case through volunteer committees of representative theatre and that a national organization should confine its activities entirely to national affairs, and to expressing the collective views of its exhibitor members by authorized exhibitor spokesmen. Representative National Organization With Local Independence MPTOA, we believe, provides the best possible structure for such a fully representative national trade association of theatre owners, organized by and along the main geographical divisions of the country through the MPTOA. Executive Committee, controlled and’ directed by a national Board on which each local association is represented by a Director of their own choosing, and capable of developing genuinely constructive policies on matters of national interest by collaboration between representative exhibitor associations from every part of the country. Collaboration Between Representative State Exhibitor Associations Vital Exchange of views, opinions and experiences between state and regional organizations through a national association we believe is important. If every state and regional exhibitor association goes off in a different direction on matters of mutual interest, nothing can be accomplished, as we all work then at cross purposes and against each other, which gives our enemies and opponents every advantage. Genuine differences of opinion should not be suppressed, of course, but conference and discussion within our own ranks reconciles minor differences hefore dissension and misunderstanding develops, and enables constructive action. owners,. eee oe ee ee ee eee eee ee ee ae