We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
What is the Sinister, Insidious
Influence?
By Emm. Ell.
About a year ago, when the general depression occurred in the Motion Picture industry, everyone more or less connected with it said, “Oh, this is merely a temporary set-back, or a little depression, that will right itself in a week or two, or probably a month,” but as weeks and months have passed by, in fact almost into a year, and the industries located here in the heart of California are still inquiring, What does it mean? When will this depression pass? What can be wrong with the industry? Why do these big moving picture production Companies close, or nearly close, or those companies which are running merely attempting to do so on half a valve?
Like the majority, the writer has also asked himself these questions, and one night, as I lay awake wondering why the deuce I could not sleep, a suspicion of a solution came to me. This may be only a theory, but it seems to be worthy of consideration.
Are the same influences at work in the Motion Picture Industry which put the liquor industry out of existence? or is there a particular boycott by the Money Powers in Wall Street to discredit this tremendous business? Continuing along this line of supposition, isn’t it just possible that an Industry, which is now ranked as the third largest in the world, is creating, perhaps, a justifiable jealousy in the minds of more important industries throughout the world? Could not they well reason this way — Here is an industry which, so far, has only managed to create amusement for others, holding the position of third largest in the world! — while we, representing the vitals of life, such as steel, coal, food, garments, science, telegraphy, etc., are relegated into the minor positions of being merely accepted!
Now, wouldn’t it be reasonable to suppose that these various Industries have gotten together, and agreed amongst themselves that an Industry, merely created for amusement, should be rightfully placed in a minor position, and the vital Industries placed in the major?
But, what’s the use? These reasonings or arguments cannot help to solve the situation, but it does seem to me that here in Los Angeles there are big enough men in the industrial world, who are governed by the investments they have made in the past, who should get into this vital question in a practical way, for, as sure as fate, if they do not do so now, just as sure as fate will this industry move to other cities that are bidding for it.
The Chamber of Commerce, and other public Organiations, it seems to me, have been backward and inefficient in exploiting to the fullest advantage an Industry that represents 40%, at least, of the present wealth of the city and county of Los Angeles.
At this time it would be worth while to make a further suggestion to the Exhibitors here, the Motion Picture Directors Association, and other like motion picture agencies, to organize a committee of 100 to feel out, in an organized spirit, the sense of the Public Purse, or . the private pocketbook intent, of the financiers, who are becoming hog fat in the city of Los Angeles, without as yet doing any vital thing for the uplift and continued success of the Industry which has helped to promote their wealth.