The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

December, 1943 Page 383 MOTION PICTURES- NOT FOR THEATRES By ARTHUR EDWIN KROWS Installment 52.—There have been non-theatrical trade associations too. Our history offers a pass- ing glimpse of their guerrilla war for survival TI1E routine of non-theatrical rela- tions, as developed by Col. Joy, tell, in 1926, largely upon Arthur H. De- Bra, born at Evanston, Illinois, in 1891 and until 1926 a public relations represen- tative of the American College of Physi- cians and Surgeons. .'Ks 1926 was the year in which Will Hays officiated in bringing tlie College into its association with the sponsors of Eastman Teaching Films, the reasonable conclusion is that De Bra im- proved an opportunity presented by that contact. He still functions in his original capacity as assistant secretary of the M.P.P.D.A., and is usually present at the sowing of what promise to be important new non-theatrical projects. It was in 1926 also that a more ag- gressive official appeared regularly at the Hays office with occasional non-theatrical relations. This was Carl Elias Milliken. I'rom 1917 until 1921, for two terms, he bad been governor of the State of Maine, where he was born in 1877. .Af- ter leaving the gubernatorial chair he had become interested in films. With the backing of certain Maine business men he made a few reels to publicize the scenic advantages of the State. Philip Davis was making subjects of tliis sort in that period, and may have had something to do with these. For twelve years Milliken was a member of the International Com- mittee of the Y.M.C.A. An active Bap- ti.st, once president of the Xort'icrn Convention, he toured the United States with John D. Rockfcller, Jr., on belialf of the Interchurch World Movement. In 1925 lie was on the bfiard of directors of Harmon's IJeligious Motion Picture l-'oundation, and this no doubt advanced those negotiations which resulted in his becoming secretary of the M.P.P.D..^. Tocsin N'oN-THEATi;ir.M. producers were not especially well pleased with what they considered incursions upon their own field by the Hays organization. They had reason to know of exhibitor opposi- tion to their sort of show, and they were further disquieted to have many of their natural clients turn to Hays for his ad- vice in the production of their new educational, industrial and social service pictures. In 1927 I. myself, after much independent non-theatrical work, had to gain the Hays stamp of approval before I was pcnnitted to make ten reels for what is now the New York Museum of Science and Industry. It happened that the Hays representatives were as nuich embarrassed as I was by the client's insistance upon this point, but the fact remained that certain of our customers were no longer willing to take our judgment of pictures as final when they could be guided by the M.P.P.D.A. And it is readily to be seen that, with the seeds of distrust thus sown, many small producers not as fortunate as I was in having acquaintances at the Hays office, listened credulously to the charges of the Mrs. Merriams, Mrs. Gilmans and others, and decided that they must unite against a common foe. So, also in 1922, the year of the Hays advent, there was incorporated in New York City the Motion Picture Chamber of Commerce (Non-Theatrical), to co- ordinate the work and plans of various organizations engaged in the production, distribution and use of films in this field. Francis Lawton's organization plan awaits the heavier consumer accept- ance that someday will transform non-theatricals into Big Business. Of course, there already existed Watter- son Rothacker's Screen Advertisers' As- sociation, begun in 1914; but that was controlled in Chicago, and, besides, it was scarcely broad enough to cover what were held to be the needs of this later situation. The officers of the Chamber were: Edward P. Earle, of the Nicholas Power Company, first vice-president; Frederick S. Wythe, of the Screen Com- panion, second vice-president; Charles Urban, of the Urban Motion Picture Industries, third vice-president; Albert M. Beatty, of Herald Non-Theatrical Pictures, secretary; and George Zehrung, of the Y. M. C. A. The executive board comprised: Sid- ney Morse, of the Grand Lodge of the Masons of New York, chairman; Eugene Chrystal, of the Eastman Kodak Com- pany; H. A. De Vry; Thomas E. Fine- gan, of the National Education Associa- tion; Jeremiah Jenks, of the American Motion Picture Corporation; W. W. Kincaid, Pictorial Clubs; Rowland Rog- ers ; John Sullivan, of the -Association of National Advertisers; and George Zehrung. These gentlemen belonged to a "national committee" of twenty-five, others being Thomas Alexander, of Charles Raymond Thomas, Inc.; Charles W. Barrell, Western Electric; Alfred M. Beatty; Ernest L. Crandall, Visual Instruction .Association of America; Wil- lard B. Cook; Edward Earle; .Alice Belton Evans, National Committee for Better Films; Lee F. Hanmer, Rus- sell Sage Foundation; Charles A. Mc- Mahon, National Catholic Welfare Council; C. E. Meleny, educator; Win- slow Russell, Life Insurance Division of the National Thrift Commission; Charles Urban; and F. S. Wythe. Membership was "active" and "as- sociate," the latter classification being open to persons or organizations (grouped as educational, religious, industrial and welfare) interested but not directly en- gaged in production, distributors or users of non-theatrical motion pictures and ac- cessories and apparatus therefor. Each "active" member was entitled to one bal- lot per meeting, and the "associate" groups, represented by two delegates apiece, to one vote each. In the national committee, elected annually, there al- ways had to be at least three members representing the producing, distributing and manufacturing interests. Eight mem- bers were chosen "at large." Chamber activities really began in April, 1923, when the body adopted a resolution petitioning the State of New York Assembly to lift certain restrictions on 35mm portable projection equipment when acetate film was used. The bill providing for the change was passed by the Legislature but vetoed by the Gover- nor because he deemed it imperfectly drawn. The first annual meeting of the Chamber occurred October 1, 1923, at which time a model bill on the same subject was presented and endorsed in expectation of passage. .An aggressive campaign for larger membership was carried on and, at the annual meeting of February 23, 1926, in New York City, there was a rearrangement of officers, if not of organizations represented. C. W. Barrell became president, and the vice-presidents were, respectively, George A. Blair of Eastman Kodak; Otto Nel- son of the National Cash Register Com- pany; and Robert K. Leavitt of the As- sociation of National Advertisers. George Zehrung was secretary. J. H. Dreher, New York manager for DeVry, was treasurer. On the executive com- mittee were Willard B. Cook, Arthur H. Loucks, of Loucks & Norling, P. A. McGuire of International Projector,