The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

EDITORIAL I U [ Vol. 23, No. 22 A Jay Emanuel Publication. Covering the 61m territoriei in the Metropolitan East. Published weekly by Jay Emanuel Publications, Incorporated. Publishing office: 1225 Vine Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. New York City office, 1600 Broadway. West Coast office, 1119 Poinsettia Drive, Hollywood, California Representatives in Washington, D. C.; Albany, Buffalo, Boston, New Haven. Jay Emanuel, publisher; Paul J. Greenhalgh, business manager; Herbert M Miller, managing editor. Subscription rates: $2 for one year; $5 for three years. Address all communications to 1225 Vine Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Just In Passing THE D. OF C. PLAN It is now definitely established that there is actually an industry regulation plan being considered by the heads of various film companies and others. The idea represents the results of conferences between Department of Commerce leaders and various film officials who have gone to Washington during the past few months. All concerned are trying to compose a system that might satisfy all film men and effect necessary reforms in the business. But believing as we do in the sincerity of these people we cannot help but think that the plan is up against gigantic obstacles, and, from the beginning, must be behind the well-known eight ball. Suppose the final structure of the plan is satisfactory to the Department of Commerce and the film leaders. What of Thurman Arnold, the Department of Justice, Senator Neely, Allied, the courts and the exhibitors who are now determined to get their relief in other ways? The secrecy which first enveloped the plan was not of special help. More than one exhibitor, hearing of it, called it a red herring 'drawn across the trail to divert attention from the other government suit and the Neely Bill. We have always advocated conciliation as the proper method, but in this case, because of the manner in which the plan has been devised and the obstacles it must face, we are inclined to side with those who make the red herring observations. MR. HAYS MAKES HIS ANNUAL REPORT The most significant portions to exhibitors in the recent annual report of Will H. Hays, to our mind, are the following: “The motion picture industry, which has attained its present social importance through self-regulation, has still to complete many details of the structure, particularly in the field of trade practices. But those who would use the hatchet and saw of litigation or legislation to sever the necessary economic relations of production, distribution and exhibition, instead of allowing them to be bettered through self-regulation, would be doing, if they succeeded, a sorry service to the American entertainment public, to the screen and to American industry generally because of the significance of our films in carrying the message of America to the remotest corners of the world. “ ... It is true that we have still far to go on the road of self-regulation before every buyer and seller in this industry, like the fabled lion and the lamb, will lie down in peace together. There is much to be done to secure a clear and unequivocal understanding between distributors in many trade practices inherent in the character of our product and our business. Nothing should be left undone for the development or a complete system of conciliation and arbitration in the industry — action now stymied by the same uncertainty that affects other industries involved in legal proceedings. No industry is helped by the pronouncement : Try it — at your peril ! “ ... It is equally important that the industry move progressively toward better trade relations. No activity in this direction is wasted if it clarifies the issues and brings into sight a solution acceptable to producers, distributors and the like.” Our sentiments concerning the pronouncements of Mr. Hays in these annual reports should be well-known to readers of this department. We therefore pass on the above without comment, except to say that a few of Mr. Hays’ answers always manage to strike film men as the prize humorous sayings of the year. Why he persists in making the same observations each year, when he has within his grasp weapons by which he might help them be realized will always be a mystery. He knows as does everyone else that before peace can come to the industry, producers and distributors must make definite concessions. Until that happens, all his pleas for self-regulation will be unheard by those who now seek court relief or governmental regulation. QUAD.