Exhibitors Herald (Jun-Dec 1917)

)PPOSITION MASSES AGAINST OCHS' CANDIDACY Big Fight to Be Made to Defeat Re-Election; Many Strong Candidates in Field Pledging Elimination of Petty Politics and Adoption of "Foursquare" Platform. Petty politic?, clique intrigue, graft, ssension and a nation-wide feeling uncertainty among exhibitors, lich has prevailed during the repe of Lee A. Ochs as president of thibitors League of America, will I completely wiped off the pages I the organization's history of the st year by the defeat of the present tumbent, is the promise of certain ndidates for the chair, one of whom meets to be elected at the big conntion in Chicago from July 14 to This convention, following the disnsion and trouble in the organiza>n during the past year, will go wn in the annals of league history the bitterest ever held. Candidates Have Axes to Grind The candidates for presidency, outde of Ochs. will be backed by large ^legations from the various states here the organization is strongest, ach candidate has an axe to grind, id there will be many factions, hich, it is pointed out, makes the rediction of the result more uncerlin than at any previous election. I The candidates for president, who row loom up as big factors in the pee, are: Fred J. Herrington, national oranizer. I Frank J. Rembusch, president of ndiana Exhibitors League. H. B. Varner, secretary of North arolina League. D. G. Rogers, of Minneapolis. 1 Lee A. Ochs, New York. I Samuel H. Trigger, president of lanhattan Local, No. 1, New York, i his communication to "Exhibitors lerald," denounces Ochs, and delares that if exhibitors do not band Igainst the president now holding jffice, that the league will plunge .trther into the mire of petty poliKcs't graft and intrigue. Save the League, Is Cry This cry this week to "save the ■ague'1 was far-reaching, and was ctlectcd in scores of letters and comlunications between the various ranches which will come for a fight o defeat the selfish aims of certain len and cliques who are making captal of the organization. The situation in the Northwest is ict bright for any of the candidates xcept Ochs, according to advices mm Minneapolis. It is stated there hat D. G. Rogers, while a candidate or office, is aligned with Ochs and Thomas Furniss. It is said in Minneapolis exhibitor and exchange circles that Mr. Furniss "has the exhibitors of the Northwest in his vest pocket." Also, it is stated that he is close to Ochs, and Rogers is to be foisted upon convention delegates providing Ochs faces defeat. Illinois Widely Split The wide split in Illinois, which was brought about through political domination, charges of graft, ousting of members from the Chicago local, and absolute rule over meetings by Ochs, has weakened his chance in one of the most powerful exhibition centers in America. From the political maelstrom in Chicago during the past year has grown a new organization known as The Illinois Theater Owners' Association. This new organization has taken in a score of Chicago's most representative exhibitors, who left the Chicago branch because its members are not bona fide exhibitors. The association, through Maurice Choynski, has announced to the trade that it is not opposed to the league, but is opposed to its membership, which is well augmented by theater managers, and men who play politics and work hand in hand with the exchanges and manufacturers, neglecting the vital interests of exhibitors. Would Violate By-laws Maurice Choynski declares that Ochs recently sent word to the locals and state organizations throughout the country to the effect that they should recommend to him the names of members suitable for the various credential committees. He then was to appoint those to the committees he thought would "best serve the purpose." This, it is pointed out, is a direct violation of the league constitution and by-laws, which places this matter wholly in the hands of the locals and state organizations. One of the main objections which Illinois exhibitors are making is that the Chicago local is sending to the convention floor twenty-one delegates and twenty-one alternates, whereas it is entitled to but thirteen of each. This, it is declared by Chicago exhibitors who will play important parts in the convention election, will be fought strenuously on the floor. Proxy Votes Feared One of the fears of the opponents of Ochs is that the convention will be replete with attempts to vote for the president by proxy. Whether or not this can be successfully carried out is a matter of conjecture. During the course of elections at the various local branches throughout the country the proxy vote played an important part in certain elections — the result of which tore locals asunder. Sessions were held during the entire week respectively by both the Chicago Exhibitors League branch and the Motion Picture Theater Owners' Association, members laying plans for the inevitable battle on the floor of the convention hall. FRANK J. REMBUSCH A Leading Figure in the Presidential Race The combined force opposing Ochs in his second attempt to regain the chair, is composed of Louis Levine, of Brooklyn; Sam Bullock, of Cleveland; Maurice Choynski, an exhibitor-director of the National Association, an officer of the Illinois Theater Owners' Association, and technically still a member of the Chicago Branch of Exhibitors League; Frank J. Rembusch, president of the ' Motion Picture Exhibitors League of Indiana; and a score of powerful exhibitors. Split in Solid Body These are only a few of the more important exhibitors who, it is widely reported, will present a solid front to bring about the defeat of Ochs. However, this faction will be split to a certain extent by H. B. Varner of North Carolina. Mr. Varner is a new figure in league affairs, and while he is said to have a great deal of influence and a fairly strong backing