Exhibitors Herald (Jan-Mar 1921)

36 EXHIBITORS HERALD January !, 1921 ber of immoral pictures being exhibited in this country, they are saying that which is not so, and they know it. "By what right does the International Reform Bureau propose to dictate to the American worker how he shall spend the one day in the week that he has to himself for pleasure? The members of the bureau are simply profiteering in morality, attempting to force their narrowgauge views down the throats of the public which is not paying enough attention to its personal liberty. "They slander at will. They carelessly attack the character of the men and women of the theatre and screen without reason or restraint. We desire to inform them they have now got to stop. Our women are as dear to us as their wives and daughters may be to them, and we propose to protect them against the spleen of rabid fanatics running wild under the guise of religious agitators." At the International meeting in Washington Dr. Crafts declared that "the first step in removing the menace of the movies is to appeal for the aid of the Catholic church and having secured that powerful ally" to crash into congress hacked by every Christian church and reform organization in the country. "That's the only way we will ever defeat the $40,000,000 slush fund the movie men have come to Washington with," he declared. In his statement, President Brady emphatically denied existence of this fund. Pastor Is Bitter in Denunciation of Films The Rev. Howard E. Clark, pastor of the Congregationalist church of Plainfield, N. J., was bitter in his denunciation of motion pictures in a talk at the International meeting. "The movie theatre today is the byproduct of prohibition," he stated. "The degenerates and white slavers were driven by us from the back rooms of the saloon and they have taken refuge in the darkened movie theatre. "The men who own the movies have $100,000,000 to fight us with. Morgan & Co. are behind Marcus Loew; Kuhn. Loeb & Co. are behind Lasky's. That's why we are going to congress and have federal control exerted." Before the meeting adjourned Dr. Crafts told of witnessing the performance in a motion picture theatre of a vampire. He said: "That vampire woman seduced a banker. Later in the play she seduced two young men, and before the play ended she had seduced a billionaire. "I would rather have my son stand at a bar and drink two glasses of beer than have him see that vampire woman. He may get over the effects of the beer in a week, but he could not forget that vampire woman until he was eighty years old." An indication that the industry is awake to the "menace of the reformers" is the action taken by a joint committee of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America and the national association. While both organizations had formulated plans, it was not until the joint meeting in New York during the week of December 13 that concerted action was decided upon. Just what the plans of the industry are has not been divulged. Crafts Now Seeking Cooperation of Jews An example of the contradictory attitude of the reformers is the letter written to the Jewish Alliance by Dr. Crafts following the Washington meeting of the International. He declared to the officials of the organization that he desires their cooperation. He also said that so far as A Hard Guy i on ( HAHB1 A » "lllnck Mike" In the I'nlvernnl-Jewel production. "Outnlde (he l.nw,'' In which I'rlarlllii Ilcnn stun. he was concerned he had no prejudice against the Jews. That the clergy of the country are not all in favor of a closed Sunday is indicated in the statement by the Rev. Dr. William L. Sullivan of All Souls* Unitarian church of New York that the reformers are the "Black Battalion; the clerics oppressive to the masses," against which human liberty must be on the watch. Concerning the reformers, Pastor Elmer E. Franke, in an address at the Broadhurst theatre in New York, declared: "Why coop up in prison a man who has done no violence and let such men as these (the reformers) go free? They ought to take the place of Debs, and I am no Socialist either." Opposition to the movement for a blue Sunday has aroused the ire of the Rev. Harry L. Bowlby of the Lord's Day Alliance, one of the most radical of the reform agencies. He declared that in the future he will make his plans in secret and announce them "in my own good time." Grand Jury to Pass On Blue Resolutions A group of resolutions have been presented to the grand jury at Rochester, Minn., asking that all amusement houses be closed there on Sunday "so that the people may have the pleasure of attending their respective places of worship." The resolutions also ask for censorship of motion pictures. That the blue law campaign is not as threatening as might be suspected is inferred in a statement made by A._ S. Kirkpatrick, general manager and vicepresident of Robertson-Cole Distributing Corporation. He says: "We are inclined to think that the prominence which is being given to the blue Sunday discussion is out of proportion with the importance of the matter. As we see it, the country is nervous and distraught over the enactment of prohibition, and has the feeling that almost anything might be 'slipped over' without much trouble. "Such is not the case. There is a basic difference between the prohibition of liquor and the prohibition of newspapers, soft drinks and motion picture performances. Humorists and a few who are rabid against prohibition of alcoholics confuse the purposes of those who wished to remove something which sane authorities held injurious, and those who are attacking innocent amusements in a blind, bigoted way. "It is always to be remembered that all such proposals must be submitted to law-making bodies before they can be made legal. Let none fear that the majority of our legislators will ever mistake such Sunday activities as the publication and sale of newspapers, the sale of soft drinks and the exhibition of motion pictures as things which are deadly in morale and harmful to our civilization." Geraghty Director Of Lasky's Studios In Eastern State Thomas J. Geraghty, has been appointed supervising director of eastern production activities of the Famous Players Company. Geraghty will have general supervision over the scripts and direction of all Paramount pictures made in the east, holding the same position in the new studio that Frank E. Woods holds over all pictures, except specials, in the Lasky studio in Hollywood. He is one of the best known scenarists in the profession. He became production editor of Paramount's eastern studio late in the summer and immediately put into effect several ideas looking to the establishment of a big permanent staff of trained continuity writers. He recently adapted "Too Much Johnson" and "Burglar Proof" for Paramount and "Always Audacious," the successful picture starring Wallace Reid. Luna Company Buys Logansport Lease (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LAFAYETTE, IND., Dec. 21.— The Luna Amusement Company of this city, has bought J. Frank Bellinger's lease of the Nelson theatre at Logansport. The Luna Company will expend $5,000 in alterations and new equipment for the house. F. M. Kendall, director of presentation and music for the company, will be in charge of the house until it is ready for opening after which time a resident manager will be named. The Nelson makes the sixth theatre under the management of the Luna Amusement Company which is capitalized at $400,000 and operates houses in this city, Ft. Wayne and Kankakee, 111. The company now has under construction in the city the Mars theatre, a vaudeville and legitimate house to seat 2,000 persons, and cost approximately $250,000. Theatre Completed BALTIMORE, MD., Dec. 21.— The new Rivoli theatre at Gay and Fayette streets, being built by the Wilson Amusement Company is nearing completion. George C. Wilson and J. W. Hoover, president and secretary of the company have taken up offices here. Guy L. Wonders will manage the new $1,000,000 house.