Exhibitors Herald (Oct-Dec 1921)

November 19, 1921 EXHIBITORS HERALD 45 Public Rights League ^Forthef?S| _~ ^ fiQ Freedom'/^/ . O ^2 ^lotion ^< Exploitation Methods in Conducting a Campaign for Freedom of Screen Told on Page 49 Ray Stunt Should Be Emulated Press agents often have been censured severely for their composition of press stories utterly devoid of news value. This has been one of the contributing causes, no doubt, for newspaper intolerance toward the industry and the failure to obtain publication of stories pertaining to the activities of the business. Now, however, a new school of press agents is displacing the old. Clippings from newspapers throughout the country indicate a growing tendency to circulate stories of a constructive nature. That Articles of this type are assured publication in hundreds of papers is shown in the wide circulation given recently to a story sent out by Arthur S. Kane Pictures Corporation. The story follows : # * 4 One of the actors and directors of films who is entitled to speak up at this time when the cinema profession has been brought under such wide and indiscriminate is Charles Ray. Ray has never made a picture that has needed the deletion of a single scene by censors, which fact carries its own comment on his correct ethics. Mr. Ray said: "The people of the motion picture industry have been grievously misrepresented in some printed articles. Every profession has its smart set, so called, that goes the limit, and we have ours, but overwhelmingly the people of the cinema are people of rectitude. "In some of these articles Hollywood has been represented as one great r.est of carousing profligates. I will cite one fact that will utterly disprove the charge. During the past year or two a great number of the world's most famous writers have come into this group and lived as a part of it. Look at them: "Basil King, Leroy Scott, Mrs. Rinehart, Gertrude Atherton, Peter B. Kyne, Byron Morgan, Gouverneur Morris, Zane Grey, Edward Knoblock, Sir Gilbert and Lady Parker, Elinor Glyn, Rupert Hughes, Rex Beach, Rita Weiman, Clayton Hamilton, Stewart Edward White. A score of others could be cited. "Is not the mere mention of their names enough to refute any story of wholesale indecorum? If they had found it don't you know they would have instantly raised their voices against it?" * * * Such stories serve as constructive propaganda and are in line with the campaign being conducted by the PUBLIC RIGHTS LEAGUE. Exhibitor members of the LEAGUE are in a better position than others in the industry for placing articles of this nature in their local papers. Publication of a greater number of these stories which are instructive as well as constructive would place the industryin a more favorable light before the public. LEAGUE members should adopt the policy of supplying their local editors stories with news value that will serve equally well in combating effectually the reform propaganda. Baradel Lands Knockout Blow Some weeks ago the Herald published an account of the victory won by E. A. Baradel of the Palace theatre, McGehee, Ark. Reformers there were not seeking censorship or Sunday closing. Their aims were far more drastic. They sought to destroy completely Mr. Baradel's business by locking the doors of his theatre. In the following letter received by the PUBLIC RIGHTS LEAGUE, Mr. Baradel describes the comprehensive campaign which he conducted, and still is conducting, and which resulted in an overwhelming victory for the public, himself and the industry : I notice in the HERALD of Oct. 22 that a number of exhibitors are called upon to report on what they are doing toward "killing" censorship. Some weeks ago I wrote you about my experience with the so-called reformers in this community and how we, through the assistance of our friends here and information published in your paper, defeated the move to close our theatre. Since the first gun was fired in the blue law war I have been active in .combating agitation in our little city, although when I started there was no agitation being noised about. Since the organizing of the PUBLIC RIGHTS LEAGUE by your very efficient paper I have run in each issue of the local paper screen editorials similar to those you publish each week and often use your copy. At the same time the same editorial is shown upon our screen nightly. All of which has had its effect, as we never hear any moje adverse criticism of motion pictures. {Concluded on page 46) EXHIBITORS HERALD, 417 South Dearborn street, Chicago, I1L Send me, free of charge, the series of twelve slides which the Herald is supplying to exhibitors in furtherance of the PUBLIC RIGHTS LEAGUE campaign to maintain the freedom of the motion picture. I will run each slide at every performance for one week when conditions permit of this arrangement. Name (Write name and address legibly) Theatre Street City . .