Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

anuarv 21, 1922 EXHIBITORS HERALD 27 Maine Organizes M. P. T. O. Unit; Stern President (Special to Exhibitors Herald) BANGOR, ME., Jan. 10.— Disbanding the Allied Theatres Organization. Maine exhibitors have organized an official unit of the M. P. T. O. A. and adopted resolutions endorsing the work of the national organization. The following officers were chosen: President — Charles Stkrn', Bangor. Vice Pres. — Wendell Hoxe, Presque Isle. Secretary — A. S. Goldman, Bangor. Treasurer — William McPhee, Oldtown. Executive Committee — William Stitham. Pittsfield, chairman; Wii.blr Shea, Lnbec; Charles Rush, Millinocket: Charles Uson, Old Orchard; Richard Flora, Caribou; J. Harriman. Portland; C. Hanson, Camden, and Robert King. Ellsworth. All present signed a contract for the Official Urban Movie Chats and endorsed the official screen organ. Drastic Sunday Lid Proposed for D. C. Bill Introduced in House to Close Theatres and All Other Activities ' (Washington Bureau, Exhibitors Herald) WASHINGTON. D. C— The closing of all theatres and other places of amusement in the District of Columbia on Sundays and the shutting down of all operations in the District except those of necessity and charity, is provided for in a bill which has been introduced in the house by Congressman Rov Fitzgerald of Ohio. Covers Big Field The bill is widespread in its scope and leaves no exemption for any performance or amusement of any kind, unless, possibly, for charitable purposes, in which event there is a provision that employes engaged in that work on Sunday shall be given a day off during the following week. Under the terms of the measure it would be unlawful in the District of Columbia "to keep open or use for secular purposes any dancing saloon, theatre, bowling alley, place of public assembly or amusement for secular purposes, or to engage in unlawful sports on the Lord's Day, commonly called Sunday." Penalties Proposed Penalty for violations of the law would be fines of from $5 to $50 for the first violation and of $25 to $500 or imprisonment for from one to six months, or both. Denies Loew to Take Over F. P.-Af. House (Special to Exhibitors Herald) ST. LOUIS, MO., Jan. 10.— William Goldman, manager of Famous PlayersMissouri Corporation has denied that Marcus Loew will take over the Missouri and Delmonte theatres here. Plan to Launch School for Producing Moral Reformers Program of International Bureau Comprehensive — Organization Now Has Regulatory Measure Before the U. S. Senate (Special to Exhibitors Herald) WASHINGTON, D. C. Jan. 10.— The International Reform Bureau is planning on a healthy crop of reformers for the future. The organization is taking no chances in having a dearth of professional lobbyists and other workers for prohibitory and regulatory legislation. On the program of the Bureau is the institution of a school for initiating students into the intricacies of moral reforming. Just where this training school will be located is not announced. Program of Bureau is Comprehensive Among the other aims of the organization are the federal control of interstate transmission of gambling bets, tips and devices ; federal regulation and investigation of motion pictures ; maintenance of state Sunday rest laws and adoption of such laws in California and the District of Columbia; and uniform marriage and divorce amendment. The anti-lottery bill, now before the Senate, has been adopted in the house. One amendment to the bill, which was offered by Representative Walsh of Massachusetts, is regarded as drastic interference with the freedom of the press. There is believed to be little opportunity for passage of this amendment by the Senate. Hits Freedom of Press The amendment would bar from the mails newspapers, postcards, letters, circulars or other written or printed matter "containing •information or statements, by way of advice or suggestion, purporting to give odds at which bets or wagers are being laid or waged upon the outcome or result of any horse race, prize fight, or other contest of speed, strength or skill, or setting forth the bets or wagers made or offered to be made, or the sums of money won or lost upon the outcome or result of said contests by reason of such bets or wagers, or which sets forth suggestions as to the odds at $3,000,000 Appropriation Is Made To Collect Back Taxes on Theatres (Washington Bureau, Exhibitors Herald) WASHINGTON, D. C, Jan. 10.— The expense of collecting the admission, film and other taxes carried in the revenue law will be greater during the fiscal year than ever before, according to appropriations asked of congress, although the amount which will be collected, due to the repeal of a number of consumption taxes, will be materially reduced. More than $60,000,000 are provided for the use of the bureau of internal revenue in the treasury department appropriation bill, passed by the house. Of this sum, $34,409,690 will be required for assessing and collecting the taxes, an increase of $3,000,000 over the present appropriation for this purpose. This increase is to be devoted partly to the wcrk of auditing back accounts in an effort to collect back taxes. At present the bureau is collecting approximately $357,000,000 in back taxes annually, but it is hoped to be able to swell this sum to $557,000,000 next year. While the cost of collecting the revenues is increased nearly $5,000,000 over the current year, the amount which will be collected will be $600,000,000 less, the estimated collections for next year being placed at $2,611,100,000. which bets or wagers should or may be made or laid." The International Reform Bureau, which is seeking a dictatorship over the motion picture industry, has on its board of directors the following members of congress: Senators Capper of Kansas, Jones of Washington, Myers of Montana. Sheppard of Texas, and Sterling of South Dakota; and Representatives Barkley, Blanton, Hersey, A. T. Smith and I'pshaw. Marcus Loew Is Metro President (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK. Jan. 10.— Marcus Loew is now president of Metro Pictures Corporation, succeeding Richard A. Rowland, whose resignation became effective on January 1. W. E. Atkinson was reelected vice president. These actions were taken at a meeting of the executive committee .last Friday but were not made public until this week. Mr. Rowland, it is believed, will soon head his own producing coi lpany.