Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

64 EXHIBITORS HERALD January 28, 1922 BLUE SUNDAY Unjust Persecution by the L. D. A. It is a singular fact that the L. D, A. wherever it has attempted tobring back the "Blue Sunday" lias selected motion picture theatres as the 'first object of attack. The effort to close them by initiative or referendum elections has always failed, save in the smaller towns in agricultural communities, where there existed no appreciable demand for them by the people. In Spripgfield there are upwards of 8,000 people whose environments prevent their attendance on week days. The largest crowds attend on Sunday for that reason.. Our theatres are operated on Sunday for the benefit of that class, not because we wish to, but because we have to, in order to get this class of business, otherwise we would not get it at all. What business would go to the trouble and expense of operating seven days if it could supply the demand in six? It is aeondition, not a theory that confronts us. Up to this time we have dealt only with principles that should be your guide in voting next Tuesday. The effects of a blue Sunday on the hotels, street cars, jitneys, and other industries are too manifest to dwell on. Springfield is now a city, and sought by travelers as a place affording a variety of ways of passing Sunday. The ■plan of the L. D A., if carried out, would drive a host of people elsewhere Such a result is worth considering. Whatever the disaster to picture shows the proposed law will cause, it not a matter to be urged as an argument. It has no bearing on the principles involved. Whatever they prove to be we must overcome them either by increasing the price, or cutting the standard of our shows. In either case the public would bear it. No one can expect us to continue as we are, at a loss This is, as we say, no argument. But in selecting our industry as a target the L. D. A. has done an unwise and an unjust thing, how unjust the people little realize. The ministers opposing \».have given it no thought. We will be pardoned, we feel, for trying to make it clear In making picture shows the object of attack the L. D. A. selected an industry having probably the greatest power for good that exists today, and one of the greatest aids to the ultimate aims of the church itself. " It has been of inestimable benefit to the United States in the war. As an agency of publicity requirements it had no equal. Did it falter in its duty1 Its screens were ever open and its stages ever free. They are today. Why then should picture shows whose loyalty has never faltered, be subjected to slander, insult and oppression, — singled out, as they are. from every other form of Sunday diversion? When we entered the war, in an appeal to picture shows, President Wilson, on June 28, 1917 said — "It is in my mind loot only to bring the motion picture industry into fullest and most effective contact with the Natwn's needs, but to give some measure of official recognition to an increasingly important factor in the development of our national life The film has come to rank as a lery Itiyh medium for the dissemination of public intelligence, and since it speaks a universal language it lends itself importantly to the. presentation of America'/ plans and purposes.' The people of the United States know the ready response of picture shows to every appeal during the war. Is that to be forgotten* No, for on December 17. 1919. while the L. D. A was busy denouncing picture show? as a "trust," with evil designs, Vice-President Marshall said to ur : — "No tivgU \ndustry in America did so much to arouse the zeal, th( fen or and the patriotism of the country as d)d the motion picture industry of America. Your loyalty and devotion and your sacrifice* to youi Government enabled it to come out of the ■'•or victorious in lis purposes. It came out finding itself and you finding yourselves faced with the problem that is; to my mind, fully as important as the winning of the war — that is, the winning of America foA Americans." Voters of Springfield, that problem is before all of us, and the picture shows are loyally doing their part toward the accomplishment of it. Do we then deserve the opprobrium so mercilessly cast upon us? Will you, by your vote, single us out, as the proposed law intends, as the sole victims of the L. D. A. idea? Are you to rebuke ■whom your Government commends in such a fashion? Every person knows that every theatre ticket carries a war tax, but most of you do not realize that in Springfield, on Sunday business alone, the theatres pay upwards of $13,000 annually. Hence the Government, if the proposed law is passed, must lose, or look elsewhere for that aid to its tremendous expense. Apply that law to every picture show in the country, as is the purpose of the L. D. A., and the Government would have a deficit of many million dollars in its budget. The L. D. A. in this, as in many other things, gives little heed to such practical considerations, yet, in this period of recovery from the financial exhaustions of the war, it is an important matter To promulgate a movement that not only defies the constitution, but depletes the revenues of the United States seems to be the L. D. A. idea of patriotism. The election is near at hand. We had no hand jn bringing it about.. Its troubles, inconveniences and expense are not due to us. The fight has not really been ours to make, for while levelled at us its real designs were oh a constitutional right of the people. We have defended that right in a dignified and consistent "way. Up to this time (Friday night) our opponents have not appeared in print. If they do so now, it will be an eleventh hour effort which we will be unable to answer We have invoked the doctrines of free government, and our opponents have invoked the old Jewish law to keep the Sabbath holy, and in the same breath denounced the Jews who devised it. Interpretations of Scripture have given birth to an hundred creeds, but our constitution gives birth to but one, and that is the creed of Libert}' It is our creed and it conflicts not at all with the Christian religion, nor the conception of it by our forefathers Our task has been a serious one, and seriously have we striven to meet it. From the shelter of twenty-odd pulpits our opponents had a tremendous advantage, and often used terms of undeserved severity, — but of such is the Kingdom of Politics Despite assertions to the contrary we have no organization, — no financial aid. We circulated no subscription list All labor and expense is our own. We have made honorable appeal to the better judgment, the conscience and patriotism of the men and women who -will vote If these fail, we have lost One word to our ministers and we are done We persist in saying that you have been led, and have led others into a movement fraught with grave consequences, but you have meant it for good. If your election fails to pass your law, the victory is not ours, but that or the people whose liberties you unwittingly threatened If you succeed, you wilWiear no murmur from us. We bear you no malice. Regardless of the results of the election you will ever have our aid in any movement to further charity or the uplifting of men Our screens will still-be open and our stages ever free We are not your enemies nor the enemies of the church, nor shall your mistakes make us so. Our beliefs are now, and will ever be, that men's individual ideas of Sunday observance are their own, to practice and to preach, but not to fasten by law upon their neighbors. If that may be done we are no longer a free people League Slides Are Excellent Following are two letters received from members of the PUBLIC RIGHTS' LEAGUE acknowledging receipt of the series of twelve slides: Baraboo, Wis. Exhibitors' Herald, Chicago, 111. Gentlemen: Just a line to acknowledge receipt of the twelve PUBLIC RIGHTS' LEAGUE slides. This appeals to us as being excellent propaganda and we are pleased to have this set to run. Yours very truly, (Signed) C. L. Roser, Al Ringhng Theatre. * Stratford, S. D. Exhibitors' Herald, Chicago, 111. Gentlemen: Received the PUBLIC "RIGHTS' LEAGUE slides, and will say they are fine. Thanks. Yours truly, (Signed) A. B. Anderson. Would Tax Censors Exhibitor Suggests That All Members of Board Pass a Morality Test A discussion of censorship by Louis B. Mayer, published recently in this department, has created no little comment among members of the PUBLIC RIGHTS LEAGUE. After reading Mr. Mayer's article, Bertha Clouse of the Star theatre, Fremont, Ind., writes: "I have just finished reading your article on page 35 of Exhibitors Herald, November 26, about censorship of moving picture film. Will say it would be a good idea to have all persons wishing to censor the films to be obliged to pass an examination to see that they are perfectly moral in every respect and then grant them a license udoii payment of .$300. "I think the exhibitors and producers of the film ought to send a petition to Washington to have a federal law passed to that effect." —MOVING PICTURE THEATRES OF SPRINGFIELD. Reproduction of a two-column spread published in the Springfield, Mo., newspapers by exhibitors prior to a referendum on Sunday closing. Other theatre men who are using institutional advertising are urged to send copies of their ads to this department. Opposes Bl u e Laws Pastor Declares He Is Opposed to Oppressive Legisla tion of Any K i nd Burris A. Jenkins of the Lin wood Boulevard Christian church of Kansas City, Mo., in a letter to Lawrence E. Goldman, secretary and counsel of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Missouri, denounces "all kinds of extreme sumptuary legislation, including Sunday blue laws." His letter reads: "I believe in the observance of Sunday, as I think one day of rest in seven is necessary for everybody, but I think people ought to be allowed to decide for themselves how they can rest to best advantage without interfering with the rights of other people. In other words, this is a country of liberty and ought to be maintained as such." •