Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

March 4. 1922 EXHIBITORS HERALD Development of the M. P. T. O. A. Last of a Series Of Three Articles By MONTE W. SOHN Article 3. The Future Of theM.P.T.O.A • 9 V Mcnte W. Sohn "A Prophet is without honor in his ,vn Country." • Any apprentice prophet knows the full truth of this line. A man may be a champion catchas-catch-can predictor, but the chances are fat that his associates will hand him the frozen mitten and the stony ear. even when his logic is hitting on all twelve. So a prophet has more or less traveling to do. He keeps traveling till he bumps into folks w h o will play his predictions on the nose. It doesn't require particularly long vism to see that the M. P. T. O. A. is perlanently a part of the fabric in this inustry. The record of the year just end<i is ample evidence. And the future operations of this body are indicated iery clearly to those who know its prob->ms, some of which are in every sense nmediate. Victorious though most of the battles f the past year have been, their sucess is no permanent safeguard against ontinued onslaughts by the "Army of Tnfreedom." Reform, from the misguidd members of the clergy to political olves who must have their graft if they lay live on, already have in process ■ie work on a spring campaign. Their most recent effort through Sentor Myers of Montana to bring about an investigation by the department of juste and the department of commerce of ne motion picture industry's entrance bto politics,'' is worth more than passing ote. I It is well undertood at Washingpn that the b i g dea behind this esolution is to put he senate in a reeptive attitude for pt passage of a ■deral censors h i p leasure. . So that the de:ats suffered by lis hysterical orde have not perlanently crushed lem. And the na onal officers as well as state leaders are etter prepared to meet such issues as [iey arise than ever before. Nationally, M. J. O'Toole, recently lade a director of the department of pubc service. Sam Berman, Colonel H. B. arner, W. A. True, W. D. Burford. A. Moeller, R. A. Woodhull, L. J. Ditt,iar, George Aarons. E. T. Peter, F. C. moot, D. A. Harris — these, serving on *r. Cohen's staff, provide the brains necessary to paigns. conduct legislative cam Lawrence Gcldman 4 In the various states, and at present engaged in state service work, are such minute men as Larry Goldman, Glenn Harper. Stuart Gould, Ray Grombacher, A. R. Pramer, Al. Steffes, Fred Herrington, Jerome Caspar, Sam Bullock, Charles L. O'Reilly, Thomas Vickroy, Jim Ritter and Jake Lourie. But, while these men and others of the legislative committee and executive board are prepared for any measures in defensive war. another great work is going steadily forward. This is the work of the department of public service, headed by Mr. O'Toole. Under its auspices special representatives are very soon to tour the country, bringing about a finer relationship between patrons and theatre owners through the department's educational helpfulness. The instructive films available in its work will be put at the disposal of boards of education and other bodies devoted to the community welfare and social uplift — the medium being the screen of the motion picture theatre. This great con structive effort is a commendable step that will go largely toward making legislative wars unnecessary. In a measure, the "Official Urban Movie Chats of the M. P. T. O. A." also will help materially in this movement. Mr. Peter will have this work u n d e r his a. J. Moeller care. The trio of taxes that have cut so considerably into the already shrunken bank accounts of theatre owners — music, seat and admission taxes — will have especial attention by the legislative committee. The repeal of the last two may be looked for this year, so well is the work of this committee under way. As for the music tax, the unremitting battling of George Aarons in Pennsylvania and Lawrence Goldman in Missouri will aid the legislative .board materially either in bringing about an amendment, or devising means ksr circumventing it. * * * Certainly the day is not far distant when the uniform contract will have made its appearance and advance deposits are abolished. But before that day has arrived, the overbooking evil, which has contributed so much to high rentals, will also have been overcome. For the M. P. T. O. A., as well as the new organization of producers, this implies considerable study. The fault is entirely neither with the exhibitor nor with the producer-distributor. It is something in which each has part of the responsibility. This problem is to have special study by the exhibitor leaders. It is Mr. Cohen's own thought that the time will soon come when the exhibitor anywhere, may have the advice and personal assistance of traveling experts — men familiar with every branch of showmanship H. B. Varner and management and communtiy exploitation. These men will be part of a special service branch of the M. P. T. O. A. And in the direction of this department, such specialists as A. H. Blank, E. V. Richards, M. E. Comerford, Sol Lesser and Colonel W. S. Butterfield will have an active part. But, though there are enlisted in the M. P. T. O. A. practically all of the leading theatre owners, it is a fact that the prime movers in its affairs number among them many men whose holdings are small. And tomorrow may reveal more unsuspected genius in owners of single theatre holdings located in towns comparatively remote. Why are such men as H. A. Graves of St. Johnshury, Vfc, Gus Kohn of Las Vegas, X. M", C. E. Wingreene of Bismark. X. D., and J. C. Duncan of Sioux City, Iowa, such important members of the legislative committee? * * * Mr. Cohen knows So does any man who has met and talked with these exhibitors, small exhibitors, so-cal'.ed. It is in the hands of such men that the very future of the industry must rest. Steffes of Minneapolis — what are his holdings? Or Varner's or Seegert's or Van Praag's? One day, probably this year, the problem of centralized distribution will be brought before the exhibitor body. It will be brought by the producers and distributors, because it will become increasingly apparent that some great saving must be effected if rentals are to come down — and unless rentals do come down, producers cannot continue to have the large outlet and volume of sales they need. The problem of unemployment will have special study by the M. P. T. O. A. It is tied so closely to the vital matter of profits, profits which in many quarters have vanished, that the writer expects to see a brilliant constructive work begun by the exhibitor body, likely under the auspices of the department of public service. * * * These problems and others will be met in 1922. and the rank and file of members of the M. P. T. O. A. may feel every encouragement that the state and national leaders will handle them successfully. In a j'ear, membership has doubled. The roster is almost 15.000 names long, pnd in the list are the names of some of America's finest business and professional men. The future of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America is safe. It was borne in trial, and all of the stress and trouble with which time may confront it won't stop its progress. And that some early tomorrow will reveal its membership to be on the very verge of one hundred per cent for all of America is not doubted by the thoughtful ol server.