Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

March 11. 1922 EXHIBITORS HERALD 39 Charges Republicans Are Seeking Support of Picture Industry (Washington Bureau, Exhibitors Herald) WASHINGTON, D. C. Feb. 28.— The tight against the so-called "political activities" of the motion picture industry still goes on in congress, Representative Rouse of Kentucky, democrat, last week charging that a group of republicans who expect to be candidates for office next fall have discussed with prominent film men plans for using "the big moving picture trust to flood the country with propaganda helpful to the republicans." Declaring that campaign plans had been discussed at a luncheon here a week ago, he warned the industry that it must keep out of politics. "I do not believe the men who own the controlling stock in the motion picture industry will countenance this," the congressman said in a statement. "In the first place they have too much sense to teopardize the success of their business, and in the second place I believe most of :hem are democrats. Even the republi;an theatrical men know that everything shown on the screen in recent months, onnected with the present administra ion, has been unpopular. Every theatre ^oer comments on this. Before this proredure is allowed to start it would be well or the heads of the business to reflect ind to ask themselves if they can afford o go into politics at this time." Terre Haute Company Incorporates to Run Three Indiana Houses (Special to Exhibitors Herald) TERRE HAUTE, IND., Feb. 28.— Vith the opening of the new Indiana heatre, operation of three Terre Haute notion picture theatres — the Indiana. Vmerican and Orpheum — will be under ne head, known as Terre Haute Operatng Company, T. \Y. Barhydt, president. :as announced. The company has been incorporated ,ith the following directors: Mr. Bariydt, Shannon Katzenbach. Harry J. iaker and Charles Fox. all of Terre iaute; Ralph A. Kohn. Austin C. Keough, lenry L. Salsbury, John C. Flinn and •. R. Kent, all of New York City. leorge Arliss Picture Liked in Philadelphia (Special to Exhibitors Herald) PHILADELPHIA. PA., Feb. 28.— ieorge Arliss in "The Ruling Passion" cored a sweeping success during its towing at the Aldine theatre here and ■licited much favorable comment among atrons and newspaper reviewers. The musical program arranged by red D. and Maurice E. Felt, owners nd directors of the theatre, was a feature f importance in connection with the nited Artists presentation. took "Foolish Wives" At Broadway Theatre (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Feb. 28.— Universalis iecial production, "Foolish Wives," will : presented at the Capitol theatre, New ork City, the week beginning March 5. 400 Grievance Cases Are Settled by Joint Committee Board in New York Has Been Functioning Less Than Two Months—Plan Undoubtedly Will Be Continued Indefinitely (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Feb. 28— Settlement of more than 400 disagreements — many of which would undoubtedly have led to long and expensive legal actions — is the record of the joint arbitration board of the Theatre Owners Chamber of Commerce, the Motion Picture Theatre Owners, and the F. I. L. M. Club, of New York, since it commenced functioning less than two months ago. And in the adjustment of these more than 400 cases not an appeal has been entered. While everyone concerned may not be altogether satisfied, complainants and defendents cheerfully abide by the decisions. No hard feelings are engendered and in almost every instance there is no rupture of business relations. Quick Settlement Made in Most Cases This joint arbitration board meets every Wednesday at 1 o'clock in the rooms of the F. I. L. M. Club, and with quickness and dispatch settles business disputes in a few minutes that would occupy the time of courts and learned jurists for weeks. At last week's session eighty-four cases were on the docket and of this number nearly all were disposed of. At the session the week before sixty-four cases were adjudged and verdicts rendered. ing present. Each of the "litigants" signs the following waiver: "We the undersigned hereby mutually agree to submit qustions and claims between us, as outlined below, to the determination and award of the Joint Arbitration Board of the F. I. L. M. Club of New York and the Theatre Owners' Chamber of Commerce and Motion Picture Theatre Owners, and to that end we do hereby appoint the members of said Joint Arbitration Board as our arbitrators; their decision and award shall be final and binding on us, and we further respectively agree to begin to carry out and perform the terms of the decision rendered by this board within seven days from the date hereof." The complainant is allowed to state his case and present his evidence. Then the defendant has his day in court, after which each is permitted to question the other, and the board questions both until the whole trouble is threshed out. Then the contestants are asked to leave the "court room" while the board discusses the evidence and votes on a decision. Then the disputants are called in and the decision of the board made known to them: the trouble is all over, possibility of a lawsuit ended, and another case is called. Perform Duties Earnestly As an instance of the exactness with which justice is meted out, and the earnestness with which each member performs his duties, it is noticeable that frequently an exchange member of the board is found championing the cause of an exhibitor and an exhibitor member righting the battle of an exchange complainant. Disputes of all descriptions and involving large and small amounts are given the same attention and handled with the same care. At last Thursday's session a knotty dispute involving $12.50 was threshed out as earnestly and as carefully as was another in which the amount in dispute was $1,750. During the session of the previous week a case in which $21,000 was involved was gone (Continued on page 48s The ability to make this speed and at the same time mete out justice to all concerned is possible because each member of the board is an expert in the particular line of the film industry upon which the disagreement hinges. William Brandt To Continue Activity The arbitration board is the pet child of William Brandt, president of the T. O. C. C. and after months of labor all the details of the arrangement were worked out and the contract signed on December 27 by Mr. Brandt, for his organization, and by President I. E. Chadwick, for the F. I. L. M. Club. The agreement is but for six months, but so much good has been accomplished, and so many legal actions avoided, that the general impression of both exhibitors and exchange men is that it will be continued indefinitely. The board is composed of seven — three members and a chairman appointed by the F. I. L. M. Club, and three members appointed by the Theatre Owners' Chamber of Commerce. The chairman, however, has no vote except in case of a tie. The term of office of these members are for three months and are so arranged that a new member from each organization succeeds an old one each month. Closed Meetings Held Complaints from either exhibitor or exchange are received by the board and a date set for the hearing. Notification by registered letter of the date of the hearing is sent to both parties to the complaint, and if the registered return card has been received from each, and one fails to appear at the hearing, the one who fails loses by default. The hearings are. of course, behind closed doors, only the members of the board and the parties to the dispute be