Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

March 11. 1922 EXHIBITORS HERALD 57 Federal Censorship Congressman Appleby has introduced a bill in congress providing for federal censorship. Every exhibitor should protest to his representative in congress and urge his patrons to do likewise. Announcement of the congressman's action is made on page 47 of this issue. PUBLIC RIGHTS LEAGUE Screen Message No. 45 A prediction is being fulfilled: Just as radical reformers have attempted to control motion pictures through censorship, they are now seeking to control the press. The latest effort along this line is a bill, now before Congress, to censor so-called "gambling news." PUBLIC RIGHTS LEAGUE Exhibitors Urged to Aid Writers* Guild Society Asks That Clippings Relating to Hollywood and to Industry Be Forwarded Them A fight against "slander of Hollywood and the motion picture industry" has been launched by the Screen Writers Guild of the Authors' League of America. 6716 Sunset boulevard, Hollywood. Cal. In a telegram received by this department, Frank E. Woods, president of the organization, urges all exhibitors to co-operate in this movement. His wire reads : Will you please publish prominently in your next issue appeal to exhibitors to aid our fight against slander of Hollywood and the motion picture industry? We want exhibitors in every town in the United States to watch local papers for these attacks. Send to Screen Writers Guild, 6716 Sunset boulevard, Hollywood, clippings marked with town, name of paper and date. This is very essential to everyone in the industry and we ask you to impress on exhibitors with all force at your command what great service this will be to themselves and all of us. We must know what they are saying and who says it immediately. * * * At the last meeting of the Guild, its members declared "war upon dishonest writers who, for the sake of a few paltry dollars defame the motion picture industry and the community of Hollywood." Another organization which is active in combating intolerance and the attacks on the industry is the Independent Screen Artists' Guild, organized on the Coast recently by forty independent stars, directors and producers. In a statement just issued, the Screen Artists' Guild says : * * * "The Independent Screen Artists' Guild is as yet I a young organization, but »e hope eventually to number every big producer and star of motion pictures in our ranks. At the present moment we are working hand-in-nand with the theatre men in First National to combat the falsehoods being circulated regarding motion picture people as a wh«:< J "We believe that the best means of counteracting | the insidious campaign ot vilification now being waged against motion picture people is to secure | the support of the photoplay patrons of America by means of our messages on the screen." * * * Last week the PUBLIC RIGHTS LEAGUE nublished a message which is being carried on he screens of the nine theatres operated_ in Tiicago's loop by Jones, Linick and Schaefer. )n this page is published this week details of 'he activities of Erwin Edwards in Cleveland. 0. The time is ripe for all exhibitors to take hand in this protective campaign. Bucyrus, O., recently spent its first "sour" Sunday reading the Sunday newspapers, and it is understood that the newspapers and gasoline are to come under the 1 i d clamped on by Mayor Charles F. Picking. Service Director Edw a r d Myers, who issued the "sour" Sunday decree at the mayor's order, observed the Sunday "out of town," leaving early in the morning. Every body wasn't so fortunate as the service director. nsor? Why aC ItemsPublished m Press Eliminated In "Topics ol Day Following are two squibs which were published in Judge and the Colgate Banner : Johnny, at Poultry Show: "Ma. let's wait until they let the animals loose." Mother: "They don't let the animals loose." Johnny: "Last night Pa said to Uncle Henry, 'Let's stick around awhile. We might get a chance to pick up a couple of chickens.* " — Judge. She (critically): "I never could see much in those crepe de chine dresses." He (also a critic) : "Probably you never looked at them in the right light." — Colgate Banner. These were permitted publication in the press but the New York censor board, comprised of political henchmen, clipped them from "Topics of the Day" No. 5, distributed by Pathe. That is censorship, a monarchial institution comprised of a narrow-minded, hypocritical minority despised by the public. Censors are censors because of the dollar involved. The public does not want its entertainment hand-picked for the dollar's sake. Offers Slides Free To Theatre Owners Cleveland Showman Circulates Hundred Thousand Handbills to L-ounteract Ne wspaper Otories Erwin Edwards, president of Edwards Amusement Company, Cleveland, O., is a worth}' contributor to the industry's campaign against intolerance. His latest endeavor takes the form of an offer to supply "gratis to every exhibitor in Cleveland a slide contradicting defamations which have been published" about the motion picture industry in Hollywood since the tragic death of William Desmond Taylor. This showman's service can not be overestimated. Cleveland exhibitors should cooperate with him in this movement of counter propaganda. This, however, is not the full extent of Mr. Edwards' activities. In a letter to the Cleveland News, whose articles written by Lindsay Denison have been grossly unfair to the industry. Mr. Edwards censures those who capitalize misfortune to promote yellow journalism. He also is circulating 100.000 handbills explaining "the true conditions" to the public. The Edwards' letter to the Neu-s follows : It is with regret that I find the English language inadequate to describe my loathing of the men responsible for the infamous fabrications published in the .Vt'U'i in regard to the condition at Hollywood. Your sensational accounts in regard to the Taylor murder involving people who had no connection with it. is a demonstration that you were willing to sacrifice the reputation of the .\"<H'j in order to satisfy the morbid scandal-monger. The libelous story by Lindsay Denison purporting to be an exposure of Hollywood life among the film colony reeks with such filth that should the mental picture which he draws be put in photographic form he or the publishers would be sent to the penitentiary for attempting to circulate them. In describing his imaginary "hop feast," "bestial menagerie" and other orgies of the "movie outfits" why was it that he did not mention a single name? Why does he try to impress the public with the idea that the "movie outfits" are all licentious? Does he not know, as well as the papers which publish his lurid tales, that the public will take them for what they aie. filthy lies on a yellow rag? Mr. Edwards' description of the authors of the lurid stories which have filled the newspapers recently is: "I believe that many of the stories which have been published in the various papers originated in the diseased mind of some degenerate who has frequently patronized houses of prostitution and from thence drawn the orgie tales."