Exhibitors Herald (Apr-Jun 1922)

pril 15. 1922 EXHIBITORS HERALD 67 Something to Read Each week the HERALD publishes numerous articles pertaining to censorship, blue laws and other reform menaces. Every exhibitor should keep a file of these stories for use when the occasion demands. PUBLIC RIGHTS LEAGUE Screen Message No. 50 Attorney General Jesse Barrett of Missouri makes this comment on motion picture censorship: "The whole movement for movie censorship is but another outgrowth of the abnormal tendency of our time to secure everything by the passage of laws — a tendency which, if continued, will bring far greater dangers than the ills it is sought to cure." PUBLIC RIGHTS LEAGUE Reformers Put on Defensive by Cuff IV. P. Cliff of the Strand-Empire theatres, Chillicothe, Mo., has achieved mething which, if universally publicized, 7vill put the quietus on the reform's claims that motion pictures are demoralizing the country. Tlie element of \ct entering into Exhibitor Cuff's accomplishment cinches the proof that the former's claims are fallacious — that a wilful attempt is being made by a small inority to destroy the industry. That the very remunerative zcork of "re~* trming" has caused the broadcasting of deliberate lies about the industry is xother obvious fact brought to light through the Chillicothe exhibito/s activ A Call to Arms Under that caption the following has been received from the Screen Writers' Guild: The entire picture industry has been put on the defensive by the vicious attacks in the press on the character of the people who are producing pictures in the California studios. The vicious slanders on Hollywood reflect upon every branch of the industry and unless checked are a serious menace to everyone who derives a livelihood from the making and distributing of pictures. A bureau has been established on the coast to fight these attacks, and spread broadcast the real facts about Hollywood and the character of the picture workers. This bureau is being operated under the auspices of the Screen Writers' Guild of the Authors' League of America, representing every branch of the business. Everybody can do his bit. In order to fi g ht these attacks su ccess fully, it is necessary that the Bureau know just what is being printed and who is printing it. Ail exhibitors and exchange men are urged to scan the newspapers in their localities and clip all comments on the film industry, whether favorable or unfavorable, and mail them, with the name of the publication, and the date, to the Screen Writers' Guild, 6716 Sunset boulevard, Hollywood, California. This is the greatest service that can be rendered at the present time, and everybody is urged to co-operate to the greatest of thenability. Manager Cuff writes the following letlr to this department: "I am enclosing clipping from today's 'Chilicothe Tribune,' which, after the panning we have gotten from the wild-eyed reformers in the last few months, ought to do some good IF OTHER EXHIBITORS ARE ABLE TO USE IT AS A NEWS ITEM. Tbis was not a planted story, but the facts are just as the article states. The girts want to see the pictures, and to get on the honor roll they must be good. "I have never accepted any admission from the girls at the Home for I thought that to take money from those who are practically prisoners wo uJ d be a little too m uch like asking for blood money. "As for pay for t nes e performances , I am well repaid for every girl comes out with a smile and a 'thank you, Mr. Cuff,' and I know I have been the means of their spending one happy afternoon. **Won't it hurt some to learn that right here in Chillicothe, Mo., where I have had one of the hottest fights with blue law cranks that the industry ever went through, the pictures are actually improving the morals of the girls in a penal institution, and the Strand theatre with its outlaw manager are responsible for this unheard of situa The article published in the Chilli>the Tribune is reprinted here with the gent request that exhibitors submit it | their local editors. The story as cared in the Tribune follows: 10VIES RAISE THE MORALE OF STATE HOME FOR GIRLS URE OF STRAND THEATRE MATINEES SWELL INSTITUTIONS HONOR ROLL onager Cuff Has Furnished Hundreds of Dollars' Worth of Entertainment of a Refined type Free to Inmates of the State Industrial Home Who Have Shown Themselves Worthy of It. That more girls than ever before are aking an effort to get on the honor roll of the Girls' Industrial Home in order to secure the privileges that go with the honor roll and especially the privilege of attending the matinees at the picture show, is the assertion of the officers of the Home. The honor roll of girls who have made high records and conducted themselves admirably in every way is greatly increased, they say, and this fact is partly traceable to their eagerness to see the feature photoplays shown at the Strand theatre. W. P. Cuff, manager of the theatre. Order Your Slides | EXHIBITORS HERALD, 417 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, 111. i Send me, free of charge, the series of twelve slides which the Herald is supplyl ing to exhibitors in furtherance of the I PUBLIC RIGHTS LEAGUE campaign to | maintain the freedom of the motion pic | ture I will run each slide at every performance i for one week when conditions permit of this arrangement. r Name j (Write name and address legibly) [ Theatre THIS BOX is published again this week at the urgent request of the Screen Writers' Guild. has extended through the officers of the Home a standing invitation to the girls to attend all matinee performances of feature photoplays at the Strand. This invitation is a continuation of the policy pursued by Mr. Cuff evlr since he took charge of the theatre. He has invited the Home girls to practically every performance and their efforts to attain a high rank in the school are in direct appreciation of his kindness. Only girls of the honor roll attend the matinees, chaperoned by the teachers. The magazines and other reading matter furnished them at the Home are carefully censored and a similar high standard is demanded of the plays they are allowed to see. As the photoplays featured for matinee performances are of the very highest class, such as "Way Down East," "Humoresque." "The Old Xest," and others, and usually are chosen from the outstanding successes of the season, they prove of decided benefit to (.Continued on page 68)