Exhibitors Herald (Apr-Jun 1922)

\pril 22, 1922 EXHIBITORS HERALD 39 State Conventions Clash in Policies Affecting Will Hays To "Smoke Hays Out" In sharp contrast with the plea for harmony by Sydney S. Cohen and the hearty reception tendered Will H. Hays by the T. O. C. C. of New York this week is the address delivered by A 1 Steffes, president of the M. P. T. O. of Minnesota, at the Minneapolis convention on April 11. Steffes scored the producers and referred to Will H. Hays as "their goat at an enormous salary which the exhibitors will pay unless they fight." He announced he would appoint a committee to draft a series of questions which will be forwarded to Mr. Hays "to smoke him out so the public will know just what his attitude toward us and the rest of the industry really is." Al Steffes Statement of Mayor Squelches Clergymen Refuses to Close Theatres During Lent — Opposes Oppression (Special to Exhibitors Herald) . MANSFIELD, O., April 11. — The Mansfield Ministers' Association requested Mayor Henry G. Brunner to close the theatres here on Sunday during ■the Lenten period. A petition with 2,467 signatures was presented by the clergy to bolster up their request. Is Only a Ruse Mayor Brunner took sufficient cognizance of the request to do a bit of investigating and found that, although the petion requested specifically that the theatres be closed during Lent, it was in fact the beginning of a movement to darken the houses on Sunday throughout the year. In his communication refusing the request of the ministers, Mayor Brunner *.ook occasion to rebuke those who seek to discriminate against certain classes of business. He declared that he believed in the enforcement of law but not in oppression. "Men are not made good by legal declaration or by official action," be stated. Plans No Change "Until I get an expression from the people that will convince me that I am not carrying their will into effect," the mayor concluded, "there will be no radical change in conducting the affairs of this city." Interest Now Centers On National Conclave Local Associations Have Many Questions to Present for Consideration at Washington Lower Film Rentals Will Be Topic of Importance This week virtually terminates the period for holding state exhibitor conventions preliminary to the national conclave of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America in Washington, D. C, May 8 to 12. .Many organization questions, both state and national, await action by the delegates who will convene at the capital, and for this reason the convention has aroused heightened interest in all quarters. Hays to Be Target of Attack and Praise Just what policies will be adopted at the W ashington get-together is problematical, but some conception of what to expect from the deliberations may be gained from the convention activities in a number of states during the past few days. It is certain that Will H. Hays, president of the M. P. P. D. A. will be the target both of attack and praise. State organizations have displayed various dispositions toward Mr. Hays' appointment. A resolution was adopted by the Illinois exhibitors last week declaring the organization "not antagonistic" to the new producer-distributor chief and expressing hope that he would '"correct certain evils in the industry." Rentals to Have Foremost Place in Discussions Contrasting this open-minded attitude are the scathing words of W. A. Steffes, president of the Minnesota division of the M. P. T. O. A., who declared from the floor of the Minnesota convention on April 11, that Mr. Hays was "the goat" of the producers and that the Minnesota organization is going "to smoke him out." Another subject which undoubtedly will hold a foremost position at the national conclave, judging from action taken by the state conventions, is that of lower film rentals. Five state conventions held during the past few days are reported in the following stories : Illinois Although there has been varied speculation as to the attitude of exhibitor organizations toward the appointment of Will H. Hays to the presidency of the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors o f America, the position of the Illinois Motion Picture Theatre Owners was made clear at the twoday convention held at the Sherm a n Hotel in Chicago on April 4 and 5. A resolution declaring the organization "not antagonistic" to Mr. Hays, and expressing the hope that the new producer-distributor chief might "correct certain evils in the industry" was adopted without a dissenting vote. The convention offered a number of interesting sidelights, one in particular being significant in view of the fact that it marks the passing from official duties of four men who have been more or less active in organization circles for a number of years. Four Withdraw Names These four men, Joe Hopp. Louis Frank, John Silha and J. B. Dibelka. withdrew their names from the list of nominees for the board of directors following a protracted discussion on the general subjects of harmony and cooperation. Executives of the organization were W. W. Watts Not Antagonistic Say Exhibitors This resolution was adopted by the Illinois Motion Picture Theatre Owners in convention last week: RESOLVED, that we are not antagonistic to Mr. Hays and that we are looking forward to him to correct certain evils in the industry. We expect Mr. Hays to give us a uniform contract which we have been trying to get for years. We also ask him to establish a credit system in lieu of the deposit system which is now in force in the various film exchanges throughout the country.