Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1929)

November 2, 1929 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 25 Al Stef f es at Detroit Brands Hays and Pettijohn "Menaces Says Fair Contract Could Be Penned Without Political Body Michigan Makes Real Showing at Detroit Meeting By GEORGE CLIFFORD CONVENTION HEADQUARTERS, DETROIT, Oct. 30.— With registration exceeding the 200 mark the tenth annual convention of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Michigan swung into session here yesterday. Business which has heen the keynote of this determined organization of motion picture theatre owners since its inception manifested itself from the opening tap of the gavel in the hands of Charles W. Porter, president of the association. A program which abounded with speakers who had a message to bring to the assembled exhibitors got oft with a bang when Harvey Campbell, while on the regular program, in Board of Commerce, apologized for his inability to give the visitors the keys to the city as "it would take a wheelbarrow to carry them around because of the padlock situation." Mr. Campbell, while on the regular program, in reality pinch-hit for the mayor of Detroit and a substitute appointed by him, neither of whom made an appearance. The delegates seemed well satisfied with the situation. Pooling or Showmanship? Then in rapid succession followed P. J. "Wood, business manager of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Ohio, and William James, president of that association, showing widely divergent views on the future of the motion picture exhibitors. The former advocated pooling of interests as the panacea for present ills and the latter emphasized the viewpoint that showmanship was coming into its own which was reiterated by President Porter a few moments later. However, the man to "stop the show," m the parlance of vaudeville, was H. M. Richey, general manager of the Michigan association, in the giving of his annual report, part of which he read "for accuracy's sake" and part of which he spoke from notes. Richey Lauds Allied Move While Richey laid due stress on what had been accomplished during the past year — "The toughest year in all my nine years association with the organization" — he concluded his address with the opinion that the greatest thing the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Michigan had done in the time designated was to affiliate with Allied States. The speaker estimated that the defeat of the ticket tax bill alone produced to the exhibitors of Michigan a saving of S6,000,000 annually. At the conclusion of Richey's address the assembled theatre owners for the first and only time during the first day's session rose to their feet and cheered. Acoustics were dealt with at length by R. L. Lindahl of the Detroit office of the Celotex Company, who pointed out defects in present day construction which militated against perfect sound reproduction. Equipment Chief Topic Oscar Hanson, sales manager of the Tiffany organization, outlined briefly the success of (Continued on page 32) Joining Allied Was Michigan's Biggest Achievement in Year of Progress, Declares Richey [Registration list on page 32] By G. M. WITCHELL CONVENTION HEADQUARTERS, DETROIT, Oct. 30.— Taking pot shots at Will H. Hays and C. C. Pettijohn, W. A. (Al) Steffes today outlined to the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Michigan the results of the more than 13,000 mile trip he has just completed in behalf of Allied States. He was accompanied on the trip by Oscar Hanson, general sales manager of Tiffany Productions. Steffes' address was the climax of the tenth annual convention of the organization, meeting at the Statler hotel. Business sessions opened yesterday after a Monday spent on the golf course. Steffes indicated that Allied now had going organizations in 30 states and a membership which he estimated at 10,000. In each case, he said, the quota necessary for Allied membership not only had been subscribed but enough additional had been pledged to permit the employment of a business manager for each state organization. "The days of 'on paper' are over," said Steffes in commenting on this phase of the situation. "Cash has been subscribed in each instance in sufficient amount not only to cover the Allied quota but to permit the financing of a competent state organization. Calls Hays, Pettijohn "Menaces" "I consider Bill Hays and C. C. Pettijohn the biggest menaces to the motion picture industry today. The Allied is ready and willing to discuss with the producers, themselves, or the U. S. Government or anyone else in authority an equitable contract or a system of arbitration that is legal. As far as I, personally, am concerned, I refuse to deal with the Hays organization, which I consider merely a fifth wheel as far as the motion picture industry is concerned. "I believe that Sidney Kent, Felix Feist, Jimmy Grainger and others could sit across the table from us and write a contract fair to all of us. I do not think we need the assistance of a political organization to help us write a contract. If the industry insists on a third party let's take the United States Government. "I ask any exhibitor in this assembly to take the floor and point out any single thing the Hays organization has done to benefit any exhibitor or the industry at large. "Notwithstanding Judge Thacher's decision, Allied will insist that theatre owners live up to their legitimate obligations." The important part that the Michigan organization has played in the past year The New Officers The new officers of the M P T O of Michigan, elected Wednesday, are as follows : President, Allen Johnson, Grand Rapids. Vice President, A. E. Eisman, Flint. Secretary, H. T. Hall, Detroit. Treasurer, John E. Neibes, Detroit. in aiding independent exhibitors was the keynote of earlier addresses. Sound came in for its share of attention, too, and an address by an acoustical engineer was one of the highlights of the opening business session. R. L. Lindahl, of the Celotex Company, pointed out to the exhibitors just what problems they had run up against in adapting their houses for playing talking pictures. "The most necessary adjustment in most motion picture theatres is adjustment for reverberation," Lindahl said. "Sound bounces when it hits a material which will not absorb it, particularly concrete walls. Heavy velour hangings on the stage will help absorb sound to prevent reverberations; in fact, the more such hangings the better. Draping the back of your loud speaker horns with heavy cloth also helps. Carpets in the aisles are of great value, particularly when they have a lining beneath them. Changing wood veneer seats for upholstered seats also is helpful." Richey Traces Big Year The importance of the work done by the organization in the last year was stressed by H. M. Richey, the business manager, in his annual report. The past year, he said, was the most active one in the history of the organization and during that time more persons joined the organization than in any previous five-year period. "Four laws effecting theatre operators were defeated," he said. "The most serious menace was a tax on theatre tickets. Such a tax would have cost the state exhibitors $6,000,000 and would have put between 100 and 150 houses out of business. "Another taxation bill, which would place a tax of 50 per cent on advertising done in theatres, was defeated. A censorship bill was defeated and an arbitration bill, which would have legalized the unfair methods of arbitration against which we are battling, also went down to defeat. "In the purchase of sound equipment we were able to save our members some $50,000. In September we concluded pne of the most successful negotiations with the Musicians' LTnion. "But, to my mind, the greatest achieve(Continued on page 32)