The Film Daily (1940)

Avoid Arbitration, 20fh-Fox Warning {Continued from Page 1) clearance is unreasonable is subject to arbitration; if our job of sellingis properly done the clearance we sell should never have to be arbitrated." Calls for Scrupulous Observance The general counsel outlined provisions of the decree in effect and warns that they "must be scrupulously observed, otherwise your company will be in contempt of court." Round table conferences designed to fully familiarize all sales personnel of 20th-Fox with the provisions of the consent decree will start Friday when Jenkins addresses the sales staff of Harry Buxbaum's New York exchange. Similar meetings in the field, to be conducted by Jenkins and his two aides, Percy Heiliger and Norman Steinberg, will start on Jan. 2, with conferences in Los Angeles, Albany and Pittsburgh. Jenkins personally will conduct meetings at 12 exchanges on the Coast, in the Far West and Midwest. Steinberg will hold meetings with the sales staffs at six branches and Heiliger will explain the decree provisions at 12 branches. If business permits, the division managers may attend some of these meetings. Herman Wobber, company's sales head, will attend the sessions to be held with the personnels of the Coast branches. Manuals to Guide Sales Force Meantime, manuals, written by Jenkins, outlining the provisions of the decree will be distributed to the sales personnel. Copies of the decree itself have been sent to all branches by Jack Sichelman. Itineraries of the legalities follow: Jenkins— Los Angeles. Jan. 2; San Francisco Jan. 6 ; Portland, Jan. 9 ; Seattle, Jan. 13; Salt Lake City, Jan. 16; Denver, Jan. 20; Omaha, Jan. 22; Kansas City, Jan. 24; Des Moines, Jan 27; Minneapolis, Jan. 29; Milwaukee, Jan. 31, and Chicago, Feb. 3. Heiliger — Albany, New Haven, Boston. St. Louis, Oklahoma City. Dallas, Memphis, New Orleans, Atlanta, Charlotte. Washington and Philadelphia in order. Steinberg— Pittsburgh. Cleveland. Detroit, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Buffalo in order. 50 Reported Entombed As Nazis Bomb Theater Press cables on Friday revealed the worst toll yet taken by the Nazi aerial blitz in the British theater field. Bombing of two houses in a South Coast town — presumably Portsmouth — was reported. Explosives struck one while it held from 200 to 300 persons, 50 of whom were entombed. Casualty toll was high. French "Nazifying" Picture Industry Vichy (By Cable) — "Nazification" of the French film industry, in essence, is provided through the application of recent racial decrees which close all branches to Jews. The new law which established Vice-Premier Pierre Laval as the industry's "czar" also gives the Government complete control over film financing. Walter F. Hiltz Dead Kentville, N. S.— Walter F. Hiltz, 64, a pioneer film theater operator in the Annapolis Valley, and who had been an exhibitor in Kentville, Wolfville and Windsor, is dead after an illness of two years. Surviving, are five sons and three daughters. NAM Com. to Recommend Declaratory Judgment Act National Association of Manufacturers' convention here this week will receive a report from its Committee on Relation of Government to Industry calling for: 1. Enactment of a Federal declaratory judgment act to facilitate elimination of unfair competition and at the same time insure avoidance of antitrust violations. 2. Amendment of the substantive portion of the Sherman Act to counteract effect of the "Madison oil case" decision and to make the "rule of reason" universally applicable. 3. Reversal of the association's former advocacy of an advisory tribunal which would have power to fix attitude of the government toward proposed contracts, combinations or agreements under the anti-trust laws. 4. Recommendation that the primary enforcement of the Sherman Act should be by civil and not by criminal proceedings, save in exceptional cases. Presumably, had there been a declaratory judgment statute in existence, the industry's Trade Practice Code, proposed in 1939, could have materialized. The declaratory judgment proposal would require enactment of a law setting up the following procedure: voluntary industrial agreements could be made to eliminate unfair competition practices; such agreements could be submitted to the Department of Justice for approval or disapproval within a specified period of time; approval would bar any civil or criminal action under the anti-trust laws instituted in respect to activity carried out under the agreement; such approval could be withdrawn on 30 days notice to the industry; disapproval would indicate intention of the department to prosecute signatories for action under the agreement and would be conclusively deemed to give rise to a justifiable controversy in the federal courts. Berlin Aids Seal Campaign Irving Berlin will serve as chairman of the authors' and composers' committee of the current Christmas Seal campaign, it is announced by Frank Kiernan, director of the New York Tuberculosis and Health Association. Monday, December ?, 1940 Film Players Flood Broadway Stages (Continued from Page 1) casts in current and forthcoming plays this season. With Fredric March and Florence Eldredge reportedly looking for a play, Joan Crawford classified in the same category, and Miriam Hopkins, Otto Kruger, Isabel Jewell, Boris Karloff, Mary Brian, Bruce Cabot, Betty Furness, Billie Burke, Victor Mature, Lee Tracy and a number of other film players either already cast in new plays, appearing in current shows, or mentioned for parts in new plays, the representation of players better known for their film reputations may out-total the number of legit, players well-known as such before the season is over. A number of writers, producers and other talent on the technical side not unknown to Hollywood are also present on the Broadway scene. Producer Buddy De Sylva has several hit shows; song writers Irving Berlin and Jack Yellen are responsible for some of the new music; writers Fred Fincklehoffe and John Monks, Jr., are responsible for a new show; and dance director Bobby Connolly is handling the dance routines for the Fincklehoffe-Monks show. Listing of shows and their players who have been in films follows : "All In Fun." has Bill Robinson. Phil Baker, Rosita Moreno and Pert Kelton; "Beverly Hills," which has folded, had Laurence Schwab as the producer, and Ilka Chase. Violet Heming and Helen Claire in its cast ; "Boys . And Girls Together," includes Ed Wynn, Jane Pickens and Dave Apollon in the cast ; Rex Ingram is in "Cabin In the Sky" ; Nedda Harrigan is in "Charley's Aunt"; "Delicate Story" has Edna Best. Thomas Beck and Harry Gribbon in the cast; Betty Field is appearing in "Flight to the West' ; and "Hi Ya Gentlemen," which opens shortly, will have Sid Silvers. Max Baer, Ella Logan, Erik Rhodes and Audrey Christie in the cast, with Monks and Fincklehoffe the writers and Bobbv Connolly the dance director. Al Jolson. Martha Raye. Jack Whiting. Bert Gordon and Jinx Falkenburg are in "Hold On To Your Hats" ; Ezra Stone is in "Horse Fever"; Vera Zorina, Billy Gaxton. Victor Moore and Trene Bordoni are in "Louisiana Purchase." with Irving Berlin responsible for the music and DeSvlva the producer; Ethel Merman. Arthur Treacher. Betty Hutton, Jimmy Dunn, Phyllis Brooks and Toan Carroll are in "Panama Hattie," also a DeSylva production ; Vivienne Segal and Jack Durant are in "Pal Joey"; "Separate Rooms" is headlined by Alan Dinehart. Glenda Farrell. Lyle Talbot and Mozelle Britton ; and Helen Haves and Philip Huston are in "Twelfth Night."" Final Kent Drive Meeting At New York Branch Today Final meeting of the annual 20thFox Kent Sales Drive will be held today at the New York branch. Drive leader M. A. Levy, and Herman Wobber, general manager of distribution, and William Sussmanj Eastern division manager, who attended the last out of town meeting at the week-end in Boston, returned here Saturday night. Levy has served as the Drive leader for two years, and some other field man will be chosen to succeed him for the next two Drive periods, each man being limited to two years in thei post. THE WEEK IN REVIEW 'Little 3" Ash Delay — By L. H. MITCHELL * DOMESTIC CONSENT DECREE: "Little asked Judge Henry W. Goddard restrain all other Gov't equity suif? until courts render decision on suit against "Little 3" . . . Indication: were that both UA and "U" would join Columbia's move in asking dis missal of suit against "Little 3" . . D of J, however, won right to file a new suit against "Little 3" and the latter were given 60 days to move for dismissal or to file answers . . . N W. Allied may seek to circumvent the decree through state legislation National Allied pledged support tc decree's arbitration provisions . . Arbitration budgeteers were announced by C. V. Whitney, AAA prexy, as follows: P. M. Haight, administrator (with Lucius R. Eastman AAA board chairman, as alternate) ; Joseph H. Hazen, WB v. -p., as repre sentative of the majors, and Van Vechten Veeder . . . "Big 5" were dropped as defendants in Gov't suit against Griffith circuit . . . Salesmen of consenting majors were ordered to follow decree terms "to the let ter" . . . Arbitration pledge wa: offered by Columbia . . . Para, an nounced it would offer blocks of five pix in order. OTHER NEWS ITEMS: Specia Master Edgar Eldredge in Chi. recommended dismissal of the crimina" contempt charges against B & K and the majors . . . Metro created new Central sales division and Wm. R Rodgers placed E. K. "Ted" O'SheE in -charge and named four district sales managers — John P. Byrne Rudolph Berger, John J. Bbwen and Burtus Bishop, Jr. . . . Standard Trade & Securities' survey predicted 5 to 10 per cent attendance rise . . Washington intimated that the Army's clearance system would stand "as is" ... D of J completed its probe of Ascap but was mum on mat ter of bringing a trust suit . . "Great Dictator" terms were given at 50-50 by UA . . . Goodbody & Co reported film earnings moving up . . Spyros Skouras predicted that 1941 would be best year for films in U. S since 1929 . . . Warners and Erp called off equipment contract . . Columbia reported first quarter net of $153,878 . . . Murray Silverstone forecast adoption of English selling system (by individual picture) by U S. disrtibs. Ohio Cities Would Levy Tax on Amusements (Continued from Page 1) which would permit municipalities to impose local taxes for the pur pose of meeting relief needs. Among those suggested is an amusement tax. The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, meeting here, also adopted a reso lution asking that the state admis sions tax be increased.