The Film Daily (1946)

I ednesday, July 24. 1946 I I CrnLMny Equip. Export Ass'n Crockett Sees Auction Chaos Proposed by Golden (Continued from Page 1) SVebb-Pomerene Act are recomhiended to equipment manufacturers by Department of Commerce pix ;phief Nathan D. Golden in an article "m tile official publication Domestic |C.^merce, which appears Friday. [Vf|p[''crld demand for American booth Equipment is said large enough to Insure American manufacturers of iaiore orders than they can fill for years to come. This demand is in addition to the peak demand of lAmerican showmen, who have gone through five years of equipment famine, Golden said. Private buyers in this country, he opined, will match the huge war volume manufacturers jtumed out for the Government. -| Poses Difficult Problem ' Because of superior quality, longer |l^•ear and better assurance of replacement parts, European equipment buyers are now looking with great interest toward American equipment, .Golden writes. This poses a difficult problem for the manufacturers — how to care for the domestic market and at the same time provide for the 'fiemands of 'foreign exhibitors. "Taking a tip from the plans I of many other industries," Gol5 den offers, "equipment producers j might well consider a system of j allocation. In other words, they ' might set aside a definite, if far ': smaller, portion of their total I production for export and thus pave the way for an expanding I trade abroad when they will ! really need it." He pointed out also the need for higher grade selling and merchandising, in addition to complete familiarity with trade regulations and the problems of the particular markets to be serviced. In addition, the manufacturer must assure himself that the country to which he would ship has sufficient dollar exchange to pay for his goods. For this information, Golden offers the i?ervices and publications of the Department of Commerce's office of international trade, or its field jffices. ! As for actual operating practice, (Golden advised equipment manufac|Lurers to "consider carefully the advisability of emulating American motion picture film distributors by (forming an export corporation under the Webb-Pomerene Act." Such a ;move would permit united action in (foreign sales at far less individual l?xpense, with three prime advantages: j "First, the hand-picked repI resentatives would acquaint theater owners of the existence of FEMME TOUCH Carolina Exhibs. Vote Resolution to D of J (Continued from Page 1) MRS. BETTY BLUFFSTONE, Columbia booker, Cleveland. EDITH BRUNNETTI, relief cashier, Claridge Theater, Montclair, N. J. vention of Theater Owners of North and South Carolina. Crockett told the convention that he was satisfied the standpoint of the independent exhibitor and the effect of his elimination upon the public were not presented to the court, adding that he was equally satisfied at the practicalities of the situation and the ultimate effect of the relief sought by the Government were not brought out properly, or, if brought out, were not appreciated by the court. "Theoretically, perhaps," Crockett said, "what helps the public should help the independent, but actually it may not work out that way, and the result, while carrying out the principle of free and open competition, may bring about harm to both the public and the independents as well. I think that is exactly what is going to happen if the decision of the court is carried into a decree without change. Free and open competition is not always the solution, as demonstrated by Government permitted, but regulated, monopolies in the public utilities field." Crockett said he believed the Government suit was not brought primarily to help the independent and that assistance to the independent was only a means to an end — protection of the public — by creating more and stronger independents and limiting "the monopolistic field and practices of the producers and distributors. He added that the producer-distributors had not suffered by reason of the provisions of the consent decree. Sees Chaos From Bidding Commenting on the proposal to bid for product, Crockett said that ultimately he could see only chaos higher prices followed probably by Government control. Only the producers owning 95 per cent of a theater will benefit because under the court's opinion, such producers can play their own pictures in their own theaters on such terms as they please and still be in the open competitive field for the pictures of other producers, he said. Because the independents gained nothing from the abolition of block booking under the consent decree, nor did the public, neither the independents nor the public will gain anything under the more recent decision, Crockett asserted. Crockett told the convention that he was afraid the exhibitors were in for hard sledding to secure any modification of a decree based thereon with the consent of the court. Following Crockett's talk, R. B. Wilby, of Atlanta, the other principal speaker, said that auctioning of films could only result in an increase of admission prices and a general feeling of insecurity within the industry when exhibitors find they have no established product for their permanent use. In wake of the Crockett and Wilby talks the delegates voted a resolution to be presented to the D of J and possibly the Statutory Court in New York asking that exhibitors be given a voice. Wording of the resolution will include the phrase "that they (exhibitors) have not been sufficiently considered in the trial of the case and the opinion handed down." The resolution will hammer home the angle of public interest, since the welfare of the poor man's entertainment is at stake. Other speakers at yesterday's closing session included H. E. Buchanan, Hendersonville, N. C; Warren Irwin, Colombia, S. C; H. H. Everett, Walter Griffith and Hank Hearn, all of Charlotte; and M. S. Hill, of Raleigh. At the close of the three-day convention there will be a dinner-dance at the Isle of Palms. Albert Sottile, veteran Charleston exhibitor who hosted the convention delegates, was given a vote of thanks. Carolina Theater Owners Vote ATA Affiliation Charlestort — Over-riding minor opposition, Theater Owners of North and South Carolina voted to join American Theaters Association at the organization's mid-Summer convention hei'e. The opposition was led by State Sen. Roy Rowe of Burgaw, N. C, who based his stand on ATA's hands-off policy in regard to trade practices. In reply to Rowe's challanges, Ted Gamble, ATA board chairman, said that over a period of 20 years no national organization had succeeded in solving any major trade problem, adding "and some have even foundered on these questions because their own members couldn't agi'ee on a course of action." Robert Coyne, executive director of the ATA, also spoke at the first day's meeting, as well as Senator O. T. Wallace of Charleston, who successfully led the fight against the imposition of a 10 per cent state admission tax. their branch office and of the expert services available. Second, they would carry on a program of education for the foreign projectionist, and third, there would be at all times in the branch office a sufficient stock of spare parts and equipment to meet emergency needs for repair and replacement." William McCoUum Dead Bay Shore, L. I. — William B. McCallum, 79, retired actor and theater executive, died here Sunday in the Southside Hospital. McCallum was associated with Bobby Gaylor and Charles E. Blaney, and later operated the Cook Opera House in Rochester, N. Y. and the Broadway, Camden, N. J. More Film Coin is Set (or Radio (Continued from Page 1) utilize radio on an increased scale during the 1946-47 season, a survey of established budgets discloses. While specific figures on these new budgets were not available, indications are that the five big producerdistributor organizations will spend an aggregate of $5,000,000 for spot air time in key situations within the next six months. These expenditures will represent campaigns on current pictures and in most instances will be transcribed announcements. The figure does not include any live web shows which may be set later. A strong factor in the jump of radio budgets is held to be company consciousness that each individual feature may have to be sold separately under "auction bidding" if the recent opinion handed down by the Statutory Court constitutes the basis for marketing product when the decree is finally formulated. Columbus to Tighten Curfew for Children Columbus, O. — City's 10:30 p.m. curfew for children under 17 will be tightened, with the city law department drafting an amendment placing more responsibility for its observance upon parents. The word ■'knowingly" is to be eliminated from the section holding a parent responsible for "knowingly" permitting a child under 17 to be on the streets after the curfew hour. The amendment will facilitate enforcement, as it has been difficult to prove parents "knowingly" have allowed a child to violate the curfew. "Children of Tragedy" Ready "Children of Tragedy," a 22-minute black-and-white sound film reporting how boys and girls are living in Europe today, will be released during August by Save the Children Federation, Madison Ave., a nonsectarian philanthropic organization currently shipping large quantities of food, clothing and school and children's supplies to Noi'way, Holland, Belgium and France, countries not reached by UNRRA. Charles Boyer is the narrator. IH CIVVIES i^ Honorably Discharged ir THORNE NOGAR, from Army, to Detroit, as relief operator. WALLY MAZUR, from AAF to manager of Civic Theater, Detroit. HUGO CALISIE, from Army, former head usher of the De Luxe Theater, Detroit, returning as assistant manager. RUSSELL E. SI EVERT, from the Navy, Western division manager. Bell & Howell filmsound library, Hollywood.