Year book of motion pictures (1925)

Exhibitor Organizations DEVELOPMENT OF M. P. T. O. of A. BY M J. O'TOOLE, PRESIDENT Many events of importance to the -Motion Picture Industry during the year 1924 and the affairs of the Motion Picture Theater Owners of America in that time have undergone such evolutionary changes as tended to fit this great National Organization to more perfectly perform the duties encumbent upon it in protecting and advancing the interests and business welfare of Theater Owners everywhere. The Exhibitor division of our Industry is the only point of contact with the public. All values within our business are predicated on the ability of the Theater Owner to make the house programs sufficiently attractive to please the public and secure the necessary measure of popular cooperation No other source of income is available save that based on public good will and the only place this can be manifested is through the box office in the theater. Theater owners everywhere are becoming more appreciative of this fact and the leading place it gives them. Good business practices suggest a more widespread recognition of this situation on the part of all concerned, as it is only through mutual understandings that the maximum in results can be reached in any busniess. The place and the importance of the Producer and Distributor have always been understood by the Exhibitor. At times the Theater Owner has unwittingly surrendered too much of his ground to these other elements and thus weakened his position with the public and brought on the consequent depreciation in box office results. But through the educational and informative pro cesses set in action by the Motion Picture Theater Owners of America, the Theater Owner is becoming more and more perceptive of his real position. He senses now more keenly than ever before the actual importance of this direct contact with the public. He realizes the need for mutualizing this situation so as to make this daily contact with millions of people in all parts of the United States so reciprocal in advantages as to firmly cement the relationship. He feels that this popular approval of his efforts imposes upon him certain obligations to Nation, State, City and Town and he is most desirous of discharging them in as perfect a way as possible in making his theater a real community institution. PUBLIC GREATEST ASSET The public constitutes the greatest force in the Motion Picture Industry as in all other lines of business and when the Theater Owner assimilates this element and knows how to use the mutual power People and Screen present he has no business problem then save that of continuing to please the public. When this coordination of elements becomes manifest, every Producer and Distributor in the Nation will seek at once to fit his business into the situation and all unfair and unethical practices will cease. It is only because the Theater Owner had not truly sensed his real position in the Industry and as a consequence allowed himself to be put in the inferior division, that any unethical business practice was ever permitted to prevail. Of course, this situation must be changed through evolutionary processes and the Motion Picture Theater Owners of America is handling it that way. We seek cooperation. We desire only constructive action. But we are not mistaking absorption or usurpation for cooperation and when the lion and the lamb in our Industry lie down together in mat business peace we seek most heartjlj to attain, we must insist that the lamb (.No matte which side assumes that role) shall have its true and active place and not merely he me t Within Ul Since' assuming the office of President of the Motion Picture Theater Owners ot America 1 have endeavored to so firmly establish these funda mentals in the minds of the Theater Owners that there could be no possible misunderstanding o the situation. No amoun of detail or divisional work will bring permanent results unless 1 heater Owners actually know their own position, undersland the power this daily contact with the public gives them and then appreciate and understand the better and more effective way to use that power to advance their business. We are making hundreds of adjustments at the National Office where I heater Owners have difficulties of various kinds with Exchanges, Censorship bodies and others. All ot this is intensely constructive. RECORD OF APPROVED SERVICE During the year 1924, the tax relief by Congress superseded in point of money involved any previous boon to Theater Owners. Millions ot dollars were saved the Industry by the Motion Picture Theater Owners of America in this rela tion. The cooperation of others in the Industry aided in these accomplishments and our National Organization was the coordinating element involved. The Motion Picture Theater Owners of America can point to many great achievements. Hut if this Organization did nothing else save that which featured its work in the last session of Congress, it deserves the lasting gratitude and support of all Theater Owners. The efforts of our National Organization in the Music Tax tight will bear fruit in the present Congress. Here are other elements to combat in the shape of threatened Sunday closing and National Censorship. This will require strenuous moves. But the Theater Owners of the Nation may rest assured these moves will be made. Membership in the Motion Picture Theater Ownes of America is now direct and Exhibitors from ail over the Nation have responded to the call making our forces more militant and solidly placed. Wonderful work is being done by State and Regional bodies. These handle the Exhibitor needs in a divisional way and the Nation-wide service is rendered by the National Body. Proved service records presented by the Motion Picture Theater Owners of America to the President of the United States, the Secretary of the Treasury and to Congress brought about tax relief and will give the Exhibitors additional favor at Washington. We get out of life in proportion to what we put into it. Theater Owners get from Government and Public in pronortion to the service they give Government and Public. That is a fundamental fact. NAT'L CATH. WELFARE CONFERENCE (Continued from Page 607) R. To release regularly, through the N. C. W. C. News Bureau, a motion picture critique recommending worth-while productions to the patronage of the Catholic people of the United States. Only pictures of merit will receive consideration and no black list will be published. 9. To conduct a regular Motion Picture Department in the N. C. W. C. Bulletin, official organ of the National Catholic Welfare Conference, for the information of affiliated organi zations and individuals. 10. To coordinate the motion picture activities of the organizations affiliated with the National Council of Catholic Men and the National Council of Catholic Women and the several million Catholic men and women included within the membership of said organizations, and to enlist the cooperation of the Catholic clergy, parents, teachers and indi viduals generally in support of 'this program and policy. 609