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Tomlinson and Meyer, with the constant guidance of Louis B. Mayer, have been actively attempting to seize control of this great public company and against the interests of the stockholders. The stockholders and the entire motion picture industry are well aware of Mayer's record when he was in supreme command at the studio. During his tenure of twenty-seven years, he received over $20,000,000 in compensation. In the last three years of Mayer's sole authority as the studio's head in 1947, 1948 and 1949 the pictures released lost about $9,000,000. This is the man who, at the age of 72, is attempting to recapture his position through the Tomlinson-Meyer machinations.
But events leading to a grisly ending were even then under way. The special committee appointed to study the MacBride report had met without coming to any conclusion, and Reid and Pace had suddenly resigned as directors, saying the whole matter should be left to the stockholders.
With the Vogel faction again weakened, Johnson and Tomlinson hastened to call a directors' meeting to be held on July 30 in New York. Vogel naturally refused to sanction this meeting, so it became a "rump" affair, with only Johnson, Tomlinson, Meyer, Lawson, and Keller attending it. Fred Florence had resigned in disagreement with the tactics being pursued.
Mayer went to New York for this "rump" meeting and allowed himself to be named a director, along with Sam Briskin. Vogel had the building full of armed guards, just in case an attempt was made to stage a physical coup d'etat.
To reporters who spoke to Mayer while he was waiting, hat in hand, outside the board room at Loew's he appeared jaunty and answered lightly, "I am here because I am lonely for Leo the Lion." But it seemed a dismal reunion. And it is doubtful, indeed, that Mayer had any real expectation of its being legal or permanent.
Also, on the day of the "rump" meeting, MacBride significantly submitted a written report, amending his former rec