International projectionist (Oct 1931-Sept 1933)

22 INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST March 1932 22 years. I was instrumental in the formation of Boston Local Union 182 and have held every office in the Union. For 15 years I have been President of the Union. I am now President of the Projection Advisory Council. I am a member of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers and am the only projectionist member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. I cite this record merely to show that I have had the experience to know whereof I speak — and I say that there never was a time when the projectionist needed a national educational society as badly as he does today. We know all this, we say. But the important question is "What are we going to do about it?" Are we going to "let George do it"? or shall we muster up the courage (and the dollars), to do it for ourselves? On all sides about us we see outstanding projectionists giving freely of their time and effort for innumerable activities within the industry. We see wqrk completed by projectionists which is of inestimable value to the industry — but we seldom see the craft as a whole benefit by this splendid work. Too true is your statement that we all have time for anything and everything, and everybody, except that which will reflect credit on our own craft. I don't say that all this valuable work should be dumped merely because we projectionists as a group haven't sense enough or courage enough to get together and assert ourselves. Not at all. But I do say that it is damned shortsighted on our part to let the cream represented by the efforts of some of the outstanding members of our craft be skimmed off by others — with the craft having to sit back and take the skim milk when the bouquets are handed out. Projectionist representation in other than projectionist societies within the industry is all very well and all that sort of thing. But it seems to rne that, as far as the industry is concerned, we are projectionists first, and everything else second, and that we owe our first duty to ourselves as individuals and to our craft as a group. I as an individual am perfectly willing to forfeit my privileges in all other educational and engineering societies and to resign my office as President of the Projection Advisory Council to support that man with a definite program for a projectionist society. And by "support" I don't mean that I will sit back and "let George do it." By "support" I mean that I will roll up my sleeves and go to work for that man, or group of men, who show any evidence of wanting to do a real job of organizing a national projectionist society. By a national projectionist society I mean a society that will be run along practical lines, that will do practical work and will show the projectionist something in return for the money he is asked to pay in dues. Why couldn't we have one or two meetings a year — national meetings — at which representatives from all over the country could meet for two or three days and discuss the technical problems incident to our work? Why should we have to first have this data run through the hopper of any other society? I'll resign my office as President of the Coimcil tomorrow, or at any time in the near future, when a man, or men, with such a program as I have outlined previously appears. And I'll support that man or group of men. Well, Jim, this is my story. I haven't rushed into this letter in any half-baked manner. It's two weeks since I read your article and I've been thinking it over ever since. The foregoing is my reaction. What I want to know is: when do we go, with whom, and to where? Common Sense and the Common Cold Leverett D. Bristol, M.D,, Dr. P.H. AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH CO., NEW YORK CITY A FEW fortunate people never have colds, some people have as many as six colds a year, while the large majority of us average at least one cold annually. Colds cause more discomfort and loss of time and money among inside workers than any other disease. The so-called Common Cold is caused by a virus or parasite that is spread from one person to another. Although this parasite is still unknown, it acts apparently by "pepping up" or making more poisonous the ordinary bacteria that exist in the nose and throat, thus giving rise to inflammation of the meinbranes of the upper respiratory tract. While colds may be the direct or indirect result of such an infectious or "catching" organism, the resistance of the individual is of prime importance, as in most other diseases of this nature. While the resistance of the average individual against a cold is not high, all of us may do certain things that will tend to increase our chances for avoiding this troublesome malady. The chief thing you can do to help prevent a cold is to develop good health habits. Remember that as yet there is no substance — solid, liquid, vapor or gas — that may honestly be called a "cold cure," in spite of the fact that some of these may give temporary relief. Favorite home remedies chiefly are of value for the other members of the family rather than for the one who is ill. Temporary relief and comfort for the patient naturally makes others happy and contented. Vaccines apparently are of value in upwards of half the cases in which they are given, particularly in preventing the chronic complications of a cold. They may be worth a trial by those who suffer from repeated colds. The cold fact about the common cold is that at the present time there is no drug store or medicine cabinet "magic" that will prevent or cure it. Common sense, which is only another way of saying Good Health Habits, is the best preventive and the best treatment of the Common Cold. This prescription of Common Sense should be taken in large doses, especially from November to May!