Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Sep 1933)

August 5, 1933 MOTION PICTURE HERALD ROSENBLATT MEETS FILM LEADERS IN NEW YORK AUG. 8 TO SPEED CODE Thousands Expected to Benefit by Blanket Code Operation; Many Employers Sign; Warner Calls Managers' Meeting A crucial week in the progress of the National Industrial Recovery movement of the Administration is underway. The blanket code went into nationwide operation Tuesday, while efforts were speeded to complete the codes of leading industries. From the motion picture business a large number of messages were received by the Administration insuring support. Most of the integral parts of the film industry started this week on the new 35 and 40-hour work week basis. Benefit is expected to accrue to thousands of industry employees in the lower wage classifications by the minimum wage provisions, a minimum of $15 a week for "white collar" workers in cities of 500,000 or over, together with a 40-hour week. Mechanical workers have a 40 cents an hour minimum with a 35hour week. Companies in Industry Sign Thousands of copies of the blanket code agreement were distributed throughout the industry late last week. Ameranglo, Warner-First National, Loew's, Inc., Columbia, the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, and the Rialto Theatre, New York were among those employers who had signed the agreement by the beginning of the week. Harry M. Warner, president of Warner Bros., who followed his wire to the President pledging the company's support of the re-employment program by immediately raising employee salaries to conform, has instructed every Warner district and branch manager to meet him in New York and Chicago to draw up plans for helping the President's program in each man's territory. At the same time, the men will be instructed in the company's policy for the new season. Mr. Warner said the cooperation of the Warner organization of some 30,000 employees will be thrown behind the Administration's efforts. "It is impossible to get back on a sound basis until salaries are so re-adjusted that those of the overpaid and the underpaid meet off an equitable level that will afford a living wage for all," Mr. Warner declared. Work was started this week by Vitaphone. thet Warner short subject subsidiary, on a special two-reel picture entitled "The New Deal," to be made available for theatres, schools, clubs and other non-theatrical showing. Seek 48-Hour Week At a meeting Tuesday of the Motion Picture Theatre Industry of the Metropolitan District a resolution was passed asking they be placed under the temporary code, with a 48hour week, applying to retailers, until the motion picture code is completed. The resolution pointed out that film exhibition is a "seven-day proposition," paralleling the conditions of retail stores, service corporations and restaurants, and the 40-hour week would work a hardship on it. The group, however, signed the blanket agreement. The 40-hour plan with a $14 minimum would mean employment for about 200 additional per Washington, D. C. August 2, 1933. Motion Picture Herald 1790 Broadway, New York "I have sent the following wire to producer, distributor and exhibitor organizations of the motion picture industry : " 'The motion picture industry, presently divided into groups and factions, must compose its differences and unite so far as possible, to submit a code at the earliest moment. I understand that various groups are working separately. They must work together. " 'I am calling a meeting of all organizations at the assembly room of the Association of the Bar Building at 42 West 44th street, New York City, for Tuesday morning, August 8, at 10 a.m. This is not an industrial hearing, but is to formulate a compact, representative, authorized group for code formulation purposes. " 'Please have three, or a lesser number, of authorized representatives of your organization present who will at once engage in the serious work of formulating a code.' "If there are any bonafide motion picture organizations now working on codes who have been overlooked, I will appreciate hearing from them immediately at the Commerce Building at Washington and will arrange for their representation. "Counsel of all organizations invited can be present if they desire, and any group can have present more than three representatives, but I prefer to keep the numbers small. "Your representative is likewise cordially invited to attend." (Signed) SOL. A. ROSENBLATT, Deputy Administrator, National Recovery Administration. sons for a circuit of approximately 100 houses and an addition of $3,000 weekly to the payroll. Speedy coordination of exhibition and distribution codes was anticipated Wednesday night with the calling for Thursday of the first joint meeting of the various code sub-committees of the two branches at MPPDA headquarters in New York. The exhibition code proposes elimination of score charges except on existing contracts. The distribution code, completed at a meeting of sales managers Wednesday, does not refer to score charges. The exhibition code would permit rejection of 18 per cent of all pictures in contracts for more than 10 films, without payment. The distributors would permit 15 per (Continued on page 18, column 1) Rosenblatt, Kemp, Paddock Handling Amusement Codes Sol A. Rosenblatt, Philip Kemp and Major R. B. Paddock are the three deputy commissioners of General Hugh Johnson's NIRA staff who will represent the federal government in its relations with the various branches of the amusement business. The commissioners will deal as deputy administrators of the National Industrial Recovery Act, advising principals during the formulation of codes, and presiding at hearings when codes are presented. During the twoyear life of the codes, the deputies will act in supervisory capacities as official contacts between the government and branches of the industry. Mr. Rosenblatt will handle the code situation in the motion picture industry and in the fields of vaudeville, burlesque, opera, theatricals, circus and broadcasting also, as it affects music publishers, all theatre operations, performers, carnivals and amusements not otherwise specified. Deputy Commissioner Rosenblatt already has held several conferences on a code with representatives of amusements, and on Monday made his first official appearance in New York in connection with a code for the industry, holding private conferences at the Astor hotel with William Elliott, president of the IATSE ; Charles L. O'Reilly, president of the TOCC ; Joseph N. Weber, president of the American Federation of Musicians ; a representative of the MPPDA, and with leaders in the independent field. Entire Career at Law Mr. Rosenblatt was born 33 years ago in Omaha, Neb. He has spent his entire career as an attorney-at-law in the motion picture business. Graduated from Harvard University and from Harvard Law School, Mr. Rosenblatt some eight years ago, entered the law offices of Nathan Burkan, well-known motion picture attorney of Broadway. During his association with the Burkan firm, Mr. Rosenblatt has handled, at one time or another, the various and intricate legal and economic phases of practically every branch of the motion picture business and allied branches. One of his most recent appearances before the federal bar in New York was in connection with the receivership hearings on the Paramount Publix case. He represented the Burkan organization, which is the legal voice of the important Paramount creditors' committee headed by Frank A. Vanderlip and including some of the largest unsecured creditors, among them Electrical Research Products. Mr. Rosenblatt's associates know him as "an excellent trial man and a good lawyer." He resigned from the Burkan organization (Continued on page 28. column 2)