Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

12 MOTION PICTURE HERALD August 7, 1943 Theatre Staffs Need Not Take War Jobs WMC Says They Will Retain Deferred Status; Father Draft Starts Oct.l Theatre employees who are draft deferred on legitimate grounds, being fathers, overaged or 4-F, need not switch to war plants to retain their present classification, according to a ruling handed down in Washington following a meeting recently of officials of the War Manpower Commission, National Selective Service System and War Activities Committee representatives. The announcement was made by S. H. Fabian and Harry Brandt, WAC Theatres Division representatives after their return to New York early this v/eek from the capital. Meanwhile, the WMC announced that induction of fathers will begin October 1st, but only when a local board cannot fill its monthly call from other registrants who are not eligible for occupational deferment. Fathers who are key men in essential industries, and those whose induction would cause extreme hardships to their families, will be deferred. WMC Chairman McNutt explained it is no longer possible to meet the needs of the military in any other way. No Basis for Past Ruling, U. S. Officials Declared The meeting in Washington was called to reaffirm this important fact as a result of the actions of several draft boards throughout the country instructing deferred theatre employees to get into war jobs or lose their deferred status. "The men we met with declared officially that there was no basis for this type of ruling on the part of any draft board," Mr. Fabian stated. "If a theatre man is deferred because of physical disability, dependency or over-age it does not affect his status in the least if he keeps his present job in a theatre." Mr. Fabian added : "It is not the intent of the WAC theatres division to secure deferment for any employee if the facts do not warrant it." WAC outlined the procedure for cases where a legitimately-deferred employee is told by his board to change his job. The committee should be notified immediately, and tbe WAC then will communicate the facts to specified individuals in the Selective Service System, who were said to have promised prompt action. Seek Deferred Status for Defense City Theatres Also out of Washington this week came the announcement of a proposal initiated by exhibitors in the national capital suggesting theatres in defense centers be given a Selective Service classification as locally needed activities, giving them the same deferment status as essential activities. The District of Columbia exhibitors sought to impress upon WMC officials the contribution being made by theatres toward mot ale on the home front and the winning U.S. FAVORS LIFTING SUNDAY FILM BAN Acting on the observation of the War Manpower Commission chairman, Paul V. McNutt, that there is a connection between the speed and efficiency of war production and the kind of recreation a town provides for war workers, the Office of Community War Services has set out to develop local recreation, urging, among other things, the repeal or suspension of local ordinances requiring early evening and Sunday theatre closings. of the war, and WMC agreed to reconsider the proposal which follows a rejected proposal of some time ago. Indications, meanwhile, are that President Roosevelt's order for national adoption of the 48-hour week will not materially affect exhibitors in the metropolitan areas, the main problem remaining the loss of manpower. Charles Skouras of the Fox West Coast circuit reports that more than 40 per cent of their managers have held their jobs less than one year, and that the circuit, with 450 men in the armed forces, now has 20 women managers and more than 40 feminine assistant managers. The National Theatres' total contribution to the services is more than 1,160 at last report. As for the 48-hour week, officials of the WMC office in conference with Washington operators said there was no need to discuss the 48-hour order since they were in practical conformity now. Fifty-five per cent of theatres were found to be operating 48 hours or more, with the employees on an equal basis, while 20 houses operate 45 hours or less, using part time employees. WMC explained that part-time employees were not included in the order. A spokesman for the exhibitors expressed the belief that similar conditions prevailed in most other cities. Relief Is In Sight for Circuit Managers New York home office officials have reported that relief is in sight for over-worked circuit managers and workers. Numerous Government war regulations calling for many additional reports to be filed, have tied up managers and other staff workers for as many as three days weekly, causing neglect of other duties, managers have told division heads. Home offices, according to the report, are sending out assistant managers, publicity men where needed, bookkeepers, and cashiers. Because of swelling receipts all over the nation, added overhead is not necessarily being looked upon with apprehension. Plans, it is said, call for women to be employed wherever possible. SPG Discovers Confusion in Work Program Hollywood Bureau Efforts of the Screen Publicists Guild to appeal the case of the discharged Republic studio publicity staff to the War Manpower Co"mmission under that body's Work Stabilization Program indicate a hopeless tangle for the industry in any similar cases which may follow. It discloses that five branches of the WMC here have jurisdiction over different parts of the industry in regard to Work Stabilization Program cases. Cases involving studios in the San Fernando Valley, Warner Brothers, Universal and Republic, must go to a Burbank branch of WMC. Those involving 20th Century-Fox would come under a Santa Monica branch and those concerning M-G-M under a Culver City branch. Paramount, RKO, Columbia and half of the 20th Century-Fox studio at Sunset Boulevard and Western Avenue in Hollywood would come under the Hollywood branch while the half of the 20th Century-Fox studio lying east of Western Avenue, would go to a downtown branch along with Monogram and those studios located in that area. As a result of this disclosure, the other independent guilds in the industry were notified and steps are now being taken to have the War Manpower Commission simplify this procedure under one office. It will be taken up by members of the labor-management committee which acts in advisory capacity to WMC here. Texas Hurricane Causes Several Houses to Close One of the most severe hurricanes ever to sweep over southern Texas brought theatre operations to a complete standstill at Houston and Galveston for several days last week after the 132-mile gale struck on Monday. A number of houses were completely destroyed while others were so damaged they will require extensive alterations. Communities like Goose Creek, Bay City, Port Arthur and other surrounding communities were under 19 inches of rain. Theatres of the Jefferson Amusement and Interstate circuits are being inspected to determine the extent of damage. Failure of power was another factor. Unveil Plaque to Honor MGM Men in Service A plaque in honor of the 10 MGM Washington exchange employees now in the armed forces was unveiled last week before the staff in a brief ceremony with John S. Allen, branch manager, as master of ceremonies. The committee in charge included : Paul Wall, Margaret Dempkish, Catharine Murphy, Vivian Brown, Hazel McLaren, Esther Blendman, John S. Allen, Joseph Kronman, Fred Rippengale, Marjorie D. Allen, Blanche Hall, Mariella Schaben, Anna Ridgeley, Dorothea Pfluger, Ida Barezofsky, Helen Gingles, Vivian Kelley, Victor Wallace, Jack Goldberg, Franklin Bliss, Harry Cohen, Rudolph Berger, Tom Baldridge, Phil Bobys, Elizabeth Blackstock. O'Sullivan Resigns as PRC Ad and Publicity Director Joseph O'Sullivan has resigned as director of advertising and publicity for PRC, it was announced this week by O. Henry Biggs, president of the company. His resignation is effective September 1st. No replacement has yet been announced by Mr. Briggs.