Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

Roosevelt HOME FOLKS WATCH TRUMAN TAKE OATH Newsreels Take Ceremony to Missouri; New Chief Friendly to Industry by WILLIAM G. FORMBY A motion picture business journal editor in Kansas City, Mo., for 12 years, Mr. Formby observed Harry Truman's career from presiding judge of the Jackson County Court to the Presidency. — Ed. The newsreels played their most important first runs this week in the valleys of the Missouri and the Mississippi as the home folks saw neighbor Harry Truman become President of the United States. They watched quietly in the dark of big theatres and tiny ones as the Missouri farm boy stood resolute and solemn while Chief Justice Harlan Fiske Stone intoned the words that made him the first Chief Executive from the state of Missouri. They heard him respond in his flat, sincere farm voice. He promised to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Then the Folks Went Home Then the folks went back home to the upland tables of the north, to the foothills of the Ozarks in the southwest and to the low-lying river bottoms of the extreme southeast; back to homes in St. Louis and Hannibal, in Kansas City and Joplin and Booneville, in Doniphan and Chillicothe and Lamar and Independence. The new President pertains to a life that is still of the land, black river bottom loam where the lush corn grows so fast you can hear the opening blades whispering through the sweltering summer nights, and the heat rays dance at the top of every rise in the pastures. It is where people are folks and the motto "God Bless Our Home" that hangs on the wall is not an antique but a treasured, honored avowal. It is where the cities are close to the country and the towns are country. Out in Jefferson City, some of the official folks pointed to the state motto and said that it had been his Golden Rule through his political life: Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto — Let the Welfare of the People be the Supreme Law. There Were Many Who Agreed And many were those in this business of the motion picture who agreed. There was Elmer Rhoden and Arthur Cole, greying representative of the industry in Kansas City, who had encountered Mr. Truman's interest in the motion picture industry in campaigns of philanthropic enterprise. There were those who in business had occasion to know him and to know of his work, such as Ward Scott and Ralph LiBeau and Clarence Schultz and Bob Withers and Bill Truog; such as H. J. Griffith and Tom Edwards and Dick Biechele and Frank Hensler, and many, many others. They could testify that kindness and consideration and graciousness were not suddenly acquired when Mr. Truman took the oath That attitude of understanding cooperation was displayed toward the news cameramen when they photographed the new President as he took the oath of office at 7:08 P.M.. April 12, 1945, in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington. The room is oblong in shape, and it had been prepared so that the ceremony was to take place on one of the long sides. With his usual thoughtfulness, when discussing the arrangements with Anthony Muto, who makes newsreel arrangements for important events, he said he wanted President Roosevelt's entire Cabinet in the picture with him. Changed Setting for Newsreels Pointing out that the distance across the room to the cameras would not be enough to permit the whole Cabinet to be shown, Mr. Muto explained because of camera angles that only by moving the ceremony to one end could such a picture be taken. Quick to see, Mr. Truman agreed, and the whole setup was moved. While he was Senator, and later as Vice-President, he was cooperative with the newsreel photographers. It is considered significant that the first son of Missouri to become President comes from the first state to write into its constitution specific guarantees of freedom of the screen as a means of communication, along with the press, the radio and public assembly. A gregarious man, the President combines a mild and retiring manner with considerable personal showmanship. He is an excellent pianist, preferring the classics. On occasion, however, he has been known to burst into more plebian strains. He gathered a group of good companions in his penthouse apartment atop the Muehlebach Hotel in Kansas City on election night, November 7, 1944. When the returns proved that the ticket was in, Mr. Truman wandered away from the crowd. He strolled over to the piano and presented an impromptu concert which, on reliable authority, included "Oh Susannah." Although a representative of the common people, President Truman's taste is Bourbon — sparingly, with puddle water. * Considered a Conservative Evaluated as a conservative, he probably will embark on no crusades against any industry. He is known to disagree with Attorney General Biddle's approach to the anti-monopoly program, and it is expected there will be a more conservative trend in that direction. He probably will not stand for oppression of small business, however. As a member of the Interstate Commerce Committee, Mr. Truman observed the many efforts of former Senator (now Representative) Matthew M. Neely of West Virginia to obtain enactment of his block-booking legislation. Convinced that it would afford relief to the little man, he voted, with a majority of the Senate, to pass the legislation on July 19, 1939. However, he did not take a very active part in pressing it. A story of interest to the film business comes from the Democratic National Convention last summer in Chicago, and repeated in newspapers this week. Mr. Truman insisted that he did not want the vice-presidential nomination, but agreed to accept when President Roosevelt added his personal appeal in a telephone conversation. "Why not go to a night club and have a drink to quiet your nerves?" someone suggested. "No," replied Mr. Truman, "I'm going to see a movie." {Continued from page 12) wood with Goldwyn Productions, Inc. Thei came Globe Productions, to do everything fron pictures to exhibition to broadcasting. Nex he became identified with the Mills Novelt; Company, makers of juke boxes, in a Globi affiliation under the name of Soundies Cor poration of America. A week later younj Mr. Roosevelt resigned from the Soundie presidency. Inevitably review of Mr. Roosevelt's motioi picture relations brings in the personality o Frank C. Walker, known to the land in hi Cabinet position and to this industry as th head of the big Comerford Circuit, titular hei of his uncle, the late Michael Comerford. Mi Walker's connection began when Mr. Roose velt was in Albany and became official wjjji the treasurership of the Democratic Nations Committee for the first Roosevelt campaigi The softly spoken, hard thinking Walker be came successor to James A. Farley as Post master General. Despite Mr. Walker's ex hibition connections his Roosevelt relation ap pears to have had no motion picture signifi cance. #1 Also in the instance of Joseph P. Kenned) " there was important contact with an ersl while motion picture personality, but again wit no motion picture connotation in the relatioi The Kennedy connection got well under way i the days of the first campaign when his emisi sary and super-secretary, Edward Moore, wer aboard a yacht with the candidate off the Yar kee coast. Mr. Kennedy had F.B.O., Pathe and Fin; National careers behind him and a fortune i hand. He went on a trip to the British Isk and James Roosevelt, son of the President, we a guest. When Mr. Kennedy came back n was the founder of the interesting enterprise c Somerset, Ltd., and possessor of the fame and most honorable brands of Haig & Hai and John Dewars. He became in successio chairman of the Securities and Exchange Con mission, chairman of the Maritime Commi:, sion, and then Ambassador to the Court of S James's. #1 Somewhere along the line of this progre: * sion comes romance and the discovery th; the President's daughter, Anna Roosevelt Dal and a diligent up-standing White House corn spondent, John Boettiger of the Chicago Tril une, had become enamoured, engaged, marriei The situation, what with Mr. Boettiger repor ing to the Chicago Tribune, had become delieat at least. Mr. Kennedy is said to have seen ; way out and recommended the valiant younj journalist to the Motion Picture Producers ar Distributors of America, Inc., where present! , he was employed as an assistant to the pres dent. It is reported that Mr. Roosevelt a] proved the appointment. Mr. Boettiger wei thence to Mr. Hearst's Seattle Post-Intelligei cer and on to his present post with the Arm In his motion picture connection he serve the industry with constructive White Hou: contacts. The latest impingement of the motion pi' ture upon the White House family came ear this year with the marriage of Elliott Rooseve to a Hollywood actress, Faye Emerson. The impetus which President Roosevelt gai to the use of the motion picture medium, ar his encouragement of a consciousness of tl film's place in records for history are likely survive in influence. The propagandistic pre j sures of his followers addressed at the scree tend to wane. !4 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 21, 19