Motion Picture News (Sep-Oct 1923)

1298 Motion Picture News Labor Troubles Are Being Adjusted Agitation Subsiding in Many Districts with Concessions Made by Both Sides LABOR conditions' continue to agitate exhibitors, operators and musicians in all sections of the country, though up to the present, strikes have been averted. In fact in many cities the difficulties are subsiding with concessions being made on one side or the other. From Washington, D. C. comes word that projectionists at the three white vaudeville theatres are reported to be pleased with the 2'21/2 per cent, raise granted by the Vaudeville Managers Association recently. All matters have been amicably settled between the Atlanta theatres and the local musicians' union and the new scale will go into effect as of September 1. The theatres pay a slight increase in regular salary, but obtain certain concessions with regard to private screenings, which with some of the larger houses meant a considerable extra wage item each week. • A threatened strike of all motion picture theatre musicians in Seattle, Wash., was averted when officials of the musicians' union in that city decided to withdraw their demands for a raise of $10 a week above the present scale for every man employed in a motion picture house orchestra. Following a general meeting of the Union, after a refusal on the part of the theatre owners to grant the raise, an announcement was made to the effect that the request had been withdrawn. The threatened strike of motion picture operators in Buffalo has been averted through an agreement between the exhibitors and union men wherein an increase of seven and one-half per cent, in wages is granted. The fall season of the motion picture industry lias officially opened in Cleveland with the musicians' wage scale still unsettled. About the middle of August, the musicians presented a new wage scale, demanding an increase of 20 per cent, over the old scale. The Exhibitors rejected this demand, but entered into peaceful negotiations for a satisfactory compromise. At last reports, the Exhibitors offered the musicians a 7% per cent, increase, which, it is said, was turned down. Southern New England motion picture interests are closely watching deveiopments at Danbury, Ct., where a controversy is in progress between the musicians' union and management of the city's two film houses, as to how many men should be "in the pit" to constitute an adequate theatre orchestra. The union says the theatres must have at least four men to furnish satisfactory orchestral accompaniment to the various programs. Managers of the two theatres have, thus far refused to abide by this mandate, contending that, while the union is, doubtless, in a position to specify salaries and working hours, the number of musicians deemed necessary to handle the situation is another matter and not for mere musicians to decide, no matter how artistically inclined they may be. N. Y. State Printers Pass Resolutions Condemning Admission Tax and Censorship Law THE New York State Allied Printing Trades Council has again come forcibly to the front in aid of measures for which the motion picture industry is striving. In their twenty-seventh annual convention just held resolutions were adopted and support pledged in opposition to admission taxes and the censorship law. The resolutions follow: Whereas, there is continued as a relic of our war-time activities, an admission tax to be paid by those patronizing Motion Picture Shows, which is one of the greatest means of education and amusement to the great mass of the working people; therefore, be it Resolved, That we go on record to demand that Congress at its next session repeal the admission tax on motion picture theatres, and our officers be instructed to cooperate with the theatre owners and other organizations and individuals to eliminate this unwarranted handicap upon the education and pleasure of the people. Whereas, this, the New York State Allied Printing Trades Council opposed the enactment of the so-called Motion Picture Censorship Law by our State Legislature in 1921, and has in the 1922 and 1923 sessions of the Legislature advocated and vigorously supported a bill to repeal such censorship; and Whereas, our consistent and sustained opposition to this vicious statute is based on our belief that such state censorship not only was directed against freedom of expression of opinion through the medium of the motion picture film, but that the language of the statute authorizes a direct attack on a free press, by empowering the commissioners or their deputies created by the Act to censor and prohibit the printing and publication of announcements concerning or connected with motion picture plays, even to the extent of articles or advertisements in newspapers, magazines, or other periodical publications; and Whereas, recent action by the Censorship Commissioners, whose personal opinion is made the standard to judge fit and unfit publication, in prohibiting publication of such printed announcements, fully confirms the basis of our opposition, and justifies the charge that this tyrannous law in its implied prohibitions and actual operation defies and seeks to nullify the constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech and of publication, thus striking at the foundations of our personal and political liberties; therefore, be it Resolved, that this Twenty-seventh Annual Convention of the Allied Printing Trades Council of the State of New York does hereby reaffirm our opposition to the so-called Motion Picture Censorship Law of 1921 as an attempt to frustrate the guarantees of popular liberty contained in the Bill of Rights sections of both our National and State Constitutions, and hereby instructs the officers of this Council to continue to cooperate with the New York State Federation of Labor, and all other organized groups of our liberty-loving fellow citizens, in a campaign to remove from the statute books of this state the so-called Motion Picture Censorship Law of 1921. Michigan Exhibitors Plan Busy Convention THE eight hour day law will not be observed by the Exhibitors of Michigan wno attend the Fourth Annual Convention of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Michigan when it convenes September 25th and 26th. In fact, the forty-eight hours of time that will elapse during the beginning and ending of this year's convention promise to be so packed full of business and pleasure that only the old alarm clock will do more duty than the Theatre Owners. Several new ideas will be tried out for the first time this year. Probably the most important will be the appointment of committees two weeks previous of the state meeting by President McLaren, and the calling of these committees into Detroit on September 5th and 6th to thoroughly discuss the particular problems assigned, and be ready to report in detail their findings at the convention before alf exhibitors. It is also the plan of the Michigan Organization to have present at the Convention the Congressmen from Michigan, that they may discuss with them and the two Senators, the admission tax situation from the Theatre Owners' viewpoint, and that the legislators can in that manner be thoroughly conversant with the situation. Asheville Planning Better Films Committee Temporary organization of a Better Films Committee for Asheville, North Carolina, has been accomplished and permanent organization will be effected at an early date. Turner Jones, soon to retire as head of the public relations department of Southern Enterprises, went up to Asheville together with other executives of the southeastern regional committee, and at a luncheon at the Grove Park Inn the first steps were taken to give Asheville a strong committee, the meeting having been attended by about twenty people, including representatives of commercial, civic and religious bodies. Rev. Willis Clark opened the meeting and introduced Mrs. Eugene Reilly, North Carolina state prsident and vice chairman of the newly organized southeastern regional committee, who presided over the discussion. Mr. Jones went into detail to explain the operation of the committees in other cities. He announced that better films conferences are scheduled to be held this fall in Minneapolis, Chicago and Boston. K. C. Exhibitors' President • Demands Support A. M. Eisner, president of the Kansas City Division of the M. P. T. 0. A., has issued a scathing letter to members of the association urging their support of the organization and warning them of the consequences for failure to give their support. Among other things he points that only complete co-operation can quash the proposed county theatre tax, increased film rentals, increases in the operators' scale, the admission tax and other abuses. In part, President Eisner writes: "Petty jealousy is taking money from your pocket each day of the year. Do you think you are bigger or heller than the organization to which you belong? Wake up; come out of your trance and lay aside your petty jealousy."