Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1916)

2500 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 13. No. 17. A' I HAS THE gUALlTY CIRCULATION OF THE TRADEj Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. MOTION PICTURE NEWS EXHIBITORS' TIMES Published on Tuesday Every Week by 729 SEVENTH AVENUE, COR. 49TH STREET, NEW YORK. WILLIAM A. JOHNSTON , President and Editor HENRY F. SEWALL Vice-President E. KENDALL GILLETT Secretary H. ASHTON WYCKOFF Treasurer and Business Manager WENTWORTH TUCKER Asst. Treasurer R. M. VANDIVERT Advertising Manager THEODORE S. MEAD Chicago Manager J. C. JESSEN Los Angeles Manager LESLEY MASON Managing Editor WILLIAM RESSMAN ANDREWS News Editor The office of the company is the address of the officers. Entered as Second-Class matter at the New York Post-OfEce. ND here I want to speak emphatically of the sincerity ^ of the conferring exhibitors, of their desire for harmony, their wish to work enthusiastically for the greater success of a single exposition and the administration of its profits for the good of the industry. They were wrong in assuming that this committee had power to act for the Board of Trade. It did not. Chairman Irwin so stated, distinctly. The committee did recommend the proposition to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors made a counter proposition, renewing the offer of 25 per cent, inviting the appointment of an exhibitors' committee to manage the show throughout and a further committee to work continuously with the executive committee of the Board of Trade to secure unity of action and effort in combating censorship and other evils. 'T'HIS resolution, it seems to the writer, met fully the spirit of the -joint fund proposition. He still believes so and has yet to hear anything to the contrary. This offer was refused by President Herrington for the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America. There has been no conference over it. We are moving, as always, with ultimatums, not conferences; with misunderstandings, not facts; with utter and inexcusable disorganization. Subscription $2 per year, postpaid in the United States, Mexico, Hawaii, Porto Rico and the Philippine Islands. Canada, $3; Foreign, $4 per year. N. B. — No agent is authorized to take subscriptions for Motion Pictuke News at less than these rates. Have the agent taking your subscription show his credentials and coupon book. Vol. XIII. April 29, 1916. No. 17 The Fat in the Fire {Continued from page 2499.) the custom of the League heretofore to give over the management of expositions to the local of the city selected. ""THIS was neglected. But I want to say, once and for all, that it was neglect and nothing else. It was not intention, but a lack of intention, a fault common and equally common, in this very busy industry. I say this as one who has attended every meeting of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Board of Trade, who has never seen the slightest evidence of anything but utter and equal fairness to every branch of the industry, a firm and sincere desire to be of equal service to each branch, and who is most enthusiastic over this organization and the good work it has done and will do. * * * "Y57HEN a resolution came from the Board of Trade, offering 25 per cent of the net profits of the New York show to the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League and endorsing the Chicago exposition, it came too late. It was regarded as a bribe. President Herrington came on to New York, conferred with President Ochs and others and a demand was made for 50 per cent. This was refused. A committee of the Board of Trade, with W. W. Irwin as chairman, and a committee of exhibitors met to talk harmony. The meeting unanimously agreed upon the proposition of 25 per cent to the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League, 25 per cent to the Board of Trade and 50 per cent of the show profits to be held as a joint fund to be administered by committees of both organizations. CO now the breach is open. The fight is on. Let's to it and hurt ourselves all we possibly can. There is nothing sane or substantial to justify it all; there is no good to be gained, nothing save — we hope — a clearer understanding in the calmer, better days that may, that must follow. W/'HAT do you think of it, Mr. Exhibitor at large— in the West, South, North and East— you who make up the countrywide backbone of this fine fifth industry? A little sick and ashamed, don't you ? So do we. William A. Johnston. Thanks! T O the New York exhibitor who cancelled his subscription to Motion Picture News both by telephone and letter — so great was his anxiety to be sure that his cancellation was known — we return thanks. LJ GRACE GREELEY, who knew considerable about the publishing business, said that he never felt fully assured of his publishing success until he got cancellations from his subscribers. He hates lapses of subscriptions, but he welcomed cancellations, especially those accompanied by violent words. He knew then that his paper was being read; not only this, but also that those who sent in cancellations would continue to read it with a seriousness never before employed even if they had to steal copies to get it. * * * ■yj^E therefore feel inclined to brag over the incident. We now know of one ex-subscriber who has become a more devoted reader, who despite his cancellation will read this editorial with some pride and some venom, and who perhaps will call us up again to tell us his way of treating a man with whose honest opinion, openly expressed, he happens to disagree.