Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1916)

April 29, 1916. MOTION PICTURE NEWS 2503 "Board Seeks Harmony With Exhibitors'^ — Binder "Organization Has No Controversy with Any Body of Organized Exhibitors Anywhere," Is Declaration of Executive Secretary — "On Contrary, Wherever Activities of Board Have Been Extended They Have Met with the Most Cordial Support and Co-operation from Exhibitors, Organized or Unorganized." <(rT-iHE Motion Picture Board of I Trade," declares J. W. Binder, executive secretary of the Board, "has no controversy with any body of organized exhibitors of motion pictures anywhere. On the contrary, wherever the activities of the Board have been extended, throughout the country, they have met with the most cordial support and co-operation from exhibitors, organized and unorganized. We have gone far, indeed, as an organization having at heart the welfare of the whole industry in which the exhibitor is a most important factor, to co-operate with them in practical ways. "Certain allegations to the contrary having been made, in pursuance of the authority vested in me by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Motion Picture Board of Trade passed at the last regular meeting on April 6, the exact facts regarding the proposal to make a division of the net proceeds of the Trade Show to be held under the auspices of the Board of Trade in Madison Square Garden, May 6 to 14 inclusive with the Motion Picture Exhibitors League of America, are herewith given. They are as follows : "At the regular March meeting of the Executive Committee, held on the 16th, an application from the Committee having in charge the National Convention and proposed motion picture trade show in Chicago in July of the Motion Picture Exhibitors League of America, was presented and approved by the committee. "At this meeting, one of the members presented the request of the Exhibitors League for participation in the profits of the Board's Trade Show, and advocated the granting of the request. After discussion the following resolution was adopted: WHEREAS, the Motion Picture Board of Trade of America, Inc., has always desired and sougj.t th.-^ co-operation of exhibitors throughout the country and feels that it is entitled to receive the unqualified support of this branch of the industry, and WHEKEAS, its declared policy is to promote the welfare of every branch of the industry and as an unmistakable indication of its sincerity of purposo in promoting the exhibitors' welfare as well as that of every other branch of the industry, the Board of Trade seek the co-operation of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' league of America, and that said organization be earnestly requested to participate without expense to it, in the holding of the Trade Show of the Board of Trade in Madison Square Garden, to the end that the greatest possible success may be achieved by this expcsitioH for the welfare of all branches of the industry, and that the Motion Picture Board of America, having confidence in the desire snd willingness of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League to co-operate with it on the basis herein suggested: therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America shall share in the net profits received by the Motion Picture Board of Trade of America from said Trade Show to the extent of twenty-five (25 per cent.) thereof. Offer Transmitted to League Head "This ofifer was transmitted to the president of the League, F. J. Herrington and by him, for the League, declined. A counter proposition was made by him to the chairman of the Executive Committc" of the Board of Trade, asking that the League be given fifty per cent, of the net proceeds of the show in consideration of which he ofTered to allow the Board of Trade to share in the same manner and to the same extent in the League's Chicago show to be held in July. This offer was discussed at a special meeting of the Executive Committee of the Board on March 21. At this meeting a committee of four members of the Eitecutive Committee was appointed to confer with a committee from the League on this subject. "This committee met a committee of five from the League at the offices of the Board of Trade on the following afternoon, March 22. After an extended discussion the following proposition was formulated : "1. The Trade Show to be conducted in the joint name of the Board of Trade and the League. "2. Twenty-five per cent, of the net proceeds to be retained by the Board of Trade; 25 per cent, by the League, and 50 per cent, to be deposited in a joint account of six trustees, three from the League, and three from the Board of Trade, the fund to be disbursed on the joint order of the trustees and devoted exclusively to fighting censorship legislation. "3. The Board of Trade and the League to have equal representation on all committees of the show and equal display in advertising their names. "The Board of Trade committee agreed to recommend this proposal to the Board of Directors. "The committee reported the new proposal as outlined above at a special meeting of the directors of the Board of Trade held on Thursday, March 23. There was a lengthy discussion. It was decided to adjourn the meeting for one week so that I, who was in Kansas addressing the joint meeting of the Kansas Amusement Association and the Exhibitors League, might be present. "At the adjourned meeting of the Board of Directors held on March 30, the chairman of the committee appointed to meet the committee from the League reported the proposal as above stated and moved it be adopted ; but the motion was lost. Thereupon a substitute resolution reading as follows was introduced and adopted : WHEREAS, the members of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America have cordially cooperated with the Motion Picture Board of Trade of America in fighting censorship, and in solving other problems incident to the industry at large, and WHEREAS, the Motion Picture Board of Trade of America desires to make due and proper recognition of this splendid co-operation, therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Motion Picture Board of Trade of America hereby renews its offer to the National organization of the Motion Picture Exhibitors League of America to share with the latter orgRnizaticn the net profits that may accrue to the Pcard of Trade from the Trade Show to be held in Madison Square Garden, May 6 to 14, inclusive, on the followin'? basis: Twenty-five per cent, of such let profits to be paid to the Treasurer of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America within sixty days after the close of the Trade Show without condition, other than that the money be used in e^jtending the organization of the Motion Picture Exhititors' league of America and in co-operating with the Board of Trade in its fight against censcrshir) whether Federal, State or Municipal. ■RESOLVED, further, that the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America he invited to appoint a committee cf three to represent the national organization of the League in its relations with the Board of Trade, prior to, during the Trade Show, and until the money above described shall have been paid to the Treasurer of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America as hereinbefore pro vided. The name of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America shall be printed on all advertising matter relating to the trade show to be issued hereafter in as prominent a place and in as large type as are the names of the Motion Picture Board of Trade and Madison Square Garden. RESOLVED, further, that the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of Ajnerica be invited to appoint an additional permanent committee, which shall confer with the Executive Committee of the Motion Picture Board of Trade of America and thus secure unity of action of the two bodies in combating censorship and other legislative evils. "This resolution I handed personally to President Herrintgon of the Exhibitors League on Sunday, April 2, at the mass meeting held in the Pitt theatre, Pittsburgh. To it was attached the following letter : April 1, 1916. My dear Mr. Herrington : I take much and sincere pleasure in transmitting to you herewith copy of a resolution passed by the Board of Directors of the Motion Picture Board of Trade of America at their meeting on Thursday, March 30. I firmly believe that your organization will accept the offer herewith made, in the broad spirit of fraternalism and sincere desire for co-operation between all branches of the Motion Picture industry in which it was passed and is tendered. With kindest personal regards and best wishes, I am, Very truly j-ours. (Signed) J. W. Binder, Executive Secretary. To. Mr. Fred J. Herrington, President, Motion Pictui;e Exhibitors League of America, Apollo Building, Pittsburgh, Pa. Would Take Letter Under Advisement "President Herrington told me that he would have to take the offer under advisement, and that he would communicate with the Board of Trade later. The following letter, dated April 3, is his communication : Pittsburgh, Pa., April 3, 1916. J. \V. Binder, Executive Secretary, Motion Picture Board of Trade of America, New York, N. Y. My dear Mr. Binder : In reply to yours of April 1, handed personally by you on the 2nd inst. to Fred J. Herrington, president, with your resolution enclosed passed March 30, 1916, by the Executive Board of the ]\I. P. B. of Trade of America, and pertaining to the M. P. B. of Trade show, we are very sorry to say that on reading and deliberating on the resolution at some length, we find that it diverges to a very large extent from the agreement reached at a conference of recent date in your city with, as we were advised at the time, an authorized representative body of the ?iIotion Picture Board of Trade of America ; namely, Walter W. Irwin, treasurer ; S. L. Rothapfel ; William A. Johnston, editor of MoTiox Picture News, and William M. Seabury. General Counsel for the A[. P. B. of Trade of America, who,