Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1916)

September 30, 1916 MOTION PICTURE NEWS 2037 New Laws and Court Decisions JF"J^Mpi|Il|liniII"'"'^'IF11l!Hpl| This department is designed to keep the industry informed of all news concerning new or projected laws. Federal State, County or Municipal, that may affect the business, and all events involving any branch of the trade with the authorities in all sections of the country One Iowa Town Hits on Plan to Open on Sunday^ Regardless of Old Fogyism; Exchanges Consider It a Precedent for Other Places Burdened with Blue Laws THE exhibitors' fight in Iowa against the steadily increasing move for Sunday closing of motion picture theatres, is attracting the attention of the middle west. Last week's developments saw a new situation that startled even the most experienced motion picture men. At Mason City, la., there is one of those old moth-eaten ordinances, found in almost every Iowa town, prohibiting shows on Sunday. But there is a big demand for the Sunday shows. The council could not, with good grace, repeal the ordinance, because an element in the city would object. Then this happy scheme was decided upon. Every Sunday the motion picture theatres stay open, openly violating the law and delighting hundreds of people who want to see pictures on Sunday, and on every Monday the exhibitors visit the Police Court and pay a fine of $5 and costs. " We make more on Sunday than any other two days put together. The $7.50 is not such a heavy tax, and it is better A COMMITTEE representing the motion picture men of the Pittsburgh district recently went to Harrisburg, where they called upon Dr. S. G. Dixon of the Pennsylvania State Board of Health, relative to the exclusion of children under sixteen years of age from the motion picture theatres. This committee represented all of the motion picture men of the Pittsburgh district, and they had a long conference with the state official. In speaking of the trip G. W. Sahner, one of the members of the committee said, " We had no idea of getting the State Board of Health to rescind its order excluding children under sixteen years of age from the motion picture theatres. That would be foolhardy in the extreme. Our main object was to acquaint Dr. Dixon as well as the politicians with conditions in the motion picture business. We understand there will be a bill introduced in the next session of the State Legislature providing for the exclusion of children under sixteen from picture houses at all times. Our visit to Harrisburg at this time was to protest against a bill of that than staying closed," said one of the four exhibitors. Exchange men who have been over the territory say the same plan may be followed in other towns. In Missouri Valley, la., the exhibitors bent before the demands for Sunday closing and agreed to close. A case against C. C. Carragher of the Palm, Clear Lake, la., who was arrested on a charge of running his theatre on Sunday, was dismissed and Carragher still stays open on Sundays. The Royal, at La Mars, la., decided to face the law and open on Sunday. After advertising the Sunday show the council at a special meeting threatened to revoke the theatre's license and it failed to open as advertised. A hot fight has been staged at Atlantic, la. Petitions were circulated and signed by several thousand people, demanding that the shows close on Sunday. Counter petitions were circulated. The fight was carried before the city council and into the courts in a number of instances. It is still undecided. kind, and it will undoubtedly have the desired effect. Dr. Dixon assured us that the quarantine would be lifted just as soon as the schools opened. The committee which went to Harrisburg consisted of M. Kornblum, G. W. Sahner, A. J. Barthell, F. J. Herrington, Al W. Cross, M. Feitler and Matt Rapp. Several mass meetings will be held in that city as a result of the action of this committee, and it is said that as a result much good will be done for the motion picture business there. This is a wideawake committee and one that will be able to make things hum after they once get the motion picture men here interested. PENNSYLVANIA CENSOR BOARD MAKES FAVORABLE REPORT TO UNIVERSAL The Universal Film Manufacturing Company has received the list of subjects condemned by the Pennsylvania State Board of Censors for the period ending June 30. Ellis P. Oberholtzer, secretary of the board, attests to the statement that the Universal out of 382 reels of film condemned by the board, only had five photoplays put under the ban. The Universal pictures condemned by the Pennsylvania Board were " His Weakness," a Powers picture; "The Nihilist" and " Outside the Gates ? " Rex releases, " Traffic in Souls," a Universal feature, and "Where Are My Children?" another special Universal feature. While the Universal does not for a moment question the wisdom of the Pennsylvania board's action in the case of " Traffic in Souls " and " Where Are My Children? " it points out the fact that both pictures have received the unqualified indorsement of the clergy in New York and every other State in the Union where they have been shown to selected audiences of mature judgment. THEATRES IN FORT WAYNE, IND., HARD HIT BY PARALYSIS BAN The managers and owners of motion picture theatres in Fort Wayne, Ind., have come to realize to the fullest extent the meaning in " what would the world be without children?" The patronage at the downtown theatres in Fort Wayne has fallen off considerably, a general decline of twenty-five per cent, being reported, while several of the smaller theatres in the outskirts have closed their doors until October 1, the date when the order of the Board of Health of the city barring children under sixteen expires. The order was issued to prevent the spread of infantile paralysis. fVAR TAX NETS $50,000 A MONTH IN ONTARIO According to the Hon. T. W. McGarry, provincial treasurer, The Amusement War Tax, in force in Ontario, has been bringing in so far an average of $50,000 per month. This is well up to expectations and some are confident that in the winter months the treasury will benefit to an even greater extent. The treasurer's estimate at the time the graded tax was initiated was that the annual revenue from this source would be $600,000. CHARGE EXHIBITOR WITH SUNDAY VIOLATION Herbert Dwyer, proprietor of a motion picture theatre at Dunkirk, Ind., recently was placed under a $100 bond in the Circuit Court for Sabbath desecration. Dwyer is charged with following his usual vocation by operating his theatre on Sunday. The charge was filed by David Johnson, a member of the City Council of Dunkirk. Committee of Pittsburgh Film Men See Health Officer Relative to Order Excluding Children Under 16 from Picture Theatres