Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

Volume 18. No. 15 The Patriot and Business Man Elimination of Waste Is for Best Interests of the Industry GEORGE KLEINE has taken the bit in his teeth and has laid before Washington the facts, as he sees them, as to the excessive number of pictures and exchanges now burdening this industry. His action, to quote from an open letter to the trade, is designed "for the good of the nation, and possibly also for the good of the industry." What is good for the nation, in these days, takes preference over the good of the individual and his business. The doughboy at zero hour doesn't think twice over that problem; nor does any patriot at home, in or out of the motion picture business. So, if the Nation demands waste eliminated upon the part of the industry that is all there is to it; no patriot will take issue; no patriot will delay to come forward, declare himself and his utter willingness to meet that demand. But will any one tell us why this is not good for the industry ? W e know it is. We know that here and there a producer and distributor is already proving it by proceeding along the lines of fewer pictures, better pictures and longer runs. \nd, any way, we know that good business or bad business is, either one, simply an inevitable case of cause and effect. Cause and effect figures will prove that over production and too many exchanges are the highway to economic disaster: cause and effect figures will prove that fewer and better pictures given greater circulation, and relieved from excessive distribution overhead, will bring belter returns to every hand that deals with them. Figures don't lie; and business is a matter of figures. Waste elimination — the very same ivaste elimination asked for specifically by the Government for the good of the nation is for the good of the industry. That is a fact! The big point, however, is that conservation measures should only be initiated and carried through by men in sympathy with the film industry, conversant with its intricacies and big enough to tackle its necessarily big problems. The industry's best interests and resources can be and must be protected; and this protection must be given to the weak as well as the strong. That is why we appeal for help from within the industry itself. That is why we ask for action — from the industry. Can this action be delayed? Why will the patriot not act? What is holding him back? Why will the business man not act? What keeps him from acting in the best interests of the industry as a whole? * * * Advance Deposits and Liberty Bonds Pittsfield, Mass., September 29, 1918. Mr. William A. Johnston, Editor Motion Picture News, 729 Seventh Ave., New York. Can you suggest any device whereby manufacturers can be induced to allow exhibitors to buy Liberty bonds with exhibitors' money which is now on deposit and substitute the bonds as deposited security? Frank B. Stanton, Spa Theatre. THE above telegram will get an instant and enthusiastic 0. K. from every exhibitor in the country. And the distributor who is exacting an advance deposit, in cash, will say in reply that such is his policy and that's all there is to it. He'll simply decline to explain why he prefers cash to Liberty bonds. If the exhibitor wants his pictures badly enough the exhibitor will dig up the cash; and the distributor prefers the cash. Why? Why the cash? We would really appreciate a frank statement from the distributor. The theory of the advance deposit is that the distributor— not being willing or able to trust the exhibitor, wants an advance payment as security, this security reverting to the exhibitor in payment for the last few pictures of the booking contract. Very well — why not Liberty bonds as security? What better security? If the plain answer is that the distributor needs the cash in order to finance his business, then our discussion will have to end abruptly. We can scarcely suggest that the distributor borrow cash on the Liberty bonds, since the bonds belong to the exhibitor; though, in reality, the exhibitor has to trust the distributor with his cash anyway and loses the interest on it in the bargain. It would seem that as a matter of plain justice and now (Continued on next page) niHiiiraiiiti)niiinii-iiitiiiiiiiMiiiiH-ii[jHic;tTii)iiii:-i;iMti!nriiMtn-riiiiin::'ii]!(:i riiiiiiTitMiini!ii[iiiniiii4i<:r!-:iiinii!i;iHW it!irMiiMi;i:iMirii!!Miiinir:!>><iTr<tiiunTiiiii3fiiTiiniMiiiTiriinnnirtiiiniiiiTuir r[riiniiiitnt:in niiiciinMriiniin iTMiiiiiJiniiiijirnririiiiri.iiiiiVTiirMiitiiriiiiitiii.riiP.iu iiiiiH<t'iiiiHr<M,i rin"t:i;ti!r.Hii