Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1919)

January 2 5 , 1 9 1 9 531 Arizona Exhibitors Win Out in Test Case ESTERN exhibitors have won the first victory on record in connection with the forced closing of theatres due to the influenza epidemic. Sitting in Superior Court on January 11, Judge Stanford of Arizona rendered a sweeping decision in favor of J. E. Rickards, of the Strand Theatre, and C. A. Dickerson, of the Coumbia Theatre, both of Phoenix, in their appeal from Justice Court where both had been fined fifty dollars each for opening their theatres in opposition to the specially enacted ordinance prohibiting motion picture theatres running during the second influenza epidemic. The case was decided on the plea of the defendants' attorneys that the ordinance was discriminatory and unconstitutional. Judge Stanford, in reviewing the testimony, said it was the most flagrant case of discrimination ever brought before him, and held that there was no evidence to show that theatres were any more responsible for the second epidemic than the crowded stores, badly ventilated churches or other public places not included in the ordinance. He scored the City Attorney and advised that he draft an ordinance covering all public places as well as stores and other spots where crowds gather if he wishes, but added that he did not think the means justified the end. The theatres in question are now open, and hundreds of patrons have sent congratulations. No attempt has been made to enforce other closing measures in Phoenix, but Globe, Miama and other mining centers are fighting the same kind of battle with the Phoenix decision as their guide. Many spots in the west have wired for a certified copy of the ruling. According to late reports, the theatre owners have called a meeting for January 20 at Phoenix to organize and prevent legislation detrimental to film interests. All Los Angeles exchanges which supply Arizona territory expect to be represented at the convention, and eighty per cent of the theatre owners intend to be present. Illness and deaths from the third influenza epidemic have alarmed the country, but theatres have profited by the past and intend to stick together for mutual benefit in the future. Association Helps to]Fight Evil Mrs. Carl Laemmle Dies of Pneumonia Recha Stern Laemmle, wife of Carl Laemmle, president of the Universal Film Manufacturing Co., following a short illness, succumbed Monday morning, January 13, at the family residence, New York City. Mrs. Laemmle contracted influenza shortly after New Years' Day and despite efforts of physicians pneumonia, which caused her death, developed. Mrs. Laemmle is survived by two children, Rosabelle, aged seventeen, and Julius, aged eleven. Funeral services were held from the Laemmle home, 378 West End avenue, Wednesday morning, January 15, and as a tribute of respect to the memory of Mrs. Laemmle employes in Universal exchanges all over the world suspended work for a period of five minutes. Employes of Universal exchanges subscribed to a fund to purchase flowers, but at the request of the family the fund was turned over to a charitable organization, for which Mrs. Laemmle was a devoted worker. Mrs. Laemmle was forty-three years of age. Winnipeg Exhibitors Help the Employees The exhibitors of Winnipeg, Man., met the Manitoba Cabinet in an important conference on January 7 for the purpose of presenting an alternative plan for the reimbursing of theatre employes of Winnipeg for loss of wages due to the influenza epidemic. The Manitoba Government had planned to grant a rebate of the Amusement Tax to the exhibitors so that the latter could make special grants to employes in lieu of wages. The theatre managers have presented another plan to the Government. No statement was issued by either side following the conference, which lasted upwards of an hour. Intimation was made, however, that the whole matter will be referred finally to the Manitoba Legislature. Reports Indicate Exhibitors Appreciate Aid in Educational Campaign to Keep Houses Open While Influenza Is Being Routed A CCORDING to reports, the country** wide campaign of education instituted by the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry agitating in favor of keeping the motion picture theatres open as a means of combating the epidemic of influenza the sustaining of public morale and the prevention of panic has been received with favor and enthusiasm by the exhibitors of the country. The material sent out by the Association, consisting of a copy of a letter by Dr. Royal S. Copeland, Health Commissioner of New York City, a reprint of a long article in a New York daily paper, a chart and statistics provided by the United States Department of Commerce showing, the comparatively small death rate of New York where the theatres remained open and the high death rate of the other firstclass cities where the theatres were closed, tilled the requirements of the exhibitors to impress their local health authorities with the utter futility of closing down the motion picture theatres as a means of combating the epidemic. The fact that the Spanish Influenza is a comparatively new disease, especially to this generation, left public health officials very much undecided as to the best means of combating it. In a condition of demoralized panic and feeling the necessity of doing something as a means of counteracting critical public opinion they picked upon the motion picture theatres. That this procedure was utterly wrong and ineffective was conclusively proved by the experience of Dr. Copeland in New York, where the theatres were kept open and the death rate was next to the lowest of any first-class city in the United States. The publication and circularization of this letter and the material that was sent with it by the National Association has had the effect of convincing other public health officials throughout the country that the well-ventilated sanitary motion picture theatre, if kept open, is one of the greatest and strongest forces that can be employed to combat the plague, sustain the public morale and prevent panic. That the exhibitors of the country have been greatly benefited by the work which the National Association has done in this respect is evidenced by the numerous telegrams and letters that have been received from all over the United States requesting additional copies of the material which was sent out. In many cases live-wire exhibitors realizing the importance of this material have worked in intimate co-operation with their local papers and have succeeded in having all of this material reprinted. The Saenger Amusement Company of New Orleans were so impressed with the value of the material sent them that they immediately wrote requesting that the same material be sent to a long list of theatres in that State which they enclosed. ' The Northwest Film Board of Trade of Seattle, Wash., telegraphed to the World Film Corporation a request for 500 copies of Dr. Copeland' s letter, as well as 500 copies of the article reprinted from the New York Times, with a view to spreading the information contained in them throughout their territory. Ventilation Ordinance An ordinance aimed to secure ventilation in motion picture theatres, and other places where large numbers of people gather, was considered last week by the Council Committee on Public Buildings of Richmond, Va. Action was deferred in order to hear from property-owners.