Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

34 .1/ <> / i o ii P i c t it r e X c w .« N o v e in ber 2 . 19 3 o Pettijohn's Bitter Attack on Censors At Ohio M.P.T.O. Aimed at Horwitz? Urges Repeal of Censorship in State; M. P. T. O. Wages War Over Contract Columbus — While he mentioned no names, there wa^ little doubt in the mind of the 125 exhibitor-, exchangeraen and civic and state official-, attending the Ohio M. P. T. O. convention here, that C. C. Pettijohn's remarks were directed at Will Horwitz. Texas unit president and censorship advocate, in two addresses here scathingly denouncing censorship. A highlight of the sessions was the heckling of M. A. Lightman, M. P. T. O. A., president, in connection with the 5-5-5 meetings. With 44 states preparing adverse legislation against the industry, the individual who by his acts from now until June ' contributes to the downfall or damage of this industry" is a menace and should be thrown out of the industry. Pettijohn told the convention. If the proposed legislation is enacted. Pettijohn said, a "lot of people in all branches of the industry will be put out of business." Trade problems, he said, "fade into insignificance compared to these legislative problems, and only with the united front of the industry can they be fought." Pettijohn also sounded the battle cry for the repeal of censorship, urging Ohio to take advantage of the wedge in censorship made by "The Big House." The Ohio censor laws require that a picture shall be either accepted or rejected by the board upon submission. In the case of "The Big House." the picture was neither accepted nor rejected, but was held indefinitely for further consideration. Pressure was brought to bear with the cooperation of the public press to secure passage of this picture, which played everv other state in the union. Pettijohn's words on censorship were so enthusiastically received that President Jones asked him to take censorship as his topic for a speech at the banquet. Renews Attack "The most detestable thing I know." Pettijohn told the 250 banquet guests, "is the fact that motion pictures, the cleanest form of human expression today, are laboring under censorship in five states. "Maybe censorship was all right 20 years ago when legislators didn't know what this business would develop into. "Today the screen is as clean as the front pages of the newspapers of this country, and nobody would stand for interference with the freedom of the press. "Censorship isn't a political question, but a question of whether two or three people can pass on what 7,000.000 people should see. Child Protection Farcial "Censorship of pictures as a protection for children is a farce. Children' morals should be in the hands of parents. Parental care has been shoved into the discard and in its place today is the school teacher, the policeman and censorship. "Censorship of talkies is a hundred times i Continued on page 36 Speakers at Ohio Convention C. C. Pettijohn M. A. Lightman R. F. Woodhutt On the Sidelines at Columbus COLUMBUS— M-G-M stole the convention with an extra edition of the Columbus Citizen. The entire front page of the newspaper was devoted to convention news, sidelights and photographs. Five hundred of em were printed and were distributed to the conventioneers by regular newsboys who crashed the afternoon session, startling those present with their cries of "All About the Big Picture Merger." Charlie Deardourff and Bill Bishop of the M-G-M exploitation department put this one over — and put it over big. To Fred Desberg. general manager of Loew's Ohio theatres, life is fust one convention after the other. He had barely recovered from the Philly gathering before it teas time to get into the midst of the Columbus meeting. George Erdmann, business manager of the Cleveland Motion Picture Exhibitors' Association, made a real speech. It consisted of at least ten words. Last year he made the shortest speech on record. It was confined to one word, "Greetings." James Re-elected Columbus — William James was elected unanimously to serve his seventh term as president of the Ohio exhibitor unit at the annual convention. Others unanimously elected are: J. J. Harwood, Cleveland, vice-president-at-large; Ike Libson, Cincinnati; Henry Bieberson, Jr., Delaware; Ed Hiehle, Newark, vice-presidents; Caldwell H. Brown. Zanesville, treasurer; Martin G. Smith, Toledo, secretary ; and the following trustees: John A. Schwalm, Hamilton; J. A. Holt. Cincinnati ; Henrv Greenberger, Cleveland; Frank J. Ruth, Piqua; Fred Desberg, Cleveland, and Burns O'Sullivan, Columbus. /. J. Harzvood, vice-president of the M. P. T. O. of Ohio, was right there with his answer to Mayor James J. Thomas' hearty zi'dcome. * * * Martin P. Smith of Toledo, the first president of the Ohio exhibitor organization, didn't say much, but he did a lot of work. * * * Judge Frank Ruth, who made his debut as an exhibitor with the recoil purchase of a thetitrc in Picqua. bore up bravely as chairman of the nominating committee. * * * Andy Hettesheimer of Cincinnati presided over the nomination committee. * * * Ed Hiehle of Xcwark and Harry Abrams of Lancaster handled the credentials committee with honor. * * * John Schwalm of Hamilton and J. E. Watson of Columbus were given the task of battling with the auditing committee. * * * Pete WoodhuU said he came to the convention lust to see his old friends and because he's not the convention habit. * * * Charley Pettijohn, Oscar Hanson and Pete \V< " idhull shared a compartment coming over to Columbus. There weren't any more stories tu tell when thev got through. * * * Mrs. Georgia Moffett, secretary of the Cleveland Film Hoard of Trade, and Mrs. Native Suckow, assistant, were here in all their glory, and thev shed plenty of it. * * * M. Lightman showed 'em how a gentleman keeps his temper when he'd much rather roll up his sleeves and finish what the other fellow started. * * * BUI Skirboll of Cleveland was here. He participated in all the festivities, but committed himself to nothing at all. * * * Pete WOod. secretary of the M. P. T. O. A.. was tireless in his efforts to make everybody happy. And -lid he succeed? We'll tell the world.