Moving Picture World (Oct 1917)

October 20, 1917 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 357 Entered at the General Poit Office, New York City, at Second Dan Matter Founded by J. P. CHALMERS in 1907. Published Weekly by the CHALMERS PUBLISHING COMPANY 17 MADISON AVENUE, NEW YORK CITY. (Telephone, 3510-3511 Madison Square) J. P. Chalmers, Sr President J. F. Chalmers Vice-President E. J. Chalmers Secretary and Treasurer John Wylie General Manager The office of the company ii the addreaa of the officer*. CHICAGO OFFICE— Suite 917-919 Schiller Building, 64 Weat Randolph St., Chicago, 111. Telephone, Central 5099. PACIFIC COAST OFFICE— 610-611 Wright and Callender Building, Loa Angeles, Cal. Telephone, Broadway 4640. SUBSCRIPTION RATES. United States, Cuba, Mexico, Hawaii, Porto Rico and Philippine Islands $3.00 per year Canada 3.50 per year Foreign Countries (Postpaid) 4.00 per year Changes of address should give both old and new addresses in full and be clearly written. Two weeks' time should be allowed for chance. ADVERTISING RATES. Classified Advertising — One dollar for twenty words or less; over twenty words, five cents per word. Display Advertising Rates made known on application. IfOTE— Addre MOVING PICT New York, and not t vinpr Pic j PublishSpanishspeaking Saturday, October 20, 1917 Facts and Comments IT is in my mind not only to bring the motion picture industry into fullest and most effective contact with the nation's needs, but to give some measure of official recognition to an increasingly important factor in the development of our national life. The film has cpme to rank as the very high medium for the dissemination of public intelligence, .md since it speaks a universal language it lends itself importantly to the presentation df America's plane and pui posi \\ >R( >\\ \\ li Si IN ELSEWHERE in this issue exhibitors and readers will find particulars in regard to the five short picture subjects which will be shown all over this country for the next twenty days in aid of the Second Liberty Loan. Five hundred prints, one hundred prints of each of the five subjects, will be in circulation and shown on the screens everywhere throughout the country. We venture the assertion that for intensive and widespread publicity this campaign of the next few weeks will far surpass anything of the kind ever before attempted. We trust the final result will surpass the expectations of the most optimistic. * * * PATIENCE and perseverance are excellent watchwords for every loyal citizen of this country at this crisis in the world's history. There have been and there will be many demands on exhibitors for help and co-operation along so many different lines of war activities; for the use of their screens for Liberty Loan, Red Cross books, films, tobacco, comfort kits, Christmas boxes and a hundred other things for our soldier boys and our country. Some may feel that it is being overdone, that the patience of their audiences may become exhausted, etc., but we must remember that these are altogether exceptional times in which we live ; times in which millions are giving up more than most of us will. * * * MORE power to the ever-increasing number of picture theater owners and managers who are really filling the demand for clean entertainment in their respective localities. Outside of our large cities, where counter-attractions multiply, in our thriving towns and country districts is the place to study the real value of a well conducted picture theater. The lines of automobiles and appearance of the audiences at the majority of these houses show most conclusively that the pictures are by no means only the entertainment of the poor or that they appeal mostly to children. We still have magazine writers posing as leaders in literary circle.-, who speak and write of the films in this patronizing and utterly false manner. Their knowledge and experience of the actual facts, however, seem to be gained from the studio chatter of their own narrow little coterie. * * * UNITED we stand, divided we fall, is a motto not applicable to this industry, according to the logic of some would-be leaders. Magnifying din between retailer and manufacturer, splitting the industry into two irreconcilable camps even to the extent oi considering an effort for legislative action regarding matters that concern the industry solely and should be adjusted inside the trade's own circles is surely an illuminating example of pinbead politics, hard to match. It is pernicious leadership of this sort that is doing more than anything else to prevent the industry as a whole from taking its rightful place in the minds of business ami pri men everywhere. Simply because a plausible idea mav he presented in smooth and ready terms does not necessarily mean that it is either wise or sound advice. Thoughtful consideration may show it is advice good to be avoided * * * THE war tax. adopted at Washington last week, certajnlj seems to indicate a lack oi adequate ation o finally of its provisions. We red no tax ever enacted will receive the approval ol I and will likely be unfair to some. After SO much consideration and the lime given to the question, it surely was to be expected that the completed resull would have met wuh more general approval. Man) oi the clauses give unmistakable evidence of haste and lack oi mature consideration.