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12
MOVING PICTURE AGE
December, 1922
other, will go far toward bringing the international understanding and appreciation which move in the direction of a world peace.
Primarily a source of entertainment, the importance of motion pictures, as such, is measured by the imperative necessity of amusement for our people. And make no mistake about such imperative necessity. Just as you serve the leisure hours of the masses so do you rivet the girders of society. The industry accepted the challenge in the demand of the American people for the highest quality of art, morals, and entertainment in motion pictures as the principal amusement of the great majority of all our people and the sole amusement of millions and millions. They recognize that any evil that might be in motion pictures can be removed, the highest standards of art and entertainment attained, and all the great advantages of pictures retained at the place where, at the time when, the pictures are made, by those who make them, and in no other way.
Beginning a new drive this year for the best possible pictures measuring up toward what the standard should be and which many pictures already had achieved, earnestly asking the public's co-operation and hoping, of course, from every possible standpoint, selfish and unselfish, to move in the right direction, they have brought out, and are bringing out, a series of pictures which we are hoping will attract the public's attention as the evidence both of their good faith and of their ability to accomplish, and as an augury for still better things to which their every effort shall be directed. The maintaining of the highest standard is quite as essential as its attainment, and there can be and will be no slipping backward nor loss of any improvement that may be accomplished. These pictures are being received in appreciation, and the public will not be unmindful either of the impossibility of plea-sing every one with every picture or the necessity of different types of pictures for the various types of taste and interest. There are many of these pictures, some already released, some soon to be released, and some in the making.
I am very hopeful for the future. It is a large undertaking and I again most earnestly ask for your suggestions and your active help. It cannot, of course, be finished at once. Indeed, it can never be finished, because the service of the motion picture, like the service of the press, depends for its quality on a constant effort. What I hope to do is to make certain that this effort for better and still better service by motion pictures shall be constant, and that from the effort will come an accomplishment that will mean the largest possible usefulness.
With very kindest personal regards, and best wishes always, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Will H. Hays.
MR. HAYS, ON NON-THEATRICAL FILMS
October 18, 1922 Col. Jason S. Joy Executive Secreta^Committee on Public Relations 522 Fifth Avenue New York, N. Y.
My dear Colonel Joy :
You know, of course, what is being done in connection with pedagogic films and what is being done to develop the film as a useful instrument of international amity. I am sure there could be no difference of opinion either in the efficacy of what is being done in these directions or what its pertinency must be. I am also sure we agree exactly on the necessity of the elimination of the evil from pictures, and the value of the constant effort for betterment of the art, morals, and interest in them.
The non-theatrical demand and supply is one of the big questions. Personally it is a hobby with me, and from the time this work was first brought to my attention until now I have urged constantly, both in public and in private, that there will be films in churches and schools everywhere. I believe this, and very much indeed has been done in the last six months toward developing a demand in this field. As I said in the speech at Boston before the National Education Association :
The problem which faces all of us is to provide some plan of cooperation which will provide film material for instructional use in schools and colleges, and suitable films for churches and welfare organizations — some plan which will secure the active cooperation of theatre owners and public leaders, and which will safeguard against harmful competition between non-theatrical and theatrical groups. These matters, which are merely incident to the youth and tremendous expansion of the business, can be worked out .satisfactorily without question.
The problem of semi-religious and semi-educational films is not so extensive as that of pedagogic films, but is much more difficult. Every one is for pedagogic films in the classroom, and of course there is no objection to purely religious films in the churches. The matter, therefore, of pedagogic films and purely religious films presents no problem save only the problem of providing an organized demand and an organized supply. However, in developing the industry as regards an organized demand and an organized supply of semi-religious and semi-educational films there are definite economical duties and limitations that have to be recognized ; there are also certain ethical and moral duties and limitations, and while we are continually encouraging the development of those phases of the industry and finding ways for the supply of the proper demand in that regard, we always predicate this interest and activity on the assumption that in such plans as are developed it will always be recognized that the theatre owner has certain real rights in the premises, which rights would naturally be recognized first of all by those who are interested in seeing religious films.
The fact is, of course, that the theatre owner pays a national and state tax on his theatre, a license fee, an extra insurance premium, and other special levies in order to run his business and provide for the essential amusement of the people, and it would be obviously unfair to him to create a competition to draw the same audience, with or without charge, to see the same attraction into places which have no such burdens. Such a thing would neither be morally or economically sound.
While this is true, it is just as certain that there is an actual and potential need for pictures in churches, of the type which are thoroughly proper from every standpoint and which will do great good, and which need must be met. All the demand there is and the demand of tomorrow, which in my opinion is estimable, can and will be taken care of in a way that will not be an injustice to the theatre owner in any way whatever.
Obviously, just as more pictures are used wherever used so more pictures will have to be made, and the producers want to see every possible market developed; but our Association must, of course, take the view, and we do take the view, that in the development of the whole situation we must only proceed in ways which are absolutely fair to everybody interested. And don't let us forget that there are three great groups that have rights — certain definite rights — in the employment and enjoyment of this great new instrument of entertainment and education : there are all those connected in any way with the production and distribution of motion pictures ; and there are those who exhibit them ; but first, and with rights far beyond those of the other groups in the matter, is the public, whose servant the motionpicture industry is. Far and away beyond the rights of all others in this whole matter are the rights of the people. Just as the people have a complete right to demand that motion pictures, the principal amusement of the great majority and the sole amusement of millions and millions, shall be clean, and of the highest standards of art and entertainment, so they have the right to expect that as fast as it can be done every possible usefulness of motion pictures in every possible field be developed. It is important, of course, and the broad view requires that in developing the non-theatrical field every fundamental right be considered, and that the action of all of us be measured by what is for the good of all. Personally, I am very certain that this can all be worked out and that not only great good will come, but that it will be a most practical benefit to the industry.
It has been suggested many times that this Association, as such, ought to engage in the production and distribution of non-theatrical films. This we could not do because it is a commercial undertaking beyond the powers of the Association; besides, there are several companies engaged in this work now, and there are departments in other companies endeavoring to develop a market and a supply. This Association has, however, a privilege and a duty to study the matter, as we are doing, and to try to develop in the right way both the demand and the supply, and in that work the help of the Committee on Public Relations is essential.
We will assign someone particularly to this work as suggested in the resolution.
I am sure you will be interested in the investigation which we have been making as to the legal limitations and restrictions operating in many of the states against the use of pictures for non-theatrical purposes, such as, for instance, the matter of fire restrictions in some states which make the use of motion pictures very difficult in non-theatrical ways. There are many things to be worked out.
With very kindest personal regards, and best wishes always,
I am,
Sincerely yours,
Will H. Hays.