The Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1913)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 261 PICTURE MEN IN FLOODED DISTRICT. ALMOST nothing in the way of detail has been reported regarding the losses 'of the owners of picture theaters in the regions devastated by tornado and flood. From the general reports on the extent of the damage caused by wind and water it is certain that many picture theaters throughout Indiana and Ohio have been totally destroyed. President Neff of the National Motion Picture Exhibitors' League, who has been keeping in touch with the situation, advises The Moving Picture World that he has been unable to get any detailed information up to this writing. Communication with the stricken cities has not been re-established and he has been unable to reach many members of the league by either mail, telephone or telegraph. At Dayton, Mr. Neff says that all the picture houses were flooded to a depth of from eight to twenty feet; at Portsmouth, Ohio, eight picture theaters are under water; at Hamilton, Ohio, he is advised that the loss to the picture men is complete. Several houses in Cincinnati have been badly damaged and word from Indiana comes to the effect that there has been considerable loss sustained by the picture theater managers in that state. Regarding the matter of rendering assistance to the members of the trade who have suffered loss, President Neff said that efforts were being made by the officers of the Indiana and Ohio leagues to help all members in good standing. It has been reported to him that there were more supplies on hand at Columbus and Dayton and other points than were needed to relieve the immediate needs of the several communities and that, as soon as the general situation was provided for the problem of individual necessities could be taken up. It will be some time before the extent of individual losses and individual needs can be ascertained, but when that time arrives the problem of restoring the picture theaters will be taken up by the league and will be handled in Indiana and Ohio by the organizations of those states. "Such offers of assistance that have been referred to me," said President Neff,. "I have advised that the funds raised be equally divided between Indiana and Ohio; part to be sent to Mr. F. J. Rembush at Shelbyville, Ind., and part to Mr. J. A. Madd'ox at Columbus, Ohio. I believe that this will be the best way to handle the matter at present "When it comes to the matter of benefits for the flood sufferers I believe that the money raised from now on by the picture men should be set aside for the benefit of those in the trade who have suffered loss. As I said before, the various relief committees already have more supplies and money than they know what to do with, so it would be a waste of effort to turn any more money over to the general relief fund." WILL TEST KANSAS CENSOR LAW. The proposed censorship law for the state of Kansas, the text of which was published in the Moving Picture World several weeks ago, has been approved by the Governor and is supposed to be operative only, through some oversight the legislature adjourned without making any appropriation for carrying out its provisions. The Superintendent of Public Instruction, appointed by law to inspect films, gave the job a good try and then advertised for "competent public-spirited men and women" to take it off his hands. Applicants must be willing to wait a year for their pay as nothing can be done in the way of obtaining it until the legislature convenes again next year. The pay offered is $3 per day. While the Superintendent of Public Instruction is trying to find someone to do the work an attempt will be made to have the courts pass on the legality of the act. New Nathanson, a Topeka, Kas., Exhibitor, backed by a number of exchange men, will undertake to make the test. He proposes to run pictures that have not been censored and, if arrested, the matter will be taken into the courts upon the constitutionality of the law. The outcome of the matter will be awaited with interest. BIG BENEFIT BY NEW YORK EXHIBITORS. SATURDAY evening, April 12, is the date set for the monster benefit to be given by the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of Greater New York, for the relief of the Ohio flood sufferers. The affair will take place at the 69th Regiment Armony, 26th Street and Lexington Avenue (just behind Madison Square Garden), New York City. The Committee of Arrangements has done some wonderfully rapid work in perfecting all the details of this big entertainment in the short space of one week. The armory itself could be procured only through permission of the Governor of New York. This was donated without charge by Governor Sulzer. William J. Gaynor, Mayor of New York, has consented to act as treasurer of the fund, and will probably be at the entertainment in person. A very strong program has been provided; it will consist of the very latest photoplays, which are to be donated by several of the New York exchanges. Then there will be photoplay stars loaned by the various manufacturing companies. Miss Alice Joyce of the Kalem Company will sell autographed photographs of herself among the audience. Among the picture players who will appear on the bill will be Mr. Tom Moore, Hugh Mack, Rogers Lytton, Alice Joyce, Crane Wilbur, Darwin Karr, Octavia Handworth, Marc MacDermott, Mary Fuller; also King Baggot and other important members of the Universal acting forces; Flora Finch, John Bunny, Florence Lawrence, Arthur Johnson, Florence Turner, Ormi Hawley, Mary Pickford, Owen Moore, Pearl White, Kenneth Casey, Adele DeGarde and others. If time will permit there will be several vaudeville acts in addition to the foregoing. The music will be rendered by the New York Letter Carriers Band without charge. Donations are coming in remarkably fast and by the night of the entertainment these alone should amount to a very considerable sum. At the time of writing these donations are as follows: Kalem Co., $100; Vitagraph Co., $150; Pathe Freres, $150; Nicholas Power, $150; General Film Company, $150; Kinetograph Co., $100; Standard Machine Co., $75; Ad Kessel, $100; Hugo Reisinger, $50; Mutual Film Corp., $200; Universal Film Co., $150; Moving Picture World, $100; Thanhouser Co., $100; Wm. Fox, $100; Majestic Film Co., $100; Helen Gardner, $10; Moving Picture News, $50; Manhattan Slide Co., $25; Warner's Features, $50; Reliance Co., $50. In addition to the cash donations various services and supplies have been tendered as follows: advertising slides by Manhattan Slide & Film Co.; one thousand posters by Exhibitors Advertising & Specialty Co.; one thousand threesheets by William E. Lee; Empire City Job Print; banners by Arthur Brady; armory by the State of New York; billboard space by the A. Van Beuren Co., indemnity bond by Maryland Casualty Company. Within the next few days there will be many more donations to swell the general list. Tickets are now on sale at all theaters having membership in the Exhibitors League. The entertainment is being widely advertised on all of the screens in the city with special slides made for the purpose. The tickets are selling at fifty cents for general admission and one dollar for box seats. BENEFITS REPORTED. At a special meeting of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of the District of Columbia, held on Thursday, March 27th, the following resolution was adopted: Whereas, The members of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of the District of Columbia have heard with profound regret of the terrible disaster visited upon certain cities and towns in the States of Ohio and Indiana; Resolved, That the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of the District of Columbia expresses its deepest sympathy with the members of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' Leagues of