The Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1913)

262 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD Ohio and Indiana, and tenders its aid and assistance in their time of distress. Resolved, further, that the secretary be directed to convey these expressions to the President of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America. Although the membership of our League is limited to the city of Washington, within a very few minutes a thousand dollars was subscribed and our treasurer has recently turned over to the Red Cross Society over eleven hundred dollars. Boxes soliciting contributions for the flood sufferers were placed in the lobbies of the theaters with excellent results and their contents will be forwarded next week. Vice-President Marshall and several members of Mr. Wilson's cabinet attended a performance at the theater of one of our members to witness the flood pictures. The President was expected, but telephoned his inability to be present. On April 2nd a benefit was held at the Garfield Theater, 181st Street and Broadway, New York, the receipts of which were sent to the Mayor's committee. On this occasion Miss Marian Nesbitt, Mr. Marc MacDermott, Mr. Charles Seay and Yale Boss, all of the Edison players, appeared. The photoplayers were enthusiastically received and their presence aided materially in swelling the receipts of the day. ESSEX COUNTY EXHIBITORS LEAGUE BENEFIT. Something more than $1,000 has been contributed by the members of the Essex County Exhibitors' League, Essex County, N. J., to the fund for the relief of the flood sufferers. This sum was realized by the donation of the receipts of the theaters operated by the Essex exhibitors received at last Sunday's entertainments. PRESIDENT TRIGGER'S UP-STATE TRIP. On Wednesday, April 2, President Samuel H. Trigger of the New York State and Local Exhibitors' Leagues started on another missionary tour of the state, in company with Secretary Harold W. Rosenthal. He went first to Syracuse to be present at the banquet and ball of the Syracuse local. On the same train with them were Darwin Karr of the Solax Company, Miss Pearl White of the Crystal M. P. Company and Hugh Mack of the Vitagraph Company, all three photoplayers, bound for the same place as guests of the Syracuse exhibitors at their ball. The visiting party was met at the depot by President A. N. Wolf; J. E. Thompson; W. C. Hubbard, vice-president; C. L. Tyler and W J. Malarkey. The ball was a grand success, socially and financially. A number of prominent city officials were among the guests. The photoplayers proved to be a great drawing card and they enjoyed themselves immensely. President Trigger is very enthusiastic about the Syracuse local. He says that it is the best local in the state. There are forty exhibitors in the town and there are forty members in the local. That is what we might call a 100 per cent, exhibitors league, and it is surely a wide-awake up-to-date organization. The great pity is that there are not more like it. Oswego Organized. At the special request of J. R. Schilling, owner of the Eureka Theater, Oswego, N. Y., who was present at the Syracuse exhibitors' ball, Messrs. Trigger and Rosenthal went from Syracuse to Oswego and there organized the Oswego local on the following day. The following were elected as temporary officers; President, J. E. Cordingly, Bridge Theater; Vice-President, Chas. A. Donnelly, Star Theater; Treasurer, P. C. Gilmore, Hippodrome; Secretary, P. G. Campbell, Crescent Theater. After the meeting the visitors were tendered a banquet by the Oswego exhibitors. State Committee Meeting at Buffalo. On April 4, Messrs. Trigger and Rosenthal arrived in Binghamton to complete the organization of the local there. The meeting had been arranged by President H. L. Fox and R. M. Davidson, 2nd state vice-president. When the visitors left, all of the Binghamton exhibitors (15) had joined the local. From Binghamton they went to Buffalo to attend the State Committee quarterly meeting. The delegates met at the Statler Hotel where a well laid out banquet was the first thing to be disposed of. This had been arranged by members of the Buffalo local. At the session the question of censorship took prominence over other matters was thoroughly thrashed out. The conclusion of the deliberations was to the effect that all pictures should be censored by an authorized national board and that pictures not censored by that board should not be exhibited. Mr. Trigger reports that the up-state members generally, and the committeemen he met at Buffalo are all agog over the big exposition of the motion picture industry to be held in New York City, July 7 to 12. Most of the exhibitors he spoke with on the subject stated their intentions of attending the exposition and in the meantime to advertise it as extensively as possible on their theater screens and otherwise. Now that President Trigger has become quite well acquainted with the New York State league members, his hard preliminary work will begin to show results. Having met him a number of times, the up-state exhibitors are beginning to recognize the fact that they have for a State president a man who will go to any length and any pains legitimately to further the cause of the motion picture exhibitors. They are commencing to realize that his heart is in the work, and that he is the right man in the right place. NEW YORK EXHIBITORS FAVOR LIMITED SERVICE. At the last meeting of the • Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of Greater New York held April 9, at the Union Square Hotel the principal topics of discussion were the coming joint benefit of the League members for the relief of the Ohio flood sufferers, and the question of regulating the number of reels to be exhibited at different prices of admission. The benefit matters are treated of elsewhere. The question came up for the first time seriously for the establishment of a limit to the number of reels that should be shown for a five cent admission, a ten cent admission, and other admissions upward. The number of reels to be shown for a certain admission price has been satisfactorily adjusted among the exhibitors themselves in other cities, notably Chicago and San Francisco. The majority of members present were in favor of some such procedure and as a result of the discussion a committee was appointed to canvass the Borough of the Bronx to get the sentiments of all exhibitors in that locality on the question. Separate committees will be appointed for the other boroughs in turn, until all counties are heard from, after which a main committee composed of the chairmen of the several borough committees will confer with the General Film Company and the various independent exchanges for co-operation in enforcing the limited service plan. Frank L. Dyer; president of the General Film Company, was present at the meeting and he promised the support of his organization in the matter as far as it is legally possible for them to do so. Mr. Dyer also made an address to the members, outlining the general policy of the General Film Company toward exhibitors. He denied emphatically any statement to the effect that the General Film Company is contemplating entering the exhibition branch of the business, and he assured the members that during his tensure of office all exhibitors will be treated by that organization with the utmost courtesy. I. Van Runkel, manager of the Fourth Avenue branch of the General Film Company, also addressed the members of the League and endorsed the sentiments expressed by Mr. Dyer. The Bronx Committee on limited film service is composed of the following members: Chairman, A. Cohen; Alfred Coleman, Wm. Allen, A. Bauernfreund, Samuel Golfarb. These gentlemen will visit all the Bronx theaters in the very near future. MISSISSIPPI EXHIBITORS' CONVENTION. On March 28, 1913, the exhibitors of Mississippi assembled in the Convention Hall of the Great Southern Hotel, at Gulfport, and formally organized the Mississippi State Branch of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America. President M. A. Neff was in attendance at this meeting and fully explained to those present the various benefits and advantages to be derived from being affiliated with the league. Several matters of importance pertaining to the future welfare of the league were thoroughly discussed. A telegram was sent to Governor Brewer asking permission for all moving picture shows in the State to remain open Sunday, April 9th and give the receipts for the day to the Ohio storm sufferers. In reply Governor Brewer telegraphed to State VicePresident Fred Abbley as follows: "I have no authority to grant you privilege to show on Sunday for benefit storm sufferers. Will have to see local authorities, who will doubtless aid you in your charitable work." (Signed) Earl Brewer. Various members of the league, therefore, as advised in the telegram are asking permission from local authorities, with what success has not yet been learned. The officers elected at the Gulfport meeting are as follows: Mr. Fred Abbley, Gulfport, re-elected vice-president National League; H. A. Carleton, Jackson, president; B. A. Mulligan, Vicksburg, first vice-president; C. H. Howell, Okolona, second vice-president; R. H. Redus, West Point, secretary; G. W. Wilkes, Biloxi, treasurer; S. L. Taylor, Pass Christian, scrgeant-at-arms.