Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1917)

1414 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD <Tne Motion Picture Exhibitor GETTING READY AT DAYTON.. Managing Director Wiley Busy With Arrangements and Plans for Entertaining Exhibitors — Good Amusement Program Promised. ACCORDING to the latest reports from Dayton, Ohio, the fourth annual convention of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America and the Second International Exposition of Motion Picture Art, which will be held during the week of that meeting, promise to be the greatest of motion picture trade events yet held in America. Demands for space in the convention hall has compelled the management to sub-divide the Auditorium floor to accommodate the applicants and the requests for hotel reservations from exhibitors indicates that there will be a record breaking attendance. At the offices of Secretary George H. Wiley, managing director of the exposition, there is a hum of activity. Clerks and stenographers are working overtime to keep up with the flood of correspondence from applicants for all sorts of accommodation, and the indications are that there will be a great overflow in the matter of attendance". Special inducements are being offered to exhibitors in the way of freight and storage concessions. Arrangements have been made with the Union Storage Company and the American Express Company for the prompt handling of freight and express matter. Goods intended for exposition will be cared for free of storage charges by the above companies even though they arrive a week or two before the convention opens. A minimum rate for transfer has been secured from the Union Storage Company. The convention and exposition hall will be opened on Monday, July 6, but it will be open for exhibitors June 29, when exhibits can be set up. The convention hall will be open at 9:30 o'clock each day during the meeting for the convenience of exhibitors, but the public will not be admitted before 1:30 o'clock. This is for the purpose of enabling the manufacturers to meet and transact business with the exhibitors. To encourage buying at the convention the management has arranged a series of prize offers in cash to the exhibitors who buy the largest volume of goods. The prizes range from $50 for the first to $10 for the sixth. One of the features of the convention and exposition will be a manufacturers' parade on Thursday, July 9. The manufacturer having the best display will receive a cash prize of $25. Prizes will be offered for the State branch making the best showing, Ohio excepted. Other interesting prizes will also be offered. Great preparations are being made by the citizens of Dayton to make the event a gala occasion. The streets will be decorated and lighted in regular carnival style. Excursion trains will be run from nearby points and every means toward making the exposition a success will be employed. It will be a great week for Dayton. A WASHINGTON SCREEN CLUB. Plans were perfected at a special meeting of the moving picture exhibitors and exchangemen for what is to be the Washington Screen Club, superseding the Exhibitors' and Exchangemen's Social Club. This club will admit to membership managers, assistant managers, roadmen and bookers of the exchanges: proprietors, managers and assistant managers of the theaters. The objects of the club were outlined by Chairman Dresner, who stated that the first order of business would be the election of officers. It was unanimously agreed that the. present officers should continue in their various capacities, and Mr. Dresner retained the chair as president. He stated that the club was primarily for social purposes and he hinted of the good times in store for the members. So broad was his hint of banquets and outings that one of the members from the Northwest section excitedly asked if it would not be possible to inaugurate the first of these the following day and to have another the. day after. Thus the officers felt fully compensated for the hard work entailed in making the "Short Cir cuit" of the previous month the success that it had proven to be. However, the gentleman was informed that his wish would be gratified, but not in so brief a period, for the officers who constitute the entertainment committee as well have under way plans for a second "Short Circuit," which, if possible, will eclipse the other. It was agreed upon that dues of $3 per annum will be exacted from each member, this amount to be in addition to the monthly entertainment assessments which are to be levied only upon those who participate. This will be incorporated in the new constitution and by-laws which Messrs. O'Brien. A. Brylawski and Bachrach have been detailed to prepare and present at a special meeting to be called early in June. Honorary membership was conferred on the correspondent of the Moving Picture World and of those daily newspapers which devote space to the moving picture industry. The Washington Screen Club, as now organized, has a membership of fifty, with good prospects of more than doubling that number in a very short time under the rules defining eligibility-to membership. Each of the present members has been delegated as a committee of one to bring his neighbor into the fold, and from the interest already, manifested it is believed that the club will prove a great success. The officers of the club are: A. Dresner, president; M. Davis, vice-president; Harry Crandall, secretary, and Joseph .Morgan, treasurer. OKLAHOMA DELEGATES CHOSEN. At a meeting of the directors of the Oklahoma branch of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America, held at Tulsa recently, the resignation of Carl Gregg, president, was tendered and accepted and Vice-President Albert Jackson, of Pawhuska, was elected to fill the vacancy. Mr. Gregg's resignation was caused by his recent election to the office of commissioner of Tulsa. B. H. Powell, of Oklahoma, was elected to the office of vice-president. The selection of delegates to the National Convention at Dayton, Ohio, was on the order of business and the following members were named: William M. Smith, B. F. Rothstein, Frank Leiber. L. W. Brophy, J. L. Olive and Carl Gregg. The secretary was authorized to issue credentials to six exhibitors as alternates. A number of applicants for membership were elected and other business of importance transacted. Secretary Brophy reports that a number of Oklahoma exhibitors have signified their intention of attending the Dayton convention. The next state convention of Oklahoma exhibitors was set for September 29 and 30 at Oklahoma City. NEW JERSEY LEAGUE DISBANDS. The New Jersey Branch of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America, at a meeting held in the Meier Building, Newark, New Jersey, on Wednesday, May 20th, formally withdrew from the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League and disbanded. Immediately afterwards a new organization was formed and the following officers were elected : President, J. Stearn ; Vicepresident, C. J. Hasenauer; Secretary, Walter H. Meier; Treasurer, F. B. Glazier. There were fifty-eight exhibitors in attendance at the meeting all of whom expressed their intention of attending the New York Convention and Exposition, during the week of June 8th to 13th. ALABAMA CONVENTION. A meeting of motion picture exhibitors ot Alabama was held at the Hillman Hotel, Birmingham, on May 21, 22 and 23. Exhibitors from Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia joined in making this gathering a success. Officers of the Alabama league were elected as follows: President, J. F. Gulls, Anniston; first vice-president, W. T. Hotell, Tuscaloosa; second vice-president, Walter Geir. Anniston; secretary and treasurer, R. B. Wilby, Selma; national vice-president, A. A. Wall, Birmingham. The convention was very harmonious and a large amount of business was transacted.