Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1918)

March 2, 1918 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1211 culty in operating because on the days it is light until eight o'clock the hour of darkness will be nine o'clock. With the first show starting at nine o'clock and running until 10:15 or 10:30 it will be rather hard work for an exhibitor to get anv attendance for a second show on that night. Its advocates declare that it is fairly calculated to accomplish valuable economies in our national life, promote the comfort and convenience of many millions of our people, and it is regarded as of special value in the present national emergency. The measure has the approval of President Wilson, and will probably become a law at an early date. Manhattan Exhibitors Meet An Advertising Proposition Under Consideration — Transportation Company Offers Services — Exhibitors-Distributors' Plan Nears Completion. THE Manhattan local exhibitors' league held another protracted meeting at its rooms, 218 W. 42d street, on Tuesday afternoon, February 12. About sixty exhibitors attended. Before proceeding with the regular order of business Mr. Ginsberg, representing the New York American, expounded an advertising proposition, whereby the American would publish two or three days a week a special section advertising all the motion picture theaters of Greater New York, at a flat rate of thirty cents a line, one-half the usual charge. All ads. to be of uniform size of one inch or thirty lines, costing by the week $11.90. If necessary it would publish two pages, providing enough contracts could be secured to make the proposition pay. John Manheimer, president of the league requested Mr. Ginsberg to put his proposition in writing and he would present it to the executive board for consideration. Mr. Ginsberg said the allotted section would also contain notes and full reports of all proceedings the exhibitors' league wished published to give wide publicity to all matters they wanted to make known. Weinstock proposed a committee be appointed to look further into the matter, Messrs. Weinstock, Wolff and Hartsjen were thereupon appointed. J. M. Walsh, of the Exhibitors' Transportation Company addressed the meeting, setting forth a proposition for delivery of films. He said the company would put a sufficient number of new trucks into service to insure deliveries and would paint them any distinctive color selected by the exhibitors. It would bond its chauffeurs and bond itself to guarantee deliveries and loss and would also have emergency trucks on hand in case of accidents. If the exhibitors would guarantee 350 to 400 patrons, it would give this service at $5.00 for each customer. Mr. Walsh is head of the Walsh Transfer Company. The regular session was called to order by the chairman and opened with the roll call of officers, which will be the custom in future, to tell their regularity of attendance. A report of the committee on securing new quarters for the league was made by Sydney Cohn. He said the committee had been unable to make satisfactory arrangement for the 49th street building, but they had two or three other places in the same neighborhood under consideration. He also stated the Screen Club had made an offer to rent the league part of its building. W. C. Smith, treasurer of the Screen Club, was introduced and he briefly explained the offer by saying the club would let them have the parlor floor with use of restaurant and pool rooms for a more reasonable rental than they could secure quarters elsewhere. Mr. Cohn said his committee would meet a committee at the Screen Club on Thursday evening to go into the matter fully, so they could report to the league members and arrive at a decision. The matter of signing up with the "Producers-Exhibitors Affiliated" was taken up and the plan of "producers to exhibitors direct" was again thoroughly explained by I. M. Chadwick, who was introduced and given the privilege of the floor. After his explanation, Mr. Chadwick said he would answer any questions the members wished to ask him. One of the most debated questions was what comprised the metropolitan district of New York. There seemed to be a hitch on the borough of Queens, but that was settled by Mr. Gerdsen, who said Queens would assume any quota allotted to it and it would not quibble on the apportionment of the number of days given as its part of the contract. Mr. Chadwick explained that the metropolitan district included the five boroughs and the territory as far north as Yonkers. The number of days asked for by the "Producers-Exhibitors Affiliated" was 225, of these Queens was allotted 25. Representatives from New York, Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens locals were unanimous in adopting the plan, but asked an other interview with the representatives of the plan before signing contracts. It was suggested that a mass meeting of all the exhibitors of the metropolitan district be held to set forth what the local leagues thought of the proposition and induce the exhibitors to co-operate in advancing endorsement and consummation. Mr. Chadwick said that just as soon as New York signed the plan would start operations within two weeks, in fact it was ready now. He further announced that other producers were desirous of coming in on it, but they would not accept any who could not assure them of the standard and character of pictures to be distributed, which must be of the highest quality. A motion was made, seconded and carried to accord the Brooklyn Exhibitors' Association, which is temporarily without a meeting place, the use of the rooms of the Manhattan local until Brooklyn secured new quarters. The meeting adjourned at 5 p. m. Florida Exhibitors Hold Convention Cooley of Tampa is Re-elected President and La Belle Secretary at Largely Attended Meeting. ONE of the most successful conventions' ever held in Florida was opened February 6 by the Florida Exhibitors' League. A "get-together" spirit was manifested from the start. The opening session was informal, and was held in the private rooms of James B. Kelly, general sales manager of Consolidated, at the Seminole. After luncheon the regular meeting was held in the offices of E. J. Sparkes, general manager of the S. A. Lynch Enterprises, in the Arcade Theater Building. At the election) of officers C. D. Cooley of Tampa was re-elected unanimously as president, R. A. Mcintosh of Orlando vice-president, and Al. H. "Happy" La Belle secretary. The next convention will be held during the second week in May at Daytonia. After the meeting over fifty members and exchangemen were the guests of E. J. Sparks on an automobile trip. H. T. Titus of Daytonia and L. D. Joel of Jacksonville entertained members and exchangemen at a banquet on the Mason Hotel Roof Garden, the guests of this occasion being Harold Lockwood of York-Metro and Harry T. Morey of Vitagraph. Among those present at the banquet were : Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Bennet of Ocala, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Kalbfield of Palatka, Mrs. Kalbfield acting as toastmistress ; Miss Nell Kalbfield, Thornton Parker, St. Petersburg; Frank Genovar, St. Augustine; C. D. Cooley, Al. H. La Belle and Fletcher Catron, Tampa; B. Beacham, Jr., Orlando; H. T. Titus, Daytonia; C. E. Daffin, Tallahassee; William Dunworth and Master Dunworth, Miami; E. J. Sparks and Mrs. Sparks, Jacksonville; W. L. Whitehead, L. D. Joel, Mort Seligman and Gus Seligman, Jacksonville; Parrish & Carter, Gainsville ; Joe Marentette, Charles Kesnick, C. R. Beacham, W. T. "Doc" Koch, Atlanta; Walter J. Price, John R. Barton, Robert Similer, Harry K. Lucas, Moses Levy, Richardson Amderson, George Weaver, Frank Chamberlain and Mrs. Chamberlain, H. T. Coffey, Mike Coyne, C. T. Jordan, Walter Schmidt, William P. Spivens, James B. Kelley, Aleck R. Ninninger, Francis Rodgers and Claude Barton. Among the many little talks that were heard by members of this happy gathering the principal ones were made by Walter J. Price, who spoke on "The High Price of Film Rentals"; Aleck Vengeance Ninninger, who made a stirring address on "Film Salesmanship," and John R. Barton, whose engaging personality, shown in his talk on "The Two Barrel System," won the plaudits of every one present. The next day Thornton Parker was host on a motor trip, and the day following there was a large fishing trip to Mayport, planned by E. J. Sparks and Jess Clarke. PENNSYLVANIA EXHIBITORS EAT. The annual midday luncheon of the Exhibitors' League of Pennsylvania was given February 12, at the Bingham Hotel, in celebration of its amalgamation with the United Exhibitors' Associations of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. Over 100 local and out-of-town and local exhibitors were present, and prominent speakers were heard. Those who addressed the league were Lee Ochs, Fred Nixon-Nurdlinger, Dr. Lamberger, representing combined manufacturing interests ; Judge O'Donnell, C. Stamper, M. Steifel, Eugene and Fred Felt. J. Jeffries, Harry Smith, Ben Schindler, B. Roganser, Abraham Felt and J. Emanuel. Joseph McCready acted as toastmaster. After the luncheon the exhibitors were entertained by vaudeville talent.