Moving Picture World (Dec 1920)

570 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 4, 1920 Film Men Would Extend Parcel Post Facilities to Allow Shipments to All Paris of the World FOLLOWING the exclusive story in Moving Picture World last week, that the Interstate Commerce Commission is considering the enlargement of parcel post facilities affecting films, comes word of a campaign instituted by the transportation committee of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry for the extension of the system to all parts of the world. Two conferences were held by the committee on the subject during the past week and a hearing has been asked for before the Board of Fire Underwriters of New York City. For the past three months the Washington bureau of the National Association has been working on this matter with the postal authorities. Millard Johnson and W. A. Robbins of the Australasian Film Company have also been working on it. Under the present regulations it is impossible to ship film by parcel post except to a few countries. A change in the regulations would mean a saving of more than $1,000,000 a year to the export companies, it is estimated. Mr. Johnson contends it is unfair discrimination against the American exporter to prohibit him from shipping his film by parcel post while exporters of other countries enjoy this privilege ; that in the twenty years he has been in the exporting business in other countries, he has never lost a single reel of film and that none has been destroyed through shipping by parcel post. If the exporters New Censorship Move A movement in favor of censorship for moving pictures throughout Indiana by legislative enactment has been launched by a group of citizens at Elkhart, Ind. A resolution recommending that the Elkhart County representatives in the state legislature exert pressure on behalf of the movement at the session commencing January was passed at last week’s meeting of the Kiwanis Club. C. D. Greenleaf, president of the Elk * hart Chamber of Commerce, has been authorized to appoint a committee of five persons, representing the chamber and other interested organizations, to present the censorship proposition to the city authorities at Elkhart. In promoting the movement, the Elkhartans point out that they seek to co-operate with the theatre managers in improving the standard of their productions and intend no opposition to the managers. O. P. Bassett, chairman of the local committee, says he hopes to have the movement taken up elsewhere. are able to ship by parcel post to foreign countries, they will effect a saving of at least 50 per cent, in transportation charges. A report has been received from the Washington bureau of the national association that the Post Office Department is willing to accept motion picture film for foreign shipment by parcel post but that the Board of Fire Underwriters in New York has prohibited such shipments. Post office officials say the department can carry anything that is carried by freight. The national association received a report from the second assistant postmaster general concerning the shipment of film from Seattle and San Francisco, the two ports where shipments are now permitted. In San Francisco the local fire underwriters made an investigation of the situation and offered no objection to the manner which they are now being handled from that port. The following is part of a communication from the office of the second assistant postmaster general : “No special arrangements are necessary for taking the films aboard ship, excepting that it is the practice of this office to forward the same to the steamer on the last load of mail and turn them over separately to the mail officer on board in order that the usual precautions of storing away from light and heat may be complied with. Otherwise the handling given is the same as for other mails of similar classification — that is, the parcel post matter. “No criticism has been received by this office, and none is anticipated as regards the forwarding of such pack( Continued on page 57+) House and Senate Committees to Devote Time to Question of Revising Tariff Regulations ( Special to Moving Picture World.) WITH the near approach of a new session of Congress the attention of the industry is being turned toward the question tariff. It has been reported here that while no action will be taken towards revision, the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee will probably devote some time between December 6 and March 4 to this all-absorbing topic. Like in every other industry, there is going to be a diversity of opinion among motion picture men on this subject. Those who import films will not favor a high tariff, while those who manufacture strictly for the domestic market will want all the protection they can get. It is the latter class that will probably seek a change in the law of 1913. Students of this problem declare that whatever action is taken by the industry and its members, it should come only after a thorough investigation of world conditions and grave consideration. Thought must be given to possible reprisals from the countries with which we trade. It is declared by some of the members of the industry that there are certain foreign coun tries that are only waiting for an opportune time to restrict imports of motion pictures in order to foster home production. England, France and Italy — America’s best customers — will watch the activities of Congress very' closely. If a tariff act is adopted containing tax provisions on motion picture films that are apt to discourage the importation into the United States of the foreign product, even though normally our imports are small, they^ can readily seize upon that fact to enact similar legislation with respect to our own product and shut out our films. The House Ways and Means Committee has already received letters in favor and in protest of tampering with the present tariff. It is declared that a majority of the film men are opposed to a higher rate. ( Continued on page 575) The theatre that runs advertising pictures is killing its own business, and the exhibitor who is foolish enough to sanction it is cutting the ground from under his own feet.