The Moving picture world (May 1925-June 1925)

June 13, 1925 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 745 Uniform Daylight Saving Period Is Sought at M. P. T, O, N. Y* Convention Mayors, Also Conferring in Syracuse, Qet Copy of Resolution — Dillon of Ithaca Succeeds Hays — Healthy Treasury WILLIAM DILLON, of Ithaca, a veteran showman in New York State, was elected president of the New York State M. P. T.O., and Uly S. Hill, of Albany, was named as secretary, at a largely attended meeting of exhibitors constituting the Albany and Buffalo Zones, in Syracuse, on Tuesday, June 2. Louis Buettner, of Cohoes, was appointed by President Dillon, as chairman of the Albany Zone, while Jules Michaels, of Buffalo, was named to a similar position in the Buffalo Zone. About forty of the leading exhibitors in the two zones were present at the meeting, which was declared at its conclusion to be one of the most constructive gatherings of its kind ever held by the exhibitors of New York State. During the course of the meeting a resolution was adopted and presented to the New York State Conference of Mayors, also in session in Syracuse, suggesting that there he a uniform date throughout the State for the beginning and ending of daylight saving and further suggesting that daylight saving should start the last Sunday in May, and run to the first Sunday in September. At the present time, daylight saving begins at various times and is slated in some instances to end late in September, the whole tending to bring about a chaotic condition of affairs and one detrimental to all lines of business. Resolutions were also passed endorsing independence on the part of the producer and the exhibitor and advising exhibitors not to contract for film until they were thoroughly familiar with the selling policies of the companies. Before the session was over, Buettner as chairman of the Albany Zone, named the following as his working commitee: Uly S. Hill, of Albany; Meyer Schine, of Gloversville; Robert Wagner, of Little Falls; Lewis Fischer, of Fort Edward; W. W. Farley, of Albany, and L. L. Connors, of Cambridge. Jules Michaels named as his working committee in the Buffalo Zone, the following: Morris Slotkin, of Buffalo; Charles Hayman, of Niagara Falls; Walter Hays, of Syracuse; Sidney Allen, of Medina; Walter Callahan, of Rochester, and Michael Wood, of Jamestown. The first meeting leading up to Tuesday's session occurred on Monday night, in Syracuse, when the officers and board of directors of the two zones met in a conference that lasted until one o'clock in the morning. It was the original intention to nominate and elect Buettner as chairman of the state association, Buettner declaring meanwhile that while he appreciated the honor, he was not in a position to accept the nomination. Later on, with the fixing of a slate, it was decided to nominate Dillon for the presidency. Tuesday's meeting got under way early, in fact the exhibitors began gathering shortly after breakfast. Walter Hays, the retiring president, in giving his report, said in part: For the first time in our h^tory, we find ourselves at the end of a fiscal year with a substantial amount of cash in the treasury belonging to the exhibitors in the Buffalo and Albany Zones. It is my suggestion that we abolish the office of treasurer; that the offices in Albany be maintained by the Albany Zone, the same as the Buffalo office has been maintained by the Buffalo Zone; and all expenses incidental to the two zones be paid out of the respective treasuries. Watch your step most carefully in buying for this coming season. Above all, avoid if possible buying the entire product of a producer covering a period to August 1926. Otherwise, judging by past experience, you will be paying a high price for inferior pictures which will be handed to you next spring and summer. This season, more than ever, we are confronted with the rotten apples in the bottom of the basket. You signed your contract in the belief that you were buying an average line of product, but to my knowledge, since the early part of April, very few pictures of any merit have been released. The price remains the same, but the quality is inferior. The public rebels and the box office suffers. It would be far better to close our theatres in summer than to offer our patrons the poor substitutes for entertainment we are receiving week after week, and which, judging by some of the pre-releases I have seen, will continue to be of the same tawdry quality. You are paying a fancy price for a trademark, but there are dozens of pictures on the market just as good as the advertised brands being now offered, which you could buy for a fraction of the price you are paying under a contract signed many months before. You must change your methods of conducting your business to conform to the times. Pay all you can afford for good box office products, but do not allow yourself to be snared into signing a contract covering an entire year's product, which places you absolutely at the mercy of the producer. Your contract, you may be sure, insures a nice profit to the seller on every picture, but you will be lucky if you make real money on 40 per cent, of your purchase, and you will either break even or lose on 60 per cent. In this connection it is well to observe that whereas the product of the largest producers has shown little improvement the past season, that of the junior organization, has been forging rapidly to the front, and this program of several which I have in mind will compare with the best on the market. If the making of some good box office pictures does not cause these organizations to lose their balance there will be plenty of business for them. My experience in the past in trying to do business with the socalled second line producer has not been satisfactory, and invariably a price that staggers me is asked for a picture of any merit, so that I have often felt that i; they rode in the saddle, they would be more rapacious than the gentlemen whom we allow to control our destinies as at present. Conditions remaining as they are, no law will be placed on the statute books of New York State by and with the support of the Hays organization without the approval of this exhibitor organization. If legislation is introduced in Albany, that is adverse to our interests, the Hays organization will lend its moral and financial support in aiding us to fight it. They could and would be better friends to us if we were better friends to them. In connection with the session it was revealed that with all bills paid, the Buffalo Zone has a bank balance of about $2,500, and the Albany Zone, despite the fact that it has been in existence only a few months;, has a balance of about $1,500. The statement was also made at the meeting that during the past year a total of 1,500,000 contracts were made between exhibitors and exchanges and that of this number 11,000 were disputed; 3,500 being arbitrated and the remaining number being amicably settled; 17 of these questioned to the extent of going to the seventh arbitrator and only four going to the extent of entering the legal courts. Skeletonized by-laws were discused and a set of by-laws will shortly be drawn up that will completely and satisfactorily govern the functioning of both the Albany and the Buffalo Zones. During the session there was an interesting talk from Gabriel Hess, general counsel for the Arbitration end of the Hays organization. The following resolution was adopted : This body is heartily in accord with the principle of independence, both in the production and exhibitor field. We believe that the only way we can maintain our independence is not to confine out buying to any one or two companies but to give a share of our business to all distributors releasing good productions. We strongly advise the exhibitor not to contract for any film service until he has familiarized himself with the various selling policies, the class of productions offered, and his actual requirements. Your local Zone officials will be glad to advise you on any phase which you may not understand. Do not be in a hurry to buy, conserve your play dates as they are your only protection. This season will show approximately 840 good productions, more than any one exhibitor can absorb. Take your time, do not be in a hurry to buy. Hold your play dates. Without play dates it will not matter what price you are offered later on, you would not be able to play them. At the meeting were: Uly S. Hill, Albany; Louis Buettner, Cohoes; J. Meyer Schine and Ben Davis, Gloversville; Lew Fischer, Fort Edward; Charles McCarthy of Hoosick Falls; Robert Wagner, Little Falls; William Dillon, of Ithaca; Charles Sesonske, of Johnstown; Walter Hays, Jules Michaels, Morris Slotkin, of Buffalo; Charles Hayman, Niagara Falls; Sidney Allen, Medina; James Roe, George Bladen, M. Fitzer, Frank Becker, Jack Griswold, George Phillips, George Dowling, R. Merriman, George Smith, Jerry Harrison and James Constantino, of Syracuse; Nick Vassileades, of Buffalo; Rae Candee. Utica; Chester and John Fenny vessy of Rochester; John Volleiy, Buffalo; Howard Shannon, Rochester.