The Moving picture world (Oct - Nov 1919)

■acatioiial as magazines, newspapers and books. The comicittee presented c united front, but tffo of the witnesses ^ot tangled up in their argu- ments. The big bright spot in the hearing .vas the testimony of Charles C.Fettijohn,chairman of the legislative committee cl the N.A.id.P.I. Pressed for a suggestion as to .vhat relief .-.ould be of the most help, and seeing full well there was little possibility of favorable action, he made the plea: "Exempt from taxation all adm.issions of 25 cents and less. That is the price the poor people, the people of moderate means, pay." The shot went home, though later statements by com.mittee members perhaps discounted it. At the conclusion of the hearing Mr. ?s tt i jo'nn filed a briaf. Apparently the C0iTjT;ittee is striving to devise some way pf putting some of the hurden on manufacturers of raw stock, for the ^business was discussed at length, iir. Pettijohn suggested increasing the levies on certain other comimodities such as cosmetics. The con- gressman insisted on suggestions as to an alternative tax. NO IMMEDIATE REPEAL OF TAX.--S.I.Berman, executive secretary of the ^Zotion Picture Exhibitors' League,has returned to New York from tonferences .-,'ith larraiakers at '.7ashington with the information that there is no possibility cf an immediate repeal of film rental and admission taxes, He was in conference with Congressman Kahn , uho in- troduced the bill for the removal of the taxes, and with Ghairmaii ?crdney of the House Committee on Ways and .ieans, to which the Kahn oill has been referred. He also called on Dr. Claxton, United States / vcmmiissicner of Education, who locks upon the motion picture as a val- uable ail to adult education and who believes it is entitled to the Same protection as any other educational agency. Ivir. Berman issued a Statement saying that while it is not considered likely that relief lf_ill come in the next few months, the attitude of the merr.bers of the "louse to the present sad plight of the exhibitor is not due to any l-'idif lerence on their part. \ix. Kahn said that there was somie danger ir offensive and machine-made propaganda. Congressmen, he said, easily recognizes the earmarks of such propaganda and rather resents it. He oelieved that personal solicitation of prominent patrons is more ef- fsttive than a machine-m.ade orcoaganda with publicity head>iuarters. EDGAR LEWIS FORI/.S GOIi^ANY.—Edgar Lewis has been added to the grci ing list of Pathe producers. As heaa of the Edgar Lev.is Productions,In. ie will produce for Pathe a minimum; of four special features a year. Associated with him will be Harry Cahane. The first production aIII be Andrew Soutar's novel, "Other ^^len' s Shoes." C. E. ECKELS APPOINTED.—President S. L. Barnhard of the Capital Film Company has announced that C. E. (Eddie) Eckels has been appoint- ed general manager. MACGRATH MAKES DENIAL.—In a letter to V.oving Picture World Harold MacGrath, the author, denies that "Tisteria Productions, Inc., has purchased five of his stories, as auinounced recently. The letter says, that he has not sold any of his stories and does not conte.mpiate selling any to '/listeria. TOj' mix signs CONTRACT.—Tom Mix has signed a new contract for five years with Fox Film Corporation. '.Vord to this effect was recently received at the home office in New York from kVinfield R.Sheehan, gen- eral m^anager, who secured Mix's signature in Los An2;eles. SETBACK FOR LUMIEI^.—The application made by Samuel Lumiere, pro- prietor of the Lumiere Studio, New York, for an injunction pendente lite enjoining Pathe Exchange,Inc.,from using photos of Dolorei Cassinelli in advertising ffiOtion picture productions in which she is co-starring with E. K. Lincoln, was denied on October 4- by Judge Hough in the United States District Court,New York. "It .»'ill do no harm at all to the plaintiff to wait for an injunction until he tries his case "said the judge,"whereas an injunction at present ..ould be very harm- ful to the defendants, who, if their affidavits are true, have a per- fectly sound defense." PLAN SEATTLE THEAIRE.--John Danz,manager of the Colonial.Theatre, Seattle,and his associates have bought the property at Second Avenue,in that city, for approximately 5100,000 and will build a moderr fireproof oicture theatre, to seat 700. NE7/ e'xPERIMENTAL LABORATORY.--Goldwyn announces that it plans tha creation of an experimental laboratory in the form, and technic of the m.otion picture. It v.ill be located in New York and /vill open as soon as the eastern studios are completed. STUDIO SCHOOL ESTABLISHED.—Believing that systematical education of a studio force along technical as well as practical lines is essen- tial to the artistic production of miction pictures, J.N . Naulty , general manager of the Famous Flayers-Lasky Corporation, has established at th; Fifty-sixth street studio. New York, a school of instruction in charge of Robert M. Haas and Charles Osborn Seessel, of the art and technical department. The construction and dressing of sets will be studied.