The Moving picture world (October 1920)

October 16, 1920 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 909 Northern California Exhibitors Demand Expulsion of Rembusch from Committee San Francisco, October 5. (By Wire to Moving Picture World) THE first annual convention of the Northern California Division, Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, opened here today at the San Francisco Exposition auditorium with a good attendance. The sessions will last three days. Among the enthusiastic exhibitors attending was a party of seventeen from Southern California headed by Glenn Harper. A. N. Jackson, chairman of the convention committee, introduced the officers and the meeting was turned over to President D. S. Markowitz. C. C. Griffin, national vice-president, was chosen permanent chairman, N. K. Herzog, convention secretary ; J. H. Hart, assistant secretary; H. Gobish, sergeant-at-arms ; Morris Klein, convention treasurer, and Aaron Goldberg, vice-chairman. It was decided to admit none except registered delegates and the press except at certain open meetings. The afternoon meeting opened with a roll call. About fifty delegates responded and heard the reading of telegrams from W. W. Hodkinson, pledging meritorious productions for independent exhibitors, and national President Sydney S. Cohen and Howard Hickman. The appointment of committees followed. The chairmen of the various committees are: credentials, Morris Klein; arrangements, A. N. Jackson; organization, A. E. King ; business relations, Sam Gordon ; resolutions, H. Blair. A. N. Jackson related the story of the Cleveland convention and referred to what he termed slanderous attacks made since on President Cohen by Frank J. Rembusch, whose appointment as a member of the executive committee at the time of the convention was thought to have bridged over the differences between the two men. Following the reading of an open letter from Mr. Rembusch to President Cohen, a resolution was adopted requesting the national executive committee to remove Mr. Rembusch from the board. Another resolution passed was as follows : "This convention regrets the use of the news columns of Moving Picture World and Motion Picture News for the venting of personal spite, as a grave wrong." Resolutions supporting President Cohen were adopted. Wednesday's Session. AS the Wednesday morning session (October 6) opened, Chairman Griffin introduced Paul Clagstone, western division representative of the United States Chamber of Commerce. He spoke in a general way on the organization of business and the work of the chamber in recent years, stating that some branches of the moving picture industry are already represented but not the exhibitors. He told the delegates they must have a group association and a general one to reach Congress effectively. Supervisor Charles Nelson welcomed SCENE FROM "THE WHITE BUTTLE," A HARRY LEVEY PRODUCTION "You must be good children now," says Lillian Bonnie to the Carr Kiddies. the delegates on behalf of Mayor Rolph. W. O. Edmonds spoke for the Hodkinson organization; W. A. Crank for Associated Producers, Sam Y. Edwards for First National, H. G. Goldberg for Selzmck, W. W. Kofeldt for Pathe, Louis Hyman for All Star and H. C. Schmidt on behalf of the old time exhibitors. Chairman Griffin made a splendid talk m organization, declaring that the national body has not been formed for combatting any branch of the industry. The exhibitors have been the only branch of the industry that has been unorganized, though it is only proper for them to get together, he said. The question of film prices has never entered into any discussions of the body, this being left to the law of supply and demand, he continued, and he told how exhibitors must have protection in the form of an organization and how he hopes the present organization will soon be able to smooth out the rough spots. There are abuses affecting both exhibitors and producers, he said, but he hoped to eliminate them through mutual better understanding. On a recent trip east he found producers ready to co-operate and considering many vital questions. Glenn Harper of Los Angeles, national committeeman, discussed the practices of exchanges in selling a number of pictures and then cancelling after one or two prove successful, and demanding more money. He invited Northern California exhibitors to the Los Angeles convention on December 7. H. J. Siler, president of the Los Angeles association, spoke on the tendency of exhibitors to bid against each other to secure films. He was followed by Dan S. Markowitz who spoke on the tax question. The latter urged co-operation with such a body as the United States Chamber of Commerce. Resolutions were adopted opposing all forms of censorship, offering the free use of the screen to the government for the promotion of the welfare of the public, opposing the 5 per cent, tax on films and urging steps toward its repeal, favoring the importation of foreign-made films because domestic producers are entering the exhibiting field, disapproving forced bookings where the exhibitor is compelled to take the full output to secure the states he desires, opposing collective booking on a national or local scale, suggesting that members refrain from entering franchise contracts until the national body investigates the franchises, pledging support to i he national body and its president, and changing the name of the California body from the California Exhibitors' Protective League to the Moving Picture Theatre Owners, American Northern California Division.