The Moving picture world (June 1921)

492 MOVING PICTURE WORLD June 4, 1921 Colorado and Iowa Affiliate with M. P. T. O. A—Both States Elect Officers Two more states have joined the ranks of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, the new addi- tions being Colorado and Iowa. Both of these states this week voted to affiliate with the national organization and have indorsed the principles and policies of the M. P. T. O. A. The exhibitors of Colorado met at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver and formed a state unit to be known as the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Colorado. Senator James J. Walker of New York, national counsel of the M. P. T. O. A. Was present and addressed the gathering and was accorded a big ovation from the large assemblage of theatre owners of the state. Also present was S. I. Berman, executive secretary of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of New York state. Officers of Body Officers of the Colorado organization are as follows: president, Thomas Vick- roy, Denver; vice-presidents, Thomas Tompkins, Colorado Springs; Max Cohen, Trinidad; M. C. Gerhart, Fort Collins; treasurer. Max Schubach, Den- ver, and secretary, J. Broughton of Denver. Delegates to the national con- vention to be held in Minneapolis Mon- day, Tuesday and Wednesday, June 27, 28, 29, were also elected. In Iowa, the exhibitors of the state met May 24 at the New Savery Hotel in Des Moines and an active unit was or- ganized with the following officers: President, Harry Heirsteiner, Des Moines; vice presidents, J. C. Duncan, Sioux City; M. R. Tournier, Mason City; E. Metzer, Creston; treasurer, B. R. Van Dyke, Des Moines, and secretary, George B. Flint of Boone. Delegates to the national convention were elected. The delegates voted to affiliate with the national organization, the policies were strongly indorsed and delegates to the national convention were elected. Walker Addresses Delegates A mammoth mass meeting of the Mo- tion Picture Theatre Owners of Missouri and Kansas was held at Kansas City, May 23, at the Meuhlbach Hotel. The dele- gates were addressed by Senator Walker, who is carrying a message from the na- tional organization across the nation to all exhibitors. Others present at the con- vention were S. I. Berman of New York, and Richard J. Hopkins, Attorney Gen- eral of Missiouri, and state counsel of the M. P. T. O. of Missouri. An enthusiastic reception was accorded Senator Walker and the visitors, and dele- gates were elected to represent the states at the Minneapolis convention. Martin Van Praag of Kansas City gave a detailed report of the Executive Committee meet- ing in Washington. Members of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Western Pennsyl- vania and West Virginia met Monday and Tuesday, May 23 and 24, at the Fort Pitt Hotel in Pittsburgh. National Organizer I. M. Salyerds of Rochester, N. Y., ad- dressed the convention. Over $5,000 Raised At this convention there was raised more than $5,000 in cash, and the full ouota of the state was paid to the M. P. T. O. A. Executive Committeemen John S. Evans of Philadelphia and Henry Poke of Pittsburgh gave the delegates an ac- count of the committee sessions in Wash- ington. Officers of the M. P. T. O. of Pennsyl- vania who attended the convention in- cluded : President, John S. Evans, Phila- delphia, vice-presidents, Peter Magaro, Harrisburg; Fred Herrington, Pitts- burgh; Martin Matthews, New Castle; secretary, M. J. O'Toole, Scranton; as- sistant secretary, R. S. Koser, Lewisburg, and treasurer, Jacob Silverman of Altoona. Robertson-Cole Wins in Lumiere's Suit to Prevent Use of Carpentier Pictures THE Robertson-Cole Distributing Corporation has a perfect legal right to use for publicity purposes photographs of Georges Carpentier, who aspires to the heavyweight championship of the world, in exploiting "The Wonder Man," starring the French champion. Judge Julius M. Mayer in the United States District Court on May 24 dis- missed the suit brought against the film company by Samuel Lumiere, Fifth avenue photographer, who claimed that he had a copyright on the Carpentier photos which precluded their use by the film company without his consent. Basis of Copyright Claim The photographer based his copyright claim on a letter bearing the signature of Descamps, Carpentier's manager, which was signed at the Hotel Biltmore shortly after Carpentier had posed for a number of photos at the Lumiere gallery, but Judge Mayer held that this was not bind- ing either upon Carpentier or upon the film company. In a lengthy opinion reviewing the facts involved in the case and the testi- mony of numerous witnesses. Judge Mayer declared that the conduct of the plaintiff and his agents in the matter had not been commendable and expressed the opinion that it is quite clear that the Carpentier photos had been procured for the use of the film company in exploiting the Carpentier production and that the photographer has no legal right to pre- vent the film company from using the photos for publicity, or any other pur- poses. Had Been Imposed Upon Judge Mayer pointed out that Director Adolfi, who was engaged by Robertson- Cole to produce the Carpentier produc- tion, had been imposed upon by an agent of Lumiere. It was the director who made arrangements to have the Carpen- tier photos taken at the Lumiere gallery, but he insisted that there was no arrange- ment whereby the photographer was to have the privilege of copyrighting the pictures. Judgment Against Stoll Supreme Court Justice John M. Tier- ney has signed an order directing that judgment be entered against Frederick K. Stoll for $16,166 in favor of the U. S. Photoplay Corporation, of which he was president. **In the Shadow of the Dome'* has been condemned as unfit for public exhibition. The condemnation came from exhibitors within our industry and not from the censors without. This should be given the greatest possible publicity in print and by word of mouth. Read the account elsewhere in this issue and then keep talking about it.