The Moving picture world (June 1921)

690 MOVING PICTURE WORLD June 18, 1921 Wm. A. Brady Unanimously Re-Elected President of the National Association All Other Officers Continued and Directors Are Chosen WILLIAM A. BRADY was unani- mously re-elected president of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry at a meeting of the organization's newly elected directors on June 6 at the association's headquar- ters at 1520 Broadway, New York Cit\-. All the other officers were also re-elected. They are as follows: Vice-Presidents, Adolph Zukor, Samuel Goldwyn, H. H. Cochrane, Paul H. Cromelin, Will C. Smith, and E. M. Porter; treasurer, Jules E. Brulatour; assistant treasurers, Percy L. Waters and Richard A. Rowland; executive secretary, Frederick H. Elliott. The election immediately followed the fifth annual meeting of the National Association at which the following direc- tors were chosen for the several divisions. Producers' Dnnsion — William A. Brady, William A. Brady Picture Plays; William Fox, Fox Film: Samuel Goldwyn, Goldwyn ; D. W. Griffith, D. W. Griffith; Morris Kohn, Real- art : Carl Laemmle, Universal; Oscar A. Price, Associated Producers; Richard A. Rowland, Metro: Joseph M. Schenck, Norma Talmadge Pictures Corp.; Lewis J. Selznick, Selznick; G. B. Van Cleve, International Film Service; -Adolph Zukor, Famous Players-Lasky; F. H. Elliott, secretary. Supply and Equipment Division —Harry N. .\llen, Wyanoak Publishing Co.; J. E. Brula- tour, Eastman Films; Willard B. Cook, Pathe- scope Co. of America; H. T. Edwards, United Theatre Equipment Co.; B. J. Knoppelman, Excelsior Illustrating Co.; Walter J. Moore, H. C. Miner Litho. Co.; E. M. Porter, Pre- cision Machine Co.; Will C. Smith, Nicholas Power Co.; L. P. Weber, Acme Litho. Co. Distributors' Diinsion — Hiram Abrams, United Artists; W. E. Atkinson, Metro; R. H. Cochrane, Universal; Charles R. Rogers, Rob- ertson-Cole; Lee Conselman, Famous Play- ers-Lasky ; Earl W. Hammons, Educational Film Exchanges; Gabriel L. Hess, Goldwyn; W Lichtman, Associated Producers; C. C. Pettijohn, Selznick : Saul E. Rogers, Fox Film ; Percy L. Waters, Triangle Film; J. D. Will- iams, Associated First National Pictures; F. H. Elliott, secretary. General Diinsion —Fred J. Beecroft, Paul H. Cromelin, John C. Flinn, Paul Gulick, Robert W. Priest, Martin J. Quigley, Fred N. Rothen- berg. P. H. Stilson, Thomas G. Wiley; J. M. Solomon, secretary. The meeting was one of the best at- tended since the organization of the as- sociation. President Brady made a short address, but left to the various committee chairmen the duty of reciting the many phases of activities of the association. Suggestion for JVar Chest The recommendation that a day be des- ignated each year as "Motion Picture Dav" for the creation of a large fund to be used for the legitimate defense of the industry and for donations to humanita- rian organizations was made by Chair- man C. C. Pettijohn. of the Committee on Humanitarian Relief Funds. This rec- ommendation followed Mr. Pettijohn's report on the successful Hoover drive, whereby more than $2,750,000 was raised by the industry, and the campaign for fimds to aid the y\merican Committee for Relief in Ireland, in which $50,000 has already been raised by the industry. "Much has been said about the power of the screen," said Mr. Pettijohn. "It unquestionably exists, but is an 'unhar- nessed Niagara.' " Why can we not har- ness this powerful force once and for all and keep it going in the right direction ? The following suggestion and recommen- dations are ofifered: "Set aside one day each year to be known as 'Motion Picture Day.' Let every producer and distributor upon this day furnish free of charge all motion pic- ture films used by exhibitors in the United States. Let each exhibitor turn over to a central committee such per- centage of his gross receipts as may be agreed fair and just. Let this central committee be composed of ten exhibitors and ten members from other branches of the trade, including producers, distrib- utors, supply men, actors, directors, etc. Then select the twenty-first man, who shall be one of the biggest citizens in America and who shall be chairman of this joint committee. Purposes of Fund "On this day let us create a fund or a 'war chest' of two or three millions of dollars to be used for the following pur- poses : "First—The legitimate defense of the industry. "Second—This central committee may be applied to any organization desiring the co-operation of the motion picture in- dustry in public efforts, such as drives for the various well known relief organi- zations, the care of mothers and children at childbirth, the care and comfort of crippled and maimed soldiers of the late war, etc. "We can create in one day a tre- mendous force for good that will forever sicken into shame the bigoted meddlers who are daily harassing us. "Let the industry stand alone and on its own feet in this great work, without co-operation from any outside source whatsoever. This will stop all drives and solicitation of funds in theatres through- out the country, and the theatre-going public, which is now tired of being so- li-ited in theatres, will not be molested when they attend performances and will not remain away in fear of being iiarassed by solicitation for funds. The increase in attendance will more than ofT- set the fund created. It will also elim- inate the 'overhead' of these collections and waste involved in putting over sep- arate drives and the industry itself will be credited with its own accomplishment." Gabriel L. Hess, chairman of the Cen- sorship Committee, reported that censor- ship legislation had been introduced in thirty-seven states, nearly 100 measures in all, that in thirty-three states such leg- islation was defeated, that in two. New York and Massachusetts, censorship laws were passed and that in Illinois and Flori- da measures are still pending. "Opposition to censorship legislation this year has been more difficult than heretofore," said Mr. Hess, "not because of any greater public demand for this class of legislation, but because the pro- ponents of censorship have been better organized and more aggressive than in former years." Public Joins Mr. Hess said that while the activities of censorship proponents had increased there was a keener appreciation by the public generally to the menace of censor- ship and that this fact had been particu- larly evidenced by the hearty co-operation with the industry, which has been ex- tended by women's organizations in many communities—organizations such as the Indiana Indorsers of Photoplays and va- rious Parent-Teacher associations and Congress of Mothers. "The American public," he continued, "normally clean-minded and discriminat- ing in its choice of wholesome amuse- ment, is daily refuting the arguments of censorship proponents that any necessity exists for legalized screen control. This is clearly evidenced by the steady increase in attendance at motion pictures through- out the United States—a daily attendance conservatively estimated at 20,000,000 persons." Mr. Hess urged that no support be given by the industry to the suggestions for federal censorship. "The argument has been advanced," he said, "that federal censorship would af- ford a relief from the handicaps imposed upon the industry by state regulation of the screen. Such a belief is absurd. Na- tional control of banking institutions, rail- ways, insurance, food and drugs has not induced the states to abolish their own regulatory commissions and boards, nor will they so long as the principle of state rights is maintained and fat jobs are pro- vided for politicians." Mr. Hess called attention to the fact that the industry itself through a rigid observance of the production standards adopted by the National Association has the means within its hands to overcome and break down all agitation for legalized censorship, and that the producers, by living up to these standards, will be even- tually relieved of the burdensome duty of defending itself each year against the