The Moving picture world (March 1922)

90 MOVING PICTURE WORLD March 4, 1922 PROJECTION Defotds Union From Brother Charles A. Hudson, Trinidad, Colorado, comes the following: Friend Jorgensen's letter in December 24 issue was very interesting. It is evidence that at least some projectionists in foreign countries know what they are doing. But in this letter I am after your nanny, because you took a shot at the I. A. under the caption "Who Is Who," in a recent issue, and as a member and a local union officer you have stepped on my toes. Of course the proposition that there are some instances where the operators, or pro- jectionists have a kick coming is freely granted. Everything considered, however, could they have done better had they been in a separate organization? I doubt it. I believe that, all circumstances considered, the projectionists are getting a square deal. I say this because in the past there have been many controversies which the projectionists could not have handled alone. As the matter lies the combination of the two have a better chance of enforcing their demands than either would have alone. If there were a division I believe we would have to contend with the same condition which exists between the railway shopcrafts and the trainmen. Not so long since I carried a card in the I. A. of M. and know what the five big brotherhoods tried to hand us. The memory is NOT pleasant. Ten to one the same con- dition would arise were there a division of the projectionists and the stage employees. Willing to Admit I am, however, willing to freely admit that there is room for improvement in our organization, which same can be said of any organization or government in the world. In our own local we have twice as many Btage employees as projectionists, yet we get along very nicely. Disputes of projectionists are settled by a committee of projectionists, and the same thing applies to the stage employees. But where you got my goat was the state- ment recommending that the A. F. of L. be made a supreme tribunal of justice. How come? Surely you do not mean to infer that the A. F. of L. would deal us a square hand after the lemons they have handed us in the past? What about the jurisdictional disputes in the motion picture studios? The convention does very well for the highest court of Justice. As for the I. A. taking a slap at you, why I don't know anything about that, but see no reason why they should, nor do I believe any of our officers would unless they believed themselves justified in so doing. Organizing an Auxiliary And, bye the way. we are organizing an auxiliary of this local, which same will deal with nothing but projection matters. To be eligible one is required to either have or procure a Richardson Handbook. There are no initiation fees. The auxiliary will supply all other literatu'-e, which will be paid for by assessment. I a n of the opinion that this move will result in much good in helping the men to keep up to date in technical know- ledge of the profession, and at a nominal cost. I hope you have some luck in getting some- one to make or handle some real projection room tools. I feel safe in s.iying that every projectionist in our local will order a set. Read With Amusement I read what the good brother said with a bit of amusement. If you examine the article he refers to you will find that it all led up to the fact that I object to the projectionist being bossed around by stage hands. I did NOT either say or intimate that I believed a division would be advisable, but I S:9 F.H.RICHARDSON Notice to All PRESSURE on our columns Is such that published replies to questions cannot be guaranteed under two or three weeks. If quick action Is de- sired remit tour cents, stamps, and we will send carbon copy of department reply as soon as written. For special replies by mall on mat- ters which, for any reason, cannot be replied to through our department re- mit one dollar. THE LENS CHART Are You Working by "Guess" or Do You Employ Up-to-Date MethodsT You demand that your employer keep his equipment In good order and up to date. He owes It both to himself and to you to do so, but you owe It to him to keep abreast with the times In knowledge and In your methods. The lens chart (two In one, 11x17 Inches, on heavy paper for framing:) Is in successful use by hundreds of progressive projectionists. "Don't guess." Do your work RIGHT. Price, fifty cents, stamps. Address Moving Picture World, either 516 Fifth Avenue, New York City; Garrick Building, Chicago, 111., or Wright & Callender Building, Los Angeles, Cal. most emphatically do believe our men should, within reason, handle their own affairs. By this I mean that in mixed locals matters should be handled just as Friend Hudson says they are handled in the Trinidad local, but if there is a difference of opinion, then someone must decide. For instance, suppose the projectionists want to demand a raise in wages, but the stage em- > ployee members of the local object, then some comparatively distinterested body should decide the matter of who is right and who is wrong, because if a strike occurs the stage employees will necessarially be involved and must give their support. And when a projectionist local wants to do something which the I. A. Inter- national officers (who are nearly all stage employees) refuse to allow, then, because the preponderance of numbers IS on the stage em- ployee's side, there should be some way of settling the matter aside from the dictum of the stage employee officers. A Suggestion I suggested the A. F. of L. Perhaps it would not be a suitable body. Perhaps some suitable arrangement could be made inside the organization. I do not know, but I certainly do NOT believe that the great body of men who have in their hands the reproduction of photoplays containing some of the best art in all the world, and who by themselves stage a Handbook Bulletin Doing all that can be done. Have read and corrected nearly all the galley proofs. Expect within say two weeks to begin reading page proofs, and making index and question lists. That will take any- where from two weeks to a month, but at its end the thing will go fast. I repeat: doing all we can. The only con- solation is that when we finally do get It done and out it will be a humdinger. F. H. RICHARDSON. whole play for audiences, of from 500 to 3,000 people, who must have an exceptionally wide range of knowledge and must be men with ideas, knowledge and BRAINS, ought to be bossed around by and have their affairs abso- lutely at the mercy of anybody but themselves. I have myself witnessed I. A. conventions, and know what chance anything has which does not suit the stage employee element. It is time the projectionists demanded the handling of their own affairs, though within the present organization, if the right to do so can be se- cured. On that Brother Hudson and I thoroughly agree. As to the I. A. and myself, I do not know, nor can I understand why certain international officers (stage employees) have assumed the attitude they have, nor do I particularly care. I have thought perhaps it is chargeable to the fact that the international office is, as many who know the workings of that body have re- marked to me. extremely unwilling that any one except itself shall have any credit what- soever for doing anything worth while for the men. Where Credit Must Rest One is welcome to do all one will, BUT the credit, and ALL the credit must rest in the I. A. Charles Shay, himself, was the only man we have ever known in the international office who was will'ng to publ'cly give credit, at least in some degree, for things done by men outside the I. A. office. There are international officers for whom I have an abiding esteem. International secre- tary is a man any one may be proud to call friend. Brothers Covert and Cannavan are men whose friendship I value highly. The international president I do not personally know, but my dealings with the gentleman, to date, have not been such as would cause me to hold out the hand of friendship. Well, anyhow I do what I think is right, and while I am always willing to admit and apologize for any wrong I may do—and we all do wrong unwittingly at times—and make it right if I can. still I am abundantly able to fight my own battles, and I ask no odds of the I. A. or anyone else. I do. however, object to having my personal correspondence with international officers turned over, in toto, to a third party, in an endeavor, though an abortive one, to do me and my work as much injury as such an act could accomplish, and the men who did it apparently expected (and hoped) the damage would be very great. But even over that I am not worrying. If the men who did such a thing can square it with their conscience, I guess there is no reason why I should throw a fit because of it. My experience is that such things carry their own punishment in the end. As to the auxiliary, if I understand what you are doing, the move is a good one. I will transmit your request concerning the books to the book department of the Moving Picture World, as I have absolutely nothing to do with the sale of the books. The third edition you cannot obtain. It is exhausted. Important to I. A. Men In the February 4 issue I published a letter from a large union in a large city, in which the union proposed a campaign for a projectionist international president. I commented at some length on the whole matter, and said I was willing to lead a fight—if a fight were necessary—for two things; also that Charles Shay, past presi- dent, was THE man for international presi-