The Moving picture world (May 1922)

May 6, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 31 Cheer and Urge Walker to Repudiate Charges ofM. P. T. O. A. Clique Popular Erstwhile General Counsel Will he Nominated in Washington — Officials Deny Having Granted Executive Committee or Anyone Else Power of Attorney — True Candidacy Constitutes Genuine Comedy the beginning and even before you organized I was with you. The records show that. I have given €very thing I've got in me. I came into your organization clean — and I'm going out clean. "I came here to answer those dirty, rotten lies, but I find that those who made them have remained away. But you can tell the whole world that Senator James J. Walker was here. And he'll be anywhere and at any time to face any and every charge that has been made against him. I have fought for you — and, boys, I've even bled for you. "For two years I've stood by your side; for two years I've been a pal to you all. But it's all over now. I'm through. I can no longer live in an atmosphere of intrigue, hypocrisy and deception. I never did and never will. I'm leaving clean. "I've loved this business because I've cared for you, but you can't rip the heart out of me and expect me to stay in it; you can't write the name of Walker all over a mat and walk on it and expect me to stand idly by and look on. It can't be done. I'm going to go — and I hate to go, but it's the end. I have not yet reached the low level where I care naught for self-respect or my manhood. I'm protecting both. And I'm going." Tears streamed down his cheeks as he bade the exhibitors "good-bye." And hundreds of voices rang out in unison: "Don't let him go!" But the Senator was determined. "Boys, I want you all to know that I always will love you all, but I have myself to think about in this case. I'm leaving because I'm going out to fight as I have never fought before in my life." "Stay, Jim, stay!" rang out the exhibitors. Jim, as he is affectionately known to his pals, finally was induced to stay, but when a motion was made by William Brandt, formerly President of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners' Chamber of Commerce, to nominate him for the presidency of the M. P. T, 0. A,, the Senator jumped on his feet and shouted: "Nothing doing! Nothing doing!" And here the exhibitors began to crowd about the Senator vainly urging him to accept the nomination. Charles L. O'Reilly, President of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of New York State, at this point announced that only a few hours previous the Senator had declined to accept the post of counsel for that organization. "Boys, I'm grateful to you all — and I know you all mean well; God bless you for that. But, boys, I've got a bigger job to do. I've got to clear my name. Cohen and his henchmen have not heard Uie end of this and by all the living Gods above I swear that these charges made against me are nothing but dirty, rotten and contemptible lies." Amid a cheer that rang through the entire hotel, the exhibitors pleaded and pleaded with the Senator to accept the nomination, but again he refused, although later Mr. Brandt announced he would present Walker's name on the convention floor in Washington. While the Chamber of Commerce meeting furnished the outstanding feature of a most historic week, developments in the controversy that resulted from the issuance of the public statements attacking Walker in spite of the fact that the latter had never announced his candidacy for the presidency of the M. P. T. 0. A., directly or indirectly, unearthed startling facts concerning the methods utilized by a certain clique in advancing the campaign of Cohen. Cohen officially announced this week his candidacy for re-election. This announcement he made in telegrams communicated to presidents of the State organizations. This writer in the course of interviews with officials of the theatre owners' organizations of Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin ascertained that a group of men sought permission from various State presidents, secretaries and others to use their names to statements to be used in "protesting against the campaign of Walker" without knowing what the contents of these telegrams would be. Martin G. Smith, President of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Ohio, in Toledo, Ohio, on Saturday evening, April 23, showed this writer a telegram he had received from a committee