The Moving picture world (May 1922)

May 6, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 35 lie, because I gave out no statement and could not have said any such thing. I am here today to face some of these malicious lies. Then it's up to you, but you will have to stand up and be counted just as I have to stand up and be counted in Albany when put to the test on any measure. "I say that the statement of the M. P. T. ( ). .\. starts off with a malicious lie. I want to further say that while Cohen's name is not s:gned to that statement, he either wrote or dictated it over a typewriter. And he should l>e here to either affirm or deny that he did issue this statement. And why shouldn't he have come here? Who are here? His friends. Ves, his friends are here. But he don't dare face yoti. "Perhaps hypocrisy, deception and double dealings are part of his methods. Perhaps these don't mean anything in the motion picture business. But I tell you — and I'm here to tell you — that it is character that is involved in this issue with me." He continued reading from the M. P. T. (). A. press statement, and in reference to insinuations made therein against General Hays, Walker said that he would not be "a demagogue" and that Hays could take care of himself. "H I can't appeal to the reason of men," he added, "I will not appeal to their passion." '"This Cohen does not know what it means to say things against public men," he said. "We who are before the public must guard our character, for it is the public that judges us. A stateinent attacking the character of Cohen means nothing, for the question of the reader would be 'Who is this Cohen?' But with I lays it is different. He, like myself, have to report to the public by whom we are judged and I refuse to allow the public to judge me on a deluge of malicious lies. "I am in this tight and I'm going to fight to the last ditch. I refuse to allow this irresponsible A. J. Moeller to make statements like th( se to which he has attached his name when those statements are lies. And they will answer for every statement they have made. Mark those words well." Mr. Walker then read the following paragraohs from the statement: "If the producers want to hire a professional politician to run their affairs for them, that is their business. If there is not enough executive ability within the ranks of this special group of producers to conduct their business without going outside and engaging a politician, that is their misfortune. "Then again the screens of the motion picture theatres, owned by the theatre owners themselves, cannot be used for any political or other |)ropaRanda, no matter from what source this may proceed. The theatre owner will protect the public against any such debasement of the screen as is now contemplated in the political troves now under way. They will keep the screens free from the contact of professional politicians and hold the theatres in the service of the people." "This person has cast reflection on every public official. He should be here to be made to answer whether he considers every public official a professional politician. There isn't a uuMic official who has not taken exception to that charge and you'll hear more about that later. There isn't one man in public office, T sav. who has been and isn't insulted by this iralicious, dirty, rotten insinuation. He will be asked to answer tliis. And so will you. Just wait. "And did you read that reference to keeping the screens free from politics? You know where I stand on that. I always was against the use of the screens for political purposes. He says that the screeril; are being kept away from professional politicians. You know only too well what Cohen has asked you to do with yo'ir screens, so I won't go into that, but the miserable insinuation that I am a professional politician is something you will have to think about because public officials are incensed over this. "Perhaps it's been because I have fought so hard, because I've got the exhibitors here so many things that I am a professional politician. Well, I'm going to stake Cohen to this job. "You can't hire this professional politician any more at any salary under existing conditions." He also referred to a paragraph in the M. P. T. O. A. statement in which it was said : "This is especially displeasing to them when Senator Walker, now being boosted for this place by Producer elements and a few disloyal Theatre Owners, has publicly stated in the presence of Will H. Hays, who represents the Producers: T like Will Hays. I am willing to sit at his feet and take my mental prescription from him.' "Theatre Owners who for years have been subjected to the injustices and sharp practices of some of the men Hays represents, are not willing to 'sit at the feet of Hays and take their mental prescription from him,' Neither are they anxious to pay a professional politician $75,000 a year to do that feet worshipping act for them." The Hays statement was made in jest at the William Brandt testimonial dinner at the RitzCarlton. Those who listened, hissed the statement and assured Walker that his speech had been distorted and that the thought had been not completed, for the Senator on that occasion added that after he had seen what another had, he had decided to "change the doctor from whom he would take his mental prescription." The remark when made last week was received as a hearty joke and never intended to 1)e or taken seriously. Walker said : "This statement was not given to the trade press in which it would be published in its entirety. No, it wasn't intended that it should be published in its entirety. No, he gave it to the public press in the hope that it would be cut And he doesn't attach his signature to the statement, either. "I charge that Cohen is the provoker of this statement. It was given to the press out of his office. Now, if he didn't write it he knew about it. Would Mr. Moeller get out that statement without being authorized to issue it? Moeller has been appointed to be the bearer of the dirty work of this provoker against his pals. "The readers of the daily papers are not going to your convention in Washington, He didn't give the trade press that statement because he knew that he would be called upon to account for it at the convention. But while that newspaper reading public remains behind in New York, remember there will be a day of reckoning." He again referred to additional reference to "professional politicians" as "cheap and mean." "What is this job that Cohen is looking for with a mouth of lies?" asked Walker. "The difference between Cohen and me is that Cohen is chasing a job and I have several to choose from. But he can live on a job that stands for hypocrisy. "But his day is coming. Just remember this : that as fast as rats are born new rat traps are made. There is a rat trap for every rat. In the end the trap that was made for the rat gets that rat and my hope is that the trap will get no innocent bystander. "I'm through today, but not until I have told you everything ; not until I have cleared my name ; not until those who have lied are proven the rotten rats that they are. Then I'll say good-bye; perhaps, then you'll miss that chattering, funny, little Mick. "As you treat me so will the fellow who comes in my place judge you. What guarantee have you that you will not be stabbed in the back as I have been stabbed. And, remember, I was his closest pal." In reply to the charge that he had been negligent, he read the following from the statement : "Senator Walker has been the national counsel of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. Because of political and legislative activities. Senator Walker has been unable to give the necessary attention to the work of our organization, despite the fact that his retainer was $1,000 a month. For fully five months Senator Walker has done nothing whatever for our organization. He has been for three months of that time busy at Albany as a party leader and for two months was ill and unable to work. "Finally after it became manifest that Senator Walker could not or would not perform the service for which he was engaged, members of the National executive committee of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Amer The William S. Hart Company 5544>4 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California. April 21, 1922. Mr. Will H. Hays, Director General of the Motion Picture Industry. Dear Will Hays: Today I sent you the following wire in answer to one received from you: "Your wire received today. I regret exceedingly that I cannot arrange to be with you all during the big drive for the great cause. The popularity contest to select the favorite motion picture actor or actress at ten cents a vote is a mighty fine idea. I am mailing you my check for two hundred dollars and ten cents. Will you kindly purchase two thousand votes for Will Rogers with the two hundred dollars and one for me with the ten cents? I want to be sure of being a starter." In accordance witli the above I am enclosing my check for two hundred — and the dime. I wish mightily I could have fixed it to go to the Big Camp — for many reasons. The main one being that I sure would like to meet you and feel tlie grip of your fist. You have got a big job ahead of you, Will Hays, but you liave proven your.self a big man— so go to it. Every well balanced ])erson in the movies is with you and there are mighty few in the game that are off balance. Wishing you the greatest success. Always sincerely yours, Bill Hart.