The Moving picture world (May 1922)

May 20, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 249 Convention Taken by a World Photographer at the Opening Session will exert a favorable influence on music composing throughout the country. "We have 15,000 motion picture theatres in the United States subject to the exactions of the music trust. All other theatres, hotels, musical organizations and even radiograph users are also being made the victims of this trust. Clearing House "We can through the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, establish what might be termed a clearing house for musical compositions. Let us invite all composers in the nation to use our organization as a means of getting their compositions to tlie public. We can guarantee them an outlet which will be nation-wide in character. Establish a music department in connection with the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. Develop this so that definite connection will be had with printers who can handle musical compositions, and any competent printer can do this. Then arrange with the music stores to sell these compositions and also sell the same to our members. We can advertise the com positions in our theatres, giving it the widest possible kind of publicity in this relation and bring these musical selections to the personal attention, in demonstrated form of millions of people daily. "Let the music trust keep all the music it has and all it can get from its favorite composers will have an outlet for their pieces, national in character. No theatre owner will use one line of a music trust composition liccause we will have an abundance of better music of our own. Let us give this music to the .American public free of all levies — tax or bounty — just charging for the composition the ordinary music store price. In this way we can crush the music trust, ,t(ive a nation-wide stimulation to independent compQsers' efforts and revive good, inspiring music in the United States in a manner hitherto unheard of. We will exalt and dignify American music. Asks for Committee "We have the outlet, the avenues for ad vertising and demonstration, the direct contact with millions of people. We can secure the services of the composer as we can arrange with all on a royalty basis or other satisfactory way, and wc can easily publish selected compositions and get all out to the trade. The American public will welcome this relief from music trust exactions and stand by us in this matter. "I recommend that this convention appoint a committee to deal with this music tax proposition and to take into account all of its elements. This committee should work out all details associated with the establishment of an independent publishing and distributing music department connected with the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, and report to this convention later in the week. "We must keep in mind the fact that as theatre owners wc constitute the point of contact with the public and that anything aflfecting the industry which becomes a matter for public notoriety, of necessity involves our position in the public minds because the people generally know no other factors in our industry. They meet with an associate with the theatre owner daily. To them the producer is a vague personage, while that which is called