The Moving picture world (May 1922)

May 20, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 315 Attempt of Reformers at Investigation of Industry Fizzles Before Shortridge THE remedy for violations of state laws is to be obtained through the perfecting of the state statutes and not through federal legislation, according to Chairman Shortridge, of the subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee, charged with investigating the desirability of probing the political activities of the motion picture industry. Legislative reform advocates received little solace from Senator Shortridge when appearing before him on May 9 to tell him about the introduction in Wisconsin of the Dempsey-Carpentier fight pictures. The Rev. S. Paterson Todd, of Milmaukee, was the witness. He was accompanied by Canon Chase, of Brooklyn, and the Rev. Wilbur S. Crafts, of Washington, D. C. The witness charged that the picture industry in Wisconsin had conspired to break down the Rodenberg law prohibiting the transportation of fight films. He also charged unfair methods in seeking the repeal of the Wisconsin Sunday blue laws, declaring that there was an evident purpose to break down the law. Senator Shortridge suggested that the picture men were acting to defeat the activities of the reformers, and when the witness began to go ofi^ at a tangent with his testimony, he suggested that he stick to the matter under consideration. He declared pointedly that he did not care what individual men did in Wisconsin, New York, or California. He was charged with the consideration of the Myers probe measure and that was all he was interested in. How About Pkcss? Senator Siiortridge is very outspoken and extremely fair. He would not permit the ministers to score too heavily in the absence of opponents to question their statements. When the Rev. Mr. Todd began to complain that Wisconsin theatre men had used their screens to favor particular candidates who had expressed themselves as friendly to the motion picture business, and demanded legislation that would prohibit that, the senator called his attention to the political activities of the newspapers. "Take a great newspaper," suggested Senator Shortridge. "It favors a given candidate. Now that newspaper with a circulation of hundreds of thousands sets out to elect that candidate, and to that end employs skilled writers and artists, and day by day they exploit that candidate. They picture him in all favorable attitudes. They make him appear to be a statesman 100 per cent, plus, and the writers with facile pencils put into his mouth noble sentences he had never dreamed of, and he is elected. Now, could we stop that? And can the government stop the moving picture industry from exploiting men before the audiences ?" The senator then told of a film that had been produced with himself as the central figure, which was used in his campaign for election to the Senate and which he believed assisted a great deal in making his campaign a success. Questions of Wisdom and Effect Senator Shortridge, criticising Mr. Todd for running to the government for help to cure a situation that has arisen in the states, declared that there is a disposition on the part of many people to go to the federal government for a cure of our economic as well as social evils. He pointed out that the motion picture industry, in booming its friends, was not doing anything more than other organizations, the Reform Bureau itself. "This is a free country," he said, "and the question ever in my mind is, first, is it wise, and, second, will it be efi^ective to undertake by law to regulate the people in and about the expression or their views touching matters of domestic or foreign policy. Take the Anti-Saloon League and take many of the organizations headed by the good women of America ; they meet, they resolve, and they act. Now, can we control them by law?" Mr. Todd, in discussing the attempts to break down the Wisconsin laws, as alleged by him, said with respect to that activity the reformers are not proposing new laws but are on the defensive with respect to the existing laws. He admitted that he was a lobbyist, registered under the Wisconsin law. Senator Shortridge declared that it was not for his committee to consider laws with respect to Sunday observance, and the committee is not concerned with state laws. Mr. Todd declared that the state laws are not sufficient to meet the situation complained of by him, and so national legislation must be provided. Fight Film Situation The witness complained that once the fight films were brought into the state there was no way of reaching them other than to prosecute the person or persons responsible for their movement in interstate commerce. The ma.ximum fine is $1,000, and he admitted that had been imposed in one case, but in Wisconsin the fine assessed had been only $250. He pointed out that it is possible to add imprisonment for up to one year, and he complained that no prison sentences had been meted out. He received little sympathy from Senator Shortridge who declared that he was a member of the Olympic Club, of San Francisco, and that club staged occasional boxing exhibitions, where sometimes some blood was spilled. He did ntit get verv excited over that, he said, because he had himself been coached in the manly art of self defence and one of his teachers had been James J. Corbett. Senator Shortridge later informed the ministers that his father and grandfather had been preachers, that he himself was on speaking terms with the Bible. But he is not narrow-minded. May Re-appeal The reformers also want the law extended so as to apply to each showing of a barred film. This is purely a state matter, it was pointed out. Senator Shortridge declared that if there have been violations of the Wisconsin laws it is purely a matter for the grand juries of that state to deal with. Mr. Todd called the fines assessed against the transporters of fight films "licenses," permitting them to exhibit the films unmolested once they got them over the state line. He bewailed the fact that the Havana fight films and other "movies" of like character were being resurrected and being introduced in this country. The reformers asked another opportunity to present additional evidence to Senator Shortridge. The request was granted. To date they have failed completely to make out any kind of a case against the motion picture industry. They have dealt in generalities and have advanced only "stock contentions." Assistant Directors in Another Meeting The assistant directors held another meeting in New York City last week to fully complete their plans for forming an Assistant Director's Association in the East, to be affiliated with the similar organization on the West Coast. Bert Sutch and Walter R. Sheridan were chairman and secretary. Special Committee Chosen A special committee of twelve was chosen to apply for the charter, comprising Leon D'Usseau, Bert Sutch, Walter R. Sheridan, Charles Berner, Walter Lang, Albert Raboch, Joseph Boyle, Ben Behrens, George Kline, Robert Ross, Ned Hay and Charles Hines. An additional committee on the constitution and bylaws was appointed, comprising Leon D'Usseau, Walter R. Sheridan. Frank Hates, Warren Fromme, Walter Lang, William Hamilton, Martin Faust, Eddie James, John Hyland and Frank Walton. Among the others attending were William Bradley, Lon Shores, Charles Van Arsdale, Ben Lewis, Carl Loviness, Stuart Heisler, Eddie Lawrence, Sherry I larris, Bert Tuey, Shaddy Graham, Austin Huhn and Roliert Snody.