Paramount Pep (1923)

4 PARAMOUNT PEP “BUT ABOVE ALL THINGS, TRUTH BEARETH AWAY THE VICTORY” This Publication is Distributed Only to Officials and Employees of the FAMOUS PLAYERS-LASKY CORPORATION Its Contents are Strictly Confidential PAUL L. MORGAN Editor Vol. 7 MAY 9, 1923 No. 44 Our One and Only Editorial Folks belonging to the journalistic fraternity know that if there is anything an editor hates to see, it’s his name in print. If there is any place he hates to see his name in print, it is in his own publication. Consequently, with manifest unfairness, the subject of this essay has always forbidden us to tell the rest of Paramount exactly what we think of Paul L. Morgan. The most he can do is “fire” us for writing this, and since we are “fired” anyway after this issue, we defy him to do his worst. Last March, quite unexpectedly, all the motion picture trade papers came out with glowing testimonials to the Editor and to PEP. The Paramounteers who read them had an agreeable surprise. We didn’t know our friend, who paid us such a necessary visit once a week, had really attracted national attention. But it was brought out that Mr. Morgan had achieved a result in PEP that advertising and efficiency experts had pronounced impossible. The value of a house organ among a large personnel has always looked good on paper, but sooner or later these publications have declined in influence and interest and the experts were moved to say “it couldn’t be done.” But Paul Morgan knocked this theory into an everlasting cocked hat and his success stands as another convincing proof that Paramount can do anything. This task would, naturally enough, have been impossible without the co-operation of every other person in the organization But, also, this co-operation would have been much harder to find had not Paul Morgan asked for it. By his striking capacity for friendship, he has built up a voluntary staff which has never failed him. Therefore, all Paramount is delighted to know Mr. Morgan has become Mr. Wobber’s First Lieutenant in the great September drive, upon which so much depends. It is a just tribute to his ability and when he arrives at each exchange he will find every member demanding “Paul, what can I do ?” In the meantime, the rest of us will have to get along as best we can without our PEP, and, hard as it will be, we don’t want any PEP if Paul hasn’t time to edit it. — J. R., Jr. And He Wouldn’t Tell Anyone Would that we could reach out and grasp words that we would like to use to express in cold type Mr. Kent’s euology to Adolph Zukor, given at the Convention in New York. Would that we could picture to you the expressions on the faces of all the boys when Mr. Kent told of what Mr. Zukor did while abroad in his home town in Hungary. Would that you could have been one of those present to feel the thrill of hearing Mr. Kent tell why this man was big — we could not begin to describe it in type and it would be folly if we tried, but the silence that ensued made you fee! that if a pin was dropped on the carpet you could have heard it. When Mr. Zukor visited his home town in Hungary, a place he left at the age of four after losing his father and mother, he immediately organized a relief committee to hear the wants of the peasants and friends of his boyhood days. This little town, by the way, was attacked by the Russians and they are still trying to recover from the effects. So when this committee of three heard one by one the wants of these interesting people, Mr. Zukor also listened and just nodded his head in approval for everything that was needed. Perhaps the most touching incident of the whole thing was when a mother of three children came in for need. She had cataracts on both eyes and Mr. Zukor sent that woman to Budapest where one of Europes greatest eye specialists is bringing back her sight. Who was this man? Who was this godsend? Those were the words being breathed thruout that little community by those who did not know him. He saved the town — he provided for a new schoolhouse — he put a roof over mother and children. He brought happiness to a community, but above all, happiness to his own heart in doing and providing for the people he loved. This is indeed a humble effort to tell of this act but it came from the lips of Mr. Kent, w'ho shared with the rest of the boys, tears of joy and admiration for our President — this man who had been attacked by, those who really and truly only envied his personage. Patience was his byword and this man, folks, is our president, Adolph Zukor.