Reel Life (Sep 1913 - Mar 1914)

REEL LIFE Seventeen H. E. AITKEN ARRY ELVIN AITKEN, President of the Mutual Film Corporation, comes ot vigorous English stock. Joseph Aitken, a native of England, came to the United States in 1840. He and his son Elvin I '^HF^ were representative men of the JackjcJ^^^I sonian epoch, active in the appropriation and development of the uncultivated lands of the West — and H. E. Aitken, next in succession, inherits the same indomitable spirit, applied to the new industrial conditions in Ainerica. A successful capitalist in this day of big business operations and militant competition, the story of his victorious career reads like the wars of Napoleon. He was graduated from Carroll College in 1896, and two years later interested himself in land-selling and colonization in Wisconsin, his native state. His first enterprise of special note was as one of the founders of the Federal Life Insurance Company of Chicago, whose agent he became in Wisconsin. It was in connection with land-selling, in 1906, that he first saw the possibilities of motion pictures as an educator and means of economic expansion. He succeeded in interesting the Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company in a scheme for promoting the sale of lands by introducing into theatres, in which motion pictures were then being shown as a great novelty, slides picturing the vast tracts of unclaimed farm and timber country, and the attractions of Western life. Shortly after — recognizing the tremendous opportunities suggested by this initial experiment — his attention was absorbed by the motion-picture industry. The first move Mr. Aitken made was to open the Western Film Exchange in Milwaukee, which is still prospering. This was before monopolies in the motion-picture business and the inauguration of trust methods. His exchange bought films outright from the manufacturers and sold them to theatres in the district. Success was instantaneous. Within two months Mr. Aitken opened the Western Film Exchange in St. Louis and another exchange in Joplin, Mo. The established film centers tried to force him out of business, but he answered by buying out his strongest opponent, the Crawford Film Exchange, and another concern owned by George Kleine. Thus he made himself chief film supply man in his district. Mr. Aitken had been in the field three years when the General Film Company organized. Realizing that his powerful competitor, advancing upon him out of the East, would reduce all its rivals to mere appendages if not met by an equal opposing force, Mr. Aitken set about forming an offensive and defensive alliance with other exchange men, consolidating his legions to hold the tesritory as far East as Pittsburg. But the most important of his allies broke faith with him and sold out, at fabulous prices, to the enemy. Aitken was regarded as an insurgent, and the General Film Company cut ofif his film supply at a time when he had three hundred theatres dependent upon him. To form a new alliance immediately was the only hope of preservation. Mr. Aitken ventured to combine with the association of independent manufacturers known as the Motion Picture Distributing and Sales Company. He knew, however, that this connection must needs be but a temporary expedient — for there were persons prominent Hairy E. Aiikcw President, Mutual Film Corporation in the Sales Company who were plainly antagonistic to him and his associates. While compromising briefly with the independents, no time must be lost meanwhile in making his position more secure. Mr. Aitken reached out to get control of other motionpicture interests. He opened offices in London, New York and Chicago. He put himself in command of the entire field, and generalled every move. He assisted in the formation of the American Film Manufacturing Company, with offices in Chicago and studios in Los Angeles. He bought control of the Carlton Motion Picture Laboratories, making Reliance pictures. He organized the Majestic Film Manufacturing Company, and opened a large exchange in New York. This proved to be an extraordinary act of foresight — the Sales Company, becoming palpably unfair to the Aitken interests, which were then in a position to unite in the formation of a large company with several other friendly interests. The Sales Company refused to permit the films of the Majestic Company, controlled by Mr. Aitken, to be sold through its organization, on the same basis as the other brands. {Continued to bottom of page 18)