The Billboard 1917-06-16: Vol 29 Iss 24 (1917-06-16)

oun a The Billboard JUNE 16, 1917 PARK MEN PROTEST AGAINST WAR TAX A. S. McSwigan and George M. Harton Make Special Trip to Washington — Urge Others To Get Busy A. &. McSwigan, president of Kennywood Park, Pittsburg, Pa., and George M.Harton, of West View Park, Pittsburg, returned to Pittsburg last Saturday from Washington, where they made a special trip to protest to the Senate Finance Committee against the proposed war tax on amusements. Senators Knox and Penrose and Representative Porter gave them assistance in laying their views before the committee. The portion of the bill to which they objected most seriously was that which calls for a tax of five cents on every free admission ticket issued. The following letter from Mr. McSwigan to The Billboard explains the situation thoroly: “I have just returned from Washington, where I went to see in just what shape the war revenue legislation is going to hit the park and outdoor amusement business. I found out all right, and, thru The Billboard, want to say to my brothers, in all lines of amusements, that unless we get on the job and attend to our business some of us will not have any business to attend to after Congress and the revenue department gets thru with us. Large, Flashy, Round and Oval Pillows ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A BIG MONEY-GETTER AT A POPULAR PRICE? $12.00 Per Dozen, Complete Pillow Cases with Hair Fillers in a big variety of Patriotic and other subjects: The Biggest Flash in the Country for the Money. Send for Samples. asia a WE HAVE IT. FAIR & CARNIVAL SUPPLY CO. 126 Fifth Avenue, New York City SceEs Silks Flags, size 1%x2, on stick. .40¢ Gross » Silks Flags, size eee ay WORLD'S FAIR SHOWS What's all the cry we hear about shows not being able to get spots? Just look over tne list at the bottom of this little epistle, and all real bona fide contracts at that. But to get down to tacks, we are really enjoying prosperity even under the strain of war, and in an agricultural district. Concessions, as well as shows, are all looking up and show the earmarks of prosperity on all corners. Have been Pe see Seeenee sheeiee 05: Deewe Ere. RR | cncdecncecccccansenssesescede .00 Gross visited by a number of showmen recently from Bill 4280, and at this writing is in the Senate Silk Bows on brass pins......... 90c Gross other shows and find that they are all enFinance Committee. When the bill left the} Bunting Flags, fast color, size 12x18, attached to heavy Jap crook canes........ aWebsneken $9.00 Gross countering the same difficulty im regard to Bunting Flags, fast color, on 30-inch gold spear staff............sseeeeeeeeereeee eee ross . a elgg clause covering amusements read as Extra heavy Silk Flags of all Nations, size 6x9, on gold spear sStaff...........seeeeeee+ ~-.+-$1.35 Doz. gg lle p O. Sas a oe in ‘ ‘Sec fi Jap Crook Canes, per 1,000......%...ocecece cc scectece Bis chocdcvtdscshs Sak bochewns bedeeewhkaceee 7.50 spe y our A., Melvin ction 700. That from and after the first $2.75 Gross Dodson. day of June, 1917, there shall be levied, assessed, |] Avcricar Flag walle best on the market. .. We just added a big new organ to the muiacollected and paid, a tax equivalent to one cent way this week, which stood us four figures, and ta a goa pe cig en for each 10 cents or fraction thereof of the BOO SIAR occ ccccensscnce 35¢ Gross it is now installed in front of our big Wonderamount paid for admission or subscription to Confetti, assorted colors, 50 lbs. $3.50 Bag land Show. This puts music on every show anu any place, to be paid by the person admitted, RB. W. B. Cloth Parasols .......-..000. 1.00 Gross riding devig¢e on the midway and keeps up the and a tax of 5 cents for the admission of each Shell Beads, $6.50 Gross; assorted colors... ........ + -+e.00. ws Gross f} carnival spirit even on disagreeable nights. person (except in the case of a bona fide employee and children under 12 years of age, and municipal officers, on official business, admitted free to any place for admission to which a charge is made), to be paid by the person so admitted. In the case of persons having the permanent use of boxes or seats in an opera house or any place of amusement, or a lease for the use of such box or seat in such opera house or place of amusement, there shall be levied, assessed, collected and paid, a tax equivalent to 10 per centum of the amount for which a similar box or seat is sold for performance or exhibition at which the box or seat is used or reserved by or for the lessee or holder: Provided, that the tax on the admission of children under 12 years of age, where an admission charge is made, shall in every case be 1 cent. These taxes shall not be imposed in the case of a place, the maximum charge for admission to which is 5 cents. *“**No tax shall be levied under this title in re spect to any admissions, all the proceeds of which inure exclusively to the benefit of religious, educational or charitable institutions, societies or organizations, or admissions to agricultural fairs, all the proceeds of which inure exclusively for agricultural purposes. , “admission,’’ as used in this title, includes seats and tables; reserved or otherwise, and other similar accommodations, and the charge made therefor.’ “If the bill goes thru in the foregoing shape it means that in addition to a tax of 10 per cent on the gross receipts of all amusements costing 10 cents or more there is a taxof 5 cents on every free ticket, whether the free ticket is for a 10-cent show or a $2.00 dramatic performance. Parks, circuses, theaters, carnivals, fair associations and others which give away tickets for lithograph or banner privileges, or to promate business, or for any cause, will have to pay a tax of 5 cents on each ticket, or collect the tax from the ticket holder, which, I think, will be harder than appears on its face. Under the circumstances lithograph and banner privileges will be hard to secure if we ask the holder to pay the tax. “‘Now what are we going to do in the way of showing the Senate Finance Committee, or our representatives in Washington, the injnstice of a tax of 10 per cent on our gross receipts and 50 per cent on a free ticket to a 10-cent amusement? All of us seem to be shrugging our shoulders and saying, ‘Let George do it.’ Accompanying me to Washington was George M. Harton, Esq., of West View Park, Pittsburg. We found that only one park—Riverview, Chicago—had taken enough interest in the pending legislation to write a letter protesting against the proposed tax. “The big circus and the motion picture people have been on the job. The Senate Finance Committee, by vote, has exempted motion picture houses charging 25 cents or less admissien. Now Mr. Park Manager, Mr. Carnival Owner, Mr. Concessionaire, Mr. Fair Secretary (except strictly agricultural fairs), and all other amusement people who are going to be hard hit, it is time to get busy on your representatives in Washington. The Senate Finance Committee and your representatives cannot be expected to know what a precarious business the amusement line is and how much tax it can stand unless we tell them. They want to be fair and give everyone a square deal, All of us want to do our bit to assist our country in her hour of need by helping pay the cost of the war and doing any and everything we can in the way of service. But we cannot do our bit if we are taxed out of business. “Every man interested should write or wire his Senator or Congressman at once, giving his views on the bill. Free tickets to amusements where the maximum admission does not exceed 10 cents should be exempted from tax. If 25 cents or less motion picture houses are exempted, why should a 10-cent outdoor amusement be taxed 10 per cent, especially when the 10-cent amusement is essentially @ poor man’s amusement? “Get busy, everybody, and show your interest. And do it now!” assorted colors ere NO CATALOGS, AND NO GOODS SHIPPED WITHOUT DEPOSIT. NADEL & SHIMMEL, 132 Park Row, N. Y. FREE ON THE STREETS RACINE, WIS. IN THE HEART OF THE CITY Week of June 18 to 23, Inclusive Eagles’ State Convention and Home Coming We have the exclusive contract to furnish all Concessions, Attractions, etc., for this event. WANTED—LEGITIMATE CONCESSIONS OF ALL KINDS. E. Courtemanche, write or come. Address CO-OPERATIVE FAIR ACTS, Crilly Bidg., Chicago, or C. M. OLIVER, care Eagles’ Home, Racine, Wis. Week of June Sunbury’s Eight-Cou Convention and Old Home Week 18th on the Streets WANTED Shows and All Kinds of Concessions, Sensational Free Act Concession People Will Clean Up Here One hundred and fifty fire companies, seventy-five bands, parades daily, two hundred thousand visitors. in Pennsylvania this year. Address all mail to JOE FECKER, Chairman Firemen’s Convention Committee, nty Firemen’s Will be the biggest event Sunbury, Pa. BIG FOURTH J LOCATION: Public Square. ULY CELEBRATION ~-BOWLING GREEN, KY. OVER $700,000 JUST PAID OUT FOR STRAWBERRIES IN WARREN COUNTY. Concession Men and Mechanical Riding Devices can make a killing. Protection and no license. For Privileges, write quick to RED CROSS CHAPTER EDW. 0. LEIGH, Secretary, Bowling Green, Kentucky. Jimmie Collins just arrived back on the show to take over the Wonderland Show this wees. Jimmie has been down to his fanm in Harrington, Kan., putting in garden and planting the spuds to ward off the high cost of living as weil as help Uncle Sam to produce necessities, Added another new show to the string two weeks ago when Jack Randall opened his new novelty, The Dancing Dolls, with a swell little frame-up and truly a novelty in the amusement world, which appeals to the ladies and children as well as the men. Th's brings us up to twelve paid shows and three riding devices, which is a plenty for the season. We are playing here at Clay Center, Kaea., this week, under the Local Band, who are real boosters, and on the streets at that. Next week at Concordia, Kan., on the streets, under the Pusiness Men, and Hastings, Neb., to follow that, under tne Eagles. This is th» first carnival in here for a year, owing to the fact that an ordinance had been passed aginst caravans, but Melvin put it over in great shape. Hastings has also been void of shows for a period of a year and a half. This fact gives some spots which are really virgin stuff. Just keep an eye on our notes in the next four weeks and we will publish the longest bona fide list of real fairs and celebrations booked this season for a carnival. All lay in the great Northwest. WORTHAM BROS.’ SHOWS Grand Island, Neb., June 6.—Fortunate, indeed, we are in that the cloudbursts and tornadoes that have been sweeping this section have not touched us. One day lost last week and one day this week has been the extent of weather hindering us from showing. Marysville, while not a whirlwind of a success, proved very satisfactery, and would, no doubt, have proven another excellent stand were the roads in good shape. However, no one had cause for complaint. Grand Island is proving exceptionally profitable, altho we lost the best part of Tuesday night, but Wednesday it semed as if the town completely depopulated itself, so great was the crowd on the midway. The Monkey Speedway and Zeno's Circus Side-Show especially did big business. Everyone of the eligible boys has register. No slackers on this show. The ‘‘minute men” are drilling daily under the leadership of Doc Zeno. The company now numbers thirty-four men, Guns will be furnished the ensuing week. The l'rentiss Band made an impression in the registration day parade.—C, 8S. OAKES. PARK BOOKING BRISK Chicago, June 9,—Independent agents, who found things slow with the end of the regular vaudeville season, are doing a brisk park booking business at present. TENT SHOW NOTES The Shill Dog, Pony and Vaudeville Show has been out six weeks and was only able to play about half of the time on account of rainy weather and bad condition of roads. Recently while making a short jump the big pele wagon hed to be unloaded and pulled out of & chuck hole by block and tackle. Despite these handicaps business has been fairly good. The roster includes Charies Shill, owner, manager, ringmaster and trainer; Mrs, Mary Sbill, wire walker; Harry Jelly, lot superintendent; Master Charles, billed as the world’s youngest con tortionist: Mr. and Mrs. Robert W eigand, comedy sketch artists, and Master Ray «ne Virginia, singers. The item recently appearing in The Billboard about Memry L. Baker being with fhe Russell Bros.’ Show as contortionist and rope spinner was in error as Baker is playing with Colonel H. Bowman’s Show this season, Eleanor Koehler, of Peoria, Tl., and a member of the profession, will be married to Staoley W. Warwick, nonprofessional, of London, Eng., on June 27.