The Billboard 1917-11-17: Vol 29 Iss 46 (1917-11-17)

L NOVEMBER 17, 1917 —— as The Bi llboard communicate with bim at all. Such conditions would be both impracticable and intolerable in ibe interest of the results to be attained. “Evidently the conditions under which exvibit: « would be given to the Russian soldiers woul. bave to be met as I found them, for upon vopferring, at your request, with Dr. Mott, the yead of the Young Men's Christian Association, ye was unable to tell me bow many amusement eenters they intended to operate; how many would be in existing barracks; how many they intended to build; when these would be con. structed: bow they would be equipped: whether he would be able to supply them with expert operators; whether he would furnish experts with which to train operators; or what equip ment the amusement centers would possess, and | procured for him an expert and worked with the expert in laying out the full detail of pro jection equipment anits to meet all conditions, and bow you instruct me to put the ‘Y. M. C. \. matter to one side for the moment.’ “With conditions such as these it is apparent that the important matter of serving the troops with the educational pictures would have to be determined and executed, unexplained to or gnapproved by Mr. Sisson. I am inclined to think that with the press of important matters it bas been impossible for you to give sufficient onsideration to the matter in question, to realive that the proper execution of the work in Rossia would constitute a big business undertaking for which but one head must be responsible for the results produced. “In other words noe one not an experienced execntive in the bandling. distribution and exhibitien of motion pictures would be any more competent to pass judgment upon my plans than he would be to lay out for me a complete and sufficient equipment of projection, either with or without electrical current, or for exhibitions both within doors or without, for it was my intention as soon as the weather broke to give outdoor expibitions to ten or twenty thousand troops at a showing, and to have portable equipment by whieh the entire population of a town could witness a unit of the pictures each evening. or to lay out for me complete exchange equipment te meet conditions ander which not even wrapping paper can be obtained, “It, of course, follows that I could not undertake to handle the moneys necessary for the work of the American unit any more than I would undertake to handle the moneys involved in the conduct of this company, and that such business mnet necessarily be attended to by Mr. Sixson, or some other accountant appointed as the oficial disbursing agent for the Government, but te place such agent in ‘absolute authority’ and to compel me to abide by a rule that ‘all expenditares, before being Incurred, must receive bis approval,” would make accomplishment impossible. “With regard to receiving an appointment by the President I beg to refresh your recollection upon our conversation at your office the morning of September 18th, in which you stated, in reply to ations, that the executives would bé responsiMle solely to the President; that all expenditures would be paid from the Presidential Emergency Fund, and that we would be under the full responsibility of establishing a distribution organization in the respective countries to which we would be sent, and in executing the work of distribution. Tbis Mr. Brady confirmed by assuring us that we would be appointed for the work by the President. Moreover, my under standing from you was that the pictures to be exhibited in these foreign countries were to be presented as the pictures «ent by the United States Government. The title, which you say was suggested, ‘The American Cinema Commis. sion in Europe,’ implies that the executives were to receive a commission directly from the Government. The authority to present these pictures in bebalf of the Government would not, 60 far as I can see, involve any ambassadorial powere. “As to the matter of salary this item can be entirely eliminated as far as I am concerned, and I have no doubt that’ this statement applies as well to Mr. Powers and Mr. Marion. The $5,000 per year, as you know, was considered for the purpose of partly covering personal expenses. With most necessary articles practically unobtainable, and with the prices of those that are obtainable advanced from several hundred to several thousands of per cent, and with the becessity of the American unit to take with it even stable articles of food, such as flour, tea and coffee, it is reasonable to assume that my personal expenses for which in traveling about Russia I could not always account to the Government by voucher, would several times exceed the amount of my compensation. As I explained to you, I looked upon this item merely as one which would partially cover expenses out of my own pocket. “As to being given supreme power in Russia contuct the business at hand, and to direct the expenditures necessary to produce the quickest_and best results, such authority would follow 's & Matter of conree, otherwise no competent man could undertake the work. And this is precisely in accord with our understanding, for 'n Your favor of October 24 you say that you un‘erstand that the Motion Picture Industry ‘in return for full authority and all proper recagnition would take charge of the film campaign in Russia,’ and get in the latter part of the same favor you say that My. Sisson ‘will be in absolute authority,’ and that ‘all expenditures before being incurred must recetve his approval.’ “As I explained to you, 1 would only attempt to handle the matter in a big way, fully con“stent with the presentation by the United States Government, and with getting the largest te Percentage of people to thinking nnon the same “"hiect at the same time: and I assume that the Sorernment would want .me to condnet its busine “s in Just such a manner, for my observation is that Governments at war make all exrenditures necessary to produce all possible in. “vences in the winning of the war, whether such "Tuences be large or small. If the Government desires me to undertake "us work in a manner that will mean snecess I “all be only too happy to do so; if it does not ‘esire me so to do I will be very greatly disanrnted In not being able to do my ‘bit.’ But ‘8 patriot T feel that it wonld not be the ‘"t of goed consectence for me to undertake a Work Involving such splendid possibilities under conditions which, in my judgment, would make for foilure,’* In reply to this letter Mr. Creel wrote Mr. Irwin, under date of October 31, as follows: “Mr. Walter W. Irwin, “1600 Broadway, “New York, N. Y. “My Dear Mr. Irwin—lI have read your letter with close attention and deep interest, and the change in plans does not affect my appreciation of your patriotic desire to serve. The authority that you wish was promised, and could only have been given, under the Motion Picture Industry's assumption of all expenses. Whey it becomes necessary for the Government to assume the entire burden it became equally necessary for the Government to assume control. “You are mistaken in assuming that Mr. Sisson is an accountant. I have been placed in full charge of the entire Russian matter, and Mr. Sisson, as Associate Chairman, went to Russia a8 my personal representative, concerned not only with the motion picture end of our campaign, but with the campaign as a whole. “I have been fortunate in making some new arrangements tbat will carry out my plan effectively, and I shall always be sorry that our differing views prevented me from accepting your offer of service. As new things come up I hope to be able to call upon you with every assurance of your willingness to aid. Believe me, “Very sincerely, ‘ “GEORGE CREEL, Chairman.” apparently concluded the correspondence: “November 3, 1917. “Hon. George Creel, “Chairman Committee on Public Information, “Washington, D. C. kindly expressions in your favor of October 31. results, surance of my eagerness to be of assistance, “Very sincerely, “WALTER W. IRWIN.” OPENS SEASON AT AUDITORIUM (Continued from page 3) bis debut with Defrere as Wagner. Friday Night—Dinorah, On November 3 Mr. Irwin wrote the following polite acknowledgment to Mr. Creel, and this “My Dear Mr. Creel—I greatly appreciate tie and deeply wish for the undertaking the fullest “If anything new arises in which I can be of service I beg of you to call upon me with the as CHICAGO GRAND OPERA COMPANY Melba as Marguerite, George Baklanoff making the company in the role of Mephistopheles, Marcuenat at Valentine, Jeska Swartz as Siebel, Louise Berat as Martha and with Galli-Curi as Dinorah, and with Rimini, Gustave Huberdeau, LONDON LETTER London, Oct. 24 (From Our Special Correspondent, Thomas Reece).—Lew Kelly is the big comic support for Albert de Courville’s revue, entitled Here and There, produced at the Olympia, Liverpool, thie week, and which will shortly come to London, Ralph Riggs and Katherine Witchie, two other American artists, are the chief dancing feature in this production. Bert Coote is still looking ahegd for good successors to his sketches, A Lamb on Wall Street and P. Pip, Detective. He has just bought a clever fairy play, entitled The Windmill Man, which may be staged about Christmas with a big cast. Radford and Valentine, now touring the provinces, go to Paris shortly and declare they have bo vacancies, The Royal Gotham Quartet, who made a big hit at the Coliseum last week, came to London for the first time from America twenty-three years ago. They were not “Royal’’ then, but an ap pearance at a command performance entitled them to add the prefix. Frank Parker is the only original member of the quartet still remaining with the Gothams. Sam Stern seems to have settled down here as a very popular performer for British audiences. Besides his early work in America Sam has visited, Australia and South Ameria, but appears very content to end his wanderings for the time being in this country. Joe Hayman and Mildred Franklin, a clever American Hebrew team here, also seem to have well settled down on this side. “Mildred is one of the smartest dressed ladies at present in wandeville, and the act presented is never blue nor strained after effect. Monte Wolfe, late of The Three Rascals, is a successful single turn now. The Three Rascals disbanded a couple of years or so ago and two of them fixed up with Jess Jacobson (of the then disbanded Hedges Brothers and Jacobson act) to make a new turn, since styled Jesse Jacobson and the Two Rascals. Beth Tate, Ella Shields and R. G. Knowles were all on the same bill at a London Hall last week. This is a feature I bave mentioned several times. It is diffienlt to find any British variety bill now without at least two, and frequently three, and sometimes four American turns well to the front. Alfred James Holt, an American comedy mimic, is booking up well here. He topped the bill at the Warrington (Lancashire) Hippodrome recently. ee ee $ THE BILLBOARD e . 2 Is on the reading table in the Y. M. C. A. Hut in every } $ military camp in the U. S., but if YOU have a friend or } $ relative now in the service who is not able to find THE 3 ~ BIELBOARD every week send us his name and location } : and we will see that he is supplied. ; in other parts, Monday night. Marinelli in the cast. Iluberdeau and Arimondi in the cast. MODIFY WAR TAX ON ADMISSIONS (Continued from page 3) out of the game. certain interests gave an entirely wrong im Washington in connection with the revenue bill The A. E. A. as the real representative of the “retail en of the motion picture business, its appeal wil receive proper attention at the hands of Govern ment officers. to go to any lengths in order to protect the in fact that it is an out-and-out owners’ organiza Government will award consideration to its ap peal. all members and an overflow attendance is an ticipated because the matter of taxation is upper most in exhibitors’ minds at the present time, KIDNAPED AND BEATEN (Continued from page 25) fighter for his ideas. inconsistent with bie former life. means, . Dua, Paltrinieri, Lazzari and Margery Maxwell Saturday Matinee—Isabeau, with the cast of Saturday Night—Il Trovatore, with Francesca Peralta making ber debut as Leonora, Carel van Hulst making bis debut as the Count di Luna, Zinovieff as Manrico, and Diana Bonnar, Maria Claessens, Nicolay, Paltrinieri, Miverva and G. Sunday, Nov. 18, at 3 p.m.—Romeo and Juliet, with Mouratore and Galli-Curci in their great performance as the immortal lovers, and with Swartz, Berat, Dua, Macuenat, Defrere, Goddard, WILL ASK THE GOVERNMENT TO will drive some of the most worthy exhibitors It is pointed out that the present condition bas resulted from the fact that pression to the cabinet officers, when they visited is confident that. in ite capacity For this reason the organization is prepared tion, not bampered by membership with foreign interests, is pointed to as a warrant that the At next Friday's meeting the extent to which the plan has been developed will be revealed to part of it all has been that he has ever been a He was trained in the school of Tom Johnson, and bis later views.are He has been renentedly heard on the Ivceum platform this fall, and was the evening lecturer at the Chicago (South Side) Sunday Evening Club only a week ago. Praying for the Kaiser's sonl and the repose of the brave men around him ts not the annest thing Brother Bigelow ever did by any Shirley Kellogg, wife of Albert de Courville, will sing an American war song in the character of a Sammy in the second edition of Zig-Zag, which is now being prepared. The Great Raymond, who styles himself the famous American illusionist, is again playing London dates. Victoria Palace, London, with the special excerpt Arthur Pinero has arranged for her. scene of the play and turned it into a vaudeville sketch. riety, sensitiveness and grace. Ada Reeve, 1 am informed by an Australian correspondent, has been having a great time in that continent and is now touring New Zealand. She returns to Australia by Christmas and, af America and South Africa. anticipated. of Hoffman), the Valse Triste of Sibelius and | the Marseillaise. | bis old standard now. When I saw him recently "| not doing himself justice. tL! great once more. . Alfred Butt has started rehearsals of the new musical play written for him by P. Fliers of Paris. The cast includes Regine Flory, Moya for Mr. Butt), Lupino Lane and Tom McNaugh Courville for this production. +} for which he to America. ot the idea during bis recent visit a play based upon the idea used by Milton Gold -| smith in hig successful novel, The Rabbi and The play on this side will have -| the Priest. the same title. here in a musical piece, entitled Going Up. the end of the year. Hitehcock’s part in Mr. Dazzle, at Drury Lane Theater, London. Lecture Society. , Fay Davis made a very fair success at the from the Princess and the Butterfly which Sir Practically Sir Arthur has taken the great Fay’s acting is marked by va ter fulfilling certain dates there, will go on to Maude Allen's week in Liverpool ‘appears to have been more successful than was at first She danced to the Barcarolle (Tales Wilkie Bard seems to be playing more up to at the Coliseunf he was still pretty ill and wag Now he is going | Mannering (who played Peg o' My Heart so long dustry from which it derives its support. The ton, who has been lent to Butt by Albert de Walter Hast is going to produce a play here e bas invited Bertram Jacobs on this side (otherwise Benedict James) to write Robert Emmett Keane will act for J. L. Sacks which is due for production in London about Keane is already well known on this 6ide, first of all for his clever performance of Raymond Manhattan, and also for his pever-to-be-forgetten impromptu act on the first night of the staging of the revue, Razzle R. G. Knowles, the genial American humorist and entertainer, drew a crowded audience to Birmingham Town Prall on October 14 to hear his address on America's Part in the Great War, delivered at the instance of the Sunday COST $9.00 7 2 BEAUTIFUL 18 PIECE The Following Premiums Gives at Once ALL GENERALS RECEIVE $1.00 LACH Colonel Recetas 10 Cigara Cagtam Recetres 5 Cigars Ucetenem * 3 Cigars Sergeast * | Ow SAVE COMBINATION NICEETS 7~ Last Hole Punched Receives »u Cigars A 10-Inch SHELL For Business New Board and 18-piece Manicure Set, $9.00. Each deal makes $12.00 profit; income, $30.00. Pays five $1.00 rewards and 100 cigars in addition to Manicure Set. Board is 350-Hole, 1 to 10 cents. Set consists of 18 pieces, French Ivory Fittings, in beautiful Plushlined Genuine Leather Roll Case, Silk Plushlined Flaps. THE MOST ATTRACTIVE, MONEY-MAKING SALESBOARD PROPOSITION EVER USED. « SEND FOR TRIAL DEAL AT | ONCE. Attractive proposition for Jobbers and Operators. LIPAULT CO., °°°* fi iNb2CehER: pa States had done Knowles said there must be no secret treaties in the future. If we intended to be honest there was no need for such things. Germany started ‘a big company, called War Unlimited, but when peace came she would be bankrupt, and her only available assets would consist of wrecked constitutions, unhappy homes, disease and death. It had been said by an English statesman that President Wilson could be neither rigiculed, crossed, threatened nor cajoled into a fight, but he (Knowles) could tell them that the.President could not be cajoled nor frightened out of it now until it was settled as his country wanted it. LOUIS E. COOKE WILL HANDLE THE ADVANCE OF U. S. MOTORIZED CIRCUS (Continued from page 3) most capable men in that line of the business. Since the closing of the Two Bille Show several seasons ago he has been off the road, conducting a large hotel at Newark, N. J. “The United States Circus Corporation is proud to make this announcement regarding Mr. Cooke,’’ said Mr. Spellman. ‘“‘We believe he has no superior in the outdoor field in bis particular line.”’ Mr. Cooke will be assisted by a corps of high-class advance agents, several of whom have been identified with him in his previous connections with the Barnum & Bailey and the Buffalo Bill Shows, The advance of the new circus will he moved on twenty-five Willys-Knight and Overland «hrs, with a closed car for the personal use of Mr. Cooke en tour. Work is now being rushed on the btu'td'ng of the winter quarters here, and all equipment will be assembled ay rapidly as the building operations will allow. STEINBERG WITH THE COLORS Theodore Steinberg, the past season with the Levitt-Taxier Shows, in the capacity of treasurer, has enlisted in the service of Uncle Sam in the medical department, and is stationed «: Ft. Slocum, N. Y. Previous to the past season he was with the Francis *~rari and Leon Wasitburn Shows, Steinberg says that the show world is well represented at Ft. Slkocum, and that Billyboy is thought more of than pay dar. After describing what the Keep in touch with our Letter Department. $e Ve 3 ' 85 ‘ ‘ i | : = * ? t BS | :. ri 5. o Mf iF } : ae z it 7 “i = | " j 4 4 fa 4 H % a : MG ¥ ia = Pe ; \ _ f 4 /* , — es ae ies 9 roe PAE Er eeea e* s = Sa eee ail ey ie. gn. \wcegsanl ee ND ppm Aaa RT eerie mee a ee ee re