The Billboard 1917-12-29: Vol 29 Iss 52 (1917-12-29)

DECEMBER 2.1917. ‘The Billboara ‘eles 1. M.A. NEWS NEWARK LODGE, NO. 28 Newark (N. J.) Lodge, No.. 28, T. M. A., held a rousing meeting at Musicians’ Temple, 401 Ilane street, on Sunday, December 16. Several candidates were initiated and tbe large attenlance of the members made it the banner meeting of the year. Bro. Phil Coben is on sick list and will sbortly leave for Denver, Col. Bros. Louls Bois and R. C. Caprio are also on sick list. Bros. Patsy Tancredo, Sam Fieischman and Reginald Catt are away in the service of our country. The annual election of officers took place on December 16, and all elected were the unanimous choice of the memters: President, F. B. Flandreau (ffth term); vice president, M. A. Hoebler (second term); treasurer, R. S. Sayre (third term); general secretary, M. J. Cullen (eighteenth term); marshal, W. C. Duerrler; sergeant at arms, T. Cunningham (eigbth term); chaplain, H. L. Moriss. Trustees, J. H. Wolf, H. 1. Putman, W. Clayton Lomax; physician (for Newark), Dr. Jobn L. Huberman, (for New York) Dr. 8. Nelson Irwin. Our next meeting will be beld om Sunday. January 20, 1918, when the instal!ation of officers will be beld. An invitation has been extended to Past Grand Tresident, a!so Past President of Newark aanan No, 28, T. M. A. Commissioner David H. Greene, to take ebarge of the work that day. Invitations bave n sent to Jersey City, l’aterson, New York, rooklyn and Asbury l’ark lodges to atten. Refreshments will be served and a good time is assured all who can arrange to be present. Under good and welfare remarks by Past Presidents Fred Richardson and George Wolf, also Bros. Charles Bendon and Fred Smith, all members in arrears will kindly make returns to the secretary. Visiting brothers are cordially invited to attend our meetings when in Newars. , Secretary No. 28, T. M. A. CINCINNATI LODGE, NO. 38 The result of the contest between the ‘‘Reds”’ and “Bives” in Cincinnati Lodge was a pretty close affair, the “Blues” having elected Bro. Henry Lacy for the presidency, Bro. Marry Richardeon for vice-president, Bro. Edward P. Kirsch for Onancial secretary: the “‘Reds" baving placed Bro. William (Mickie) Sullivan for recording secretary. Bro. Frank English treas urer, Bro. Harry McOmber for sergeant at-arms apd Ernst Buckle for outer guard. Bro. Edw. J. McGuire was elected marshal on the ‘‘Blue” ficket, Bro. William J. Keenan, the old ‘“‘war borse’’ of old Cincinnati Lodge, was given the chaplain position, which he masters with all the dignity of a parson. Bill is not as spry as he was some thirty or forty years ago, but he still bas some of the old Irish in him that makes the world go ‘round. The trn«tees elected were Bros. William B. Parker, William C. Newman and our old Dutch friend, Charles Spoerlein, popular props of the Grand Opera Honse. trnatees were elected on an independent ticket thrn their popniarity among the members, Dr. Adams was reelected physician without any opposition, the members having so much confidence in bim that they refused to run any other physician against bim.—WM. RNTON, Secretary No. 83. —M. J. TOLEDO LODGE, NO. 20 A committee has been appointed by Toledo Lodge for the preliminary publicity and entertainment for the coming convention of the Grand Lodge for the year 1919. It is quite a distance off, but conventions of this sort are not an easy matter to dispose of. The officers elected for the ensuing year are the ones that are paving the way to make this Grand Lodge Convention one of the greatest in the history of the T. M. A. Toledo is so situated that most of the delegates can make the trip in less than twenty four hours, and practically every lodge in the East, South, West and (Central States wil! have its representatives present. Following are the officers for 1917: T'resident, F. W. Lower; vice-president, H. Stantz: chaplain, M. Samson; recording secretary. E. R. Smiley; financial secretary, A. R. Chilocote; treasurer, T. J. Tripp; marshal, R. 0. Sheats: sergeant atarms, H. Jobnson; physician, Dr. R. H. Quick. Trustees, W. E. Hilliard, W. Marshall, Cc. Palmer.—EWD. R. SMILEY, Secretary No. 20, SAN FRANCISCO, NO. 21 At the regnlar meeting held December 11 the following officers were elected: Robert G, Wakeman, president; John J. Walsh, vicepresident; W, R. Whorff, recording secretary: Max Fogel, Snancial secretary: James F. Blaikie, treasurer: William G. Rusk, chaplain; George W. Pierce. physician; George Murray, marshal: Felix Eichler, Steve I. Simmons, Yke Marks, Oscar Melby and Harry Ettling, trustees. The new officials will take hold January 8, zs. following which will be a banquet and Since the lodge met last news of the death of an old member, Bro. John Callan, has been received. Bro. G. L. Howard just returned after a long tour with the Sells Floto Circus. Bros. George Leonard and I’hfl Fitzgerald of Baltimore were San Fransisco visitors, PERSONS ELIGIBLE TO JOIN T. M. A. Actors, Advertising Men. Advance Agents, Al} Circus Men, Billpesters, Custodi Concessi Men, Door Men, Electricians, Hovse Oficers. House Firemen, Managers, Musicians. Mowing Picture Operators, Moving Picture Actors. Moving Picture Camera Men, Own®t, Performers. Promoters, Progr Ushers, Secretaries, Sage Employees and Assistants (all branches), Treasurers, Ticket Sellers, Ticket Takers and all Dersona who at ANY TIMP have been engaged in ANY af the above occupations (for not less than six months), whether weep grove engaged at the time of making ap eS ye or} ‘ above are all eligible and should be acceptaole provided they are White Men, 21 years of age, in Sound Health and of good Moral Character. is Organization guarantees to All Members a Weekly Sick Benefit, a Death Benefit, and the services the Rend "Tow. wi ULENKAMP, Grand Sec'y Treas, ° . . ~ Treas. Box 756, Cincinnati, 0, The, a THE POPULAR AND PROF A Big Money Maker for All Places of Amusement. For Bowling Alleys. Pool Rooms, _ Parks. Also the Soldiers’ Greatest Pastime and Amusement, Now So : WRITE FOR ILLUSTRATED CATALOG THE d. D. ESTE COMPANY, Also Manufacturers and Distributors of Score Ball Game, Prat ert ON) ee ITABLE ALL-YEAR GAME — at oe Summer Resorts and Trolley Cantonments. 1530 Sansom St., Philadelphia, Pa. Johnny, Get Your Gun, now playing an indefinite engagement in Chicago, bas been con| Boney enhanced by the addition to the cast of Bro, Fred Weiss, formerly editor of The San Francisco Ronnder and Play Bill. He is playing the part of Chaplin, An bonor roll of the lodge members in the country’s service pow adorns the club rooms. San Francisco Lodge, No. 21, extends to the officers and members of the Grand Lodge best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, also to all suburban lodges of the United States and Canada and to The —IKE MARKS. T. M. A. NOTES Manchester Lodge bas been bereft of one of its founders and secretary pro tem. by the death of Bro. Walter S&S. Hl. Jones, the wellknown musician and bandmaster, also leader of the First Infantry Band of the State of New Hampshire. His popularity reached from Coast to Coast as a conductor, and bis compositions bave won him high faror among tbe musical critics, [lis sudden departure will be keenly felt among the theater boys, with whom he bas always been very popular. None of them had the slightest idea that be was not feeling well, as he played the evening engagement at the theater, after which be went home. and complained of not feeling well, suddenly expiring. This sudden shock will long be rememhered by the charter mefhbers of Manchester Lodge. The D. G. President of tile State of Maryland writes of his splendid trip to Washington, D. C., where No. 7, T. M. A., showed how it entertained. A splendid banquet was given in j honor of the visiting official. the entertaining , committee afterwarts antoing Bim about the city, visiting the White House, Congressional Library, and the many interesting places about Washington. At the close of the entertaining all repaired to the lodge rooms for their regular meeting, which Bro. C. C. Chandler says was a well attended one. Bro. Louis Boyd is the new secretary for No. 7. Address him Moore-Strand Theater, Washington, D. C. Following are the officers-elect for Pittsburg ge, No. 37, T. M. A.. 1918: President, James MeGrath: vite president, Charles J. Nolte; treasurer, T. D. Carroll: financial secre tary. William A. Bauer; recording secretary. William HH. Torrence; marshal, Thomas _ Edkins: sergeant at arms, Charles Mutter; chap‘Iain, Robert J. Caldwell. Trustees, Charles Conrad and Thomas Donnelly. Thrsician, Dr. F. W. Rndolph. The House Committee for the yeor 1918 consists of the following members: Witiam A. Bauer, Charles Manchon, Jomes MeGrath, Charles J. Nolte and Thomas Edkins. Onr best wisbes for a wonderful year and good luck to all. Jersey City Lodge, No, 24, T. M. A., at its last regular meeting had one of the largest attendances of the year. Bro, Charles L. Munch, president, appointed a committee to make arrangements for a monster minstrel show to be givn Sunday evening, January 27, 1918, at Keith's Theater, for the sick and death benefit fund. This affair promises to be one of the largest ever held in Jersey City, as all the members have pledged themselves the limit for this benefit. A resolution was also passed to have a large service flag placed along side the “Stars and Stripes’’ in the lodge room, so now “Md Glory’? will bave a companton’at al! our fvture meetings, Bro. William Radigan, chaitrman of the benefit committee, and Bro. J: McCabe, who is the secretary, invite all traveling members that are in the vicinity of Jersey City January 27 to come over and see what is being pnt over OVER ON THE JERSEY SIDE. Toronto is to be infested with a Memphisite for the holidays. Address all parcels to the Star Theater, where it will receive most of its food. Bro. Dan Pierce, see that the precious one returns safe to the States, as I have some business with him at an early date, ‘‘Jim. the ‘‘Duke,"’ drank more on the receipt _of your congratulations.—ED HOLLENKAMP, Box —_—— CARL LAEMMLE THROWS LIGHT ON BIG MONEY PICTURE TALK (Continued from page 3) the announcement that the highest salary ever aid by the Universal to an actor or actress was $1,500 a week, and adds that that was paid only a short time. In brief, Mr. Leammle’s interview is very different from the usual stories of moving picture suecesses which come from the press agents and the officials and which invariably picture wealth and prosperity beyond all dreams of avarice. Mr. Laemmile says: “Much of the misunderstanding that exists between various branches of the picture industry at the present time is due to the fact that some of us have been afraid to tell the truth about ourselves and our conditions. For the same reason there is a misunderstanding between the gen a! public and the people in the picture business. } “Every business concern, including picture companies, has a deadly fear of being considered | anything but the richest company in its line of ' business. All of us are guilty of letting the public (including the exhibitors, too) think that we have the fattest bank rolls imaginable and | tune nothing short of an earthquake can shake our foundations. On the theory that ‘nothing sueceeds like success,’ we have deliberately let the public think that the moving picture business is a gold mine. “We have all concealed our failures and our losses, but have made a great noise about our successes, Our press men are allowed to tell about the big pictures that net a profit of $100,000 or $1,900,000, but they are never allowel to print a word about the many pictures that net us as great a loss, or a greater one. The people love to hear abont success, even tho it is noc their own, They don’t like to hear about auton. because they are not so interesting to alk abgut. r “But'after they have been fed up on this success stuff, after thay have contracted mental indigestion eating up stories about the making of millions, they finally turn against those whom they believe to be wallowing in wealth. They sour. And finally they build up an envious hatred of the supposed plutocrats, “That is where we all stand right now. I am speaking of all moving picture companies, By foolishly letting the people think what they like to think we have completely got out of touch with them and have lost their thetic interest. So far I have spoken of all companies. “But now, I will confine my remarks to the Universal and give you a few doses of the plain, brutal truth, in the hope that it may help a very bad condition. “The stockholders of the Universal company have not been paid a dividend, either on the preft or common stock, for a year, “The officers of the Universal «company, in order to play fair with the stockholders, have purposely paid themselves much sma!ler salaries than the usual run of salaries paid to producing company executives. “The element of waste is lower in the Universal, we believe, than in any company in the business. It took us years to cut out waste, but we Seaiy sercostes. ay the people are appalled at tlre $5,000 to $10,000 per week salaries that aré paid to certain stars, and while this practice has made the whole world believe that picture producers are making wicked fortunes, the Universal hos never indulged in it. The highest salary we ever paid to any actor or actress was $1,500 per week—and that only for a short time. “In spite of the elimination of waste and extravagance our expenses have constantly advanced so close to our gross income that we have not paid a cent of dividends in a year. “True, we have ‘made money.’ Oxnr books show some wonderful fiznres of big profits, but unfortunately they are all om paper or else they are in the form of stud‘os. negatives or equipment. We have paid for these out of eurnings, and we assumed that the time would come when we could turn earnings into dividends instead of equipment. But it hasn't. And prodably it won't, because every time we seem just ready to reach a dividend-pay'ng basis some new development comes along which compels us to reinvest and reinvest terrific sums eiiuer in negatives or new exe!"n-es or new markets or «« thing else unforseen, “We have been asked why we discontinued our one, two and three-reel program pictures. The answer is interesting: “An aud't of our books shows that in a recent six months’ period we lost $3.08 on every positive reel of short stuff shipped from our plant— not on every negative reel. but on every positive. And in that period we shipped 24.810 such reels. “Shipped nearly 25,000 and lost over three dollars om every one of them. This has been going on for eighteen months, but every time we even hinted that we might discontinue the short stuf we received pleading letters from exhibitors urging us to stand by the little exhibitor who needed the short stuff in his business. So we stuck to it and took our loss, thinking that anata tee loss tas profit by getting the ° usa e chert plotunen” y more money for the “But instead of paying more they paid less and less, hammering the price down and down until we finally had to quit releasing short stuff altogether, with the exception of scrials. weeklies and two comedies. Wep now have on our shelves 371.000 fect of perfectly good negatives, one, two and three reels in length. These are comedies and dramas. They cost us close to a pom eh = we can not release them, be a e would lose money on ever sitive ree —. from them. r vi a “So we are simply holding them in the that some day the exhibitors can pay us Ay rental price for the use of them. And I'll buy a house and lot for any exhibitor who can show me how to cash in on them right now! ‘One day when Lee Ochs was in my office I asked him what he thoucht we averaged per day on renting a certain brand of pictures. He considered the matter a moment, figured what our probable expenses were and what we ought to average in renting each positive print per ry and then said: ‘I should guess about $20 a J. “Then I showed him that the actual average was $9.87. “Mr. Ochs urged me to publish these facts, saying that it would open the eyes of the exhibitors and everybody else to the true condition of affairs in the producing and distributing end of the business. And that’s one reason why I am doing so. “Stanley Mastbaum has proposed an amatgamation as a remedy for existing evils. That may be possible, but I doubt it. Experience has shown me that every time there is a merger in the film business new companies spring up and recreate the same bad business, “TI think a better suggestion is, A NATIONAL FIGHT FOR MORE MONEY FROW THE PURLIC. The theaters at present are giving their Patrons better pictures, better music, better surroundings, better everything, but the advance in admission prices has been ridiculously LOW. In Russia, I am informed, the picture theaters charge as high asa dollar. In Germany. in England and in many other ceuntries the admission prices are everywhere from two to four times as much as the average American admission price, “I know that many will say: ‘It can’t be done. You don’t know the public. My territory !s different. I've tried and couldn’t put it over.’ “My answer is that it MUST be done: that I do know the public as well as any man ip the business; that your territory is not any different from other territories in principle, and that if you’ve tried and failed you'll have to keep on trying until you put it over. “One theater, such as the Rialto or Strand in New York, pays its stockholders more cash dividends than a worldwide produciing and distributine corporation, such ag the Universal. This would be funny if it were not so serious. Imagine it! A tremendous organization, with offices in every part of the civilized world, with seventy exchanges in America alone, employing thousands of people. releasing between one and two million feet of positive reels of pictures every week, an organization with an almost un. believably huge income, is operating on such a close margin that it can not pay as much in dividends as one single lone theater. “I feel that we are entitled to a bi¢ share of the profits in this business, but we don’t get it. I feel that with our tremendons efforts we are justified in expecting to pay dividends to the Tniversal stockholders, provided we continue to keep our quality up at all times. But, as I said before. we have not paid dividends for a year, and I don’t see any chance of paying any unless we cet more money for our goods. And we can’t hope to get more until the exhibitors get more from the people. “While I have no right to speak for any other concern than the Universal, I feel convinced that the same condition which I bave described applies to nearly every producing concern in the business to a greater or less degree. “We have all kept a stiff upper lip and made a monumental bluff at boundless prosperity. By a foolish silence and a cowardly fear we have permitted the whole world to believe that all of us were coining money as in a mint. “TIT seriously an? solemnly venture the prediction that al! of us—the producers, the distributors and the exhibitors—will become ripe for the receiver unless all of us get More money from the only source it is possible to get !t from—the public. The fate of the moving picture business has been in the hands of the producers in past years. But today it is in the hands of the exhibitors. If they get more money so they can pay more money for their goods we can all pull thru. If they don’t arouse themselves to this imperative necessity we can all get ready for the damndest crash that ever resounded in any industry in the land, “I am not squealing. I am not misrepresent. ing. I am publishing some plain truths which should have been published long ago, I have always been an optimist in this business. And the picture of conditions which I have painted is not a pessimistic one. On the contrary, conditions are, if anything, a whole lot worse than I have said. “Today the moving picture industry {ts closer to disaster and death than it has been in the past ten years. It needs and must have an operation that will either kill or cure completely. Raising all admission prices is the operation that will either kill something that is already very sick or else put it on its feet. We've got practically nothing to lose and everything to gain. Let's operate! “And let’s handle it without gloves! Don't tell the people that the war taxes are the only cause of your advance prices. They are only one of many causes. Tell them the plain truth— that with expenses increased all along the line, as well as new taxes, you've got to get more or quit. Then they can’t accuse you of profiteering on the war tax or anything alse “It isn’t a pleasant job. No operation ever is. But it is a life saver, and it’s the only possible one at hand."’ Russell Bros.’ Famons Show closed its season at Dendron, Va., the latter part of November because of the cold weather and went into winter quarters at Sebrell, Va. Manager Bob Russell will be busy looking after the complete overhauling of the shew and making arrangements for an early spring opening. He was well satisfied with the 1917 season. Y. W. Gregory and wife, late of Tompkins’ Wild West Show, will also spend the winter in Sebrell, “TI look upon the War Savings campaign as promising the most wholesome benetits to te American people, and producing fundamental conditions that will be of immense help in 6nancing, as well as in successfully prosecuting, the war.’’—Secretary McAdoo,