The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

March 3, 1923. THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. 1 THE ANNUAL DINNER. Large Attendance Without Any Outstanding Personality. Hit Annual Dinner ot the Associntion was held in the Hotel Victoria, Northumberland Avenue, the diners being erected by Migjor and Mars. Gale and Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Dovener. The proceedines hegan soon alter 7 o'vlock, when 2 good repast wus sect before those present, musical items and vocal contributions being interspersed. SOME OF THE GUESTS. Seated on either side of the chainnan were the following members and guests: T. P. O'Connor, Dudley Bennett, Norman Hart, LL. Levine, Jeffrey Bernerd, Councillor G, F. MeDonald, F. R. Goodwin, G. Smith, W. Evans, Sir H. J. De Courey Moore, R. J. Pueh, Al. Lichtman, Colonel Browne, LicutCom. and Mrs. Collinewood Hughes, Alderman Ei. Trounson, P. J. Hannon, M.P., Rt. Hon. Lord Ashficld, Mrs. A. J. Gale, Mr. Gavazzi Kine, Lieut.-Col. and Mrs. A. C. Bromhead, Alderman C. de Salis, Mr. and Mrs. Revinald Bromhead, Mr. A, E. Newbould, Alderman C. L. Attenborough, Alderman C. Pinkham, Councillor W. G. Davies, Alderman C. W. Matthews, H. Mills, F. Hill, A. A. Burein, A. G. Granger, and W. R. Fuller. Others present included IT’. EE. Adams, Sidney Bacon, Captain Barber, R. G. Balls, Mrs. G. 4H. Dudley Bennett, S. Bernstein, W. N. Blake, Ie. Blake, W. A. Brewer, 3roome, J. A. Campbell, Chetham, Chas. A. Joseph Broughton, J. Broome, Mrs. W. Garr; Chas. H:. Chuainpion,.. DB, Cohen, A. J. Croughton, F. H. Cooper, H. V. Davis, Ralph Davis, Basil Davis, C. Hartle, Davies, J. H. Dovener, Henry De Solla, W. J. Elliot, T. France, Is. W. Fredman, R. Freeman, R. Dunean French, W. T. T. Gillett, A. LL. Gray, Frank H. Harcourt, Graham Hewett, I. H. Hibbert, Mrs. Hibbert, Mrs. Hill, Councillor H. J. Hood, Barrington Hooper, Mrs. Huvhes, 8S. W. Jarrett, -— Jeapes, L. W. Jenkins, R. Summer Jones, T. Herbert Kaye, Mrs. Waye, P. Kimberley, A. Leban, C. Lapworth, J. McBride, — McCloud, W. Marshall, G. Moore, F. W. Morrison, A. Ik. Neary, Guy Newall, T. Ormiston, E. W. P. Peall, W. H. Perey, P. Phillipson, Mrs. Phillipson, Miss W. M. Pureell. W. J. Repard, R. Richardson, L. Samuel, H. ShefReld, W. &. Shepherd, A. Smith, MH. Is. Smith, J. C. Squier, J. R. Stephens, Captain Shaweross, A. Taylor, '’. Thompson, Mrs. Thompson, G. H. Tyler, J. Tilney, L. Warren, W. Watson, F.. Norman-Wrieht, F. It. Weisker, T. Welch, — Wolfe, Bailie I. Wright, G. Dudley West, W. Wanger, L. Yelesinas, J. Zimmerman, Green. W. J. 8S. Green, Hewitson, A. Habberfield, The toast of *' The King havine been duly honoured, letters of apology were read by the secretary from the Rt. Hon. J. H. Thomas, M.P., Major Sir Percy Simmons, and J. M. Hogge, M.P. Parliamentary duties claimed Mr. Thomas, illness Sir Perey Simmons, and business in Edinburgh Mr. Hogee. M.P. ON THE KINEMATOGRAPH TRADE. The toast of ‘‘ The Kinematograph Trade’? was next submitted by P. J. Hannon, Isq., M.P., who, arriving late from the House, had not had time, to use his own words, to don’ the wedding garment. In the last session of Parliament, when the affairs of the industry were being discussed, members found it difficult to know whether to call the business in which they were engaged a trade, an industry, or a profession. He noticed that Gent, W. G. Gell, oJ ‘* trade’? was the term by which they preferred to be known: and it would be difficult to point out any other trade which had done so much to uplift the hfe of this nation or of the world. In the first place, it had provided a new set of educational opportunities. People's lives would have been much more limited had it not been for the educational help given by the kinema. Occasionally, it was stated that films were not all that could be desired, but that trade was a clean and honourable one, In the report of the Association’s work in 1922 the part that had interested the speaker was that referring to the Entertainments Tax, because of its political bearing. No trade in this country had ever put in its plea for justice with such energy. He believed the proper thing was to abolish the Tax altogether. The difficulty Jast vear, he believed, was lack of unity. There were now 405 members in the House pledged either to abolition or reduction. If the methods of attack were well organised, he did not see why the industry should not get what it wanted next session. It had its fate in its hands, and pressure must be exercised gently but firmly, and the result would be success. HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. Lord Ashfield, who responded, opened with a jocular reference to the case with which money could be lost in the industry. He instanced the case of a friend who, having some money to invest, asked the speaker his advice regarding it. He advised him not to risk it in the motion picture business. His friend disregarded his advice. with the result that each year he had received a sum nearly equal to the amount of capital employed. That did not take place in this country. His own interest in the industry was not solely, nor even chiefly, financial; he had a great belicf in this form of entertainment. He recognised its power for the social good and education of the pcople of the whole of the civilised world. He had never lost his belief in the particular company with which he was connected, nor with the trade as a whole. He was certain that a better future was before the industry; the prospect was more encouraging than it had been for a long time. There were signs of a revival in the trade of this country; it would not be one straivht line; events moved in zigzags, a step forward and a step backward, but always the step forward was the surer one, and they looked forward to a tranquil time. Another cloud upon the industry— the Entertainments Tax—le hoped would soon be dissipated. The burden of tax amounted to 21 per cent. of their revenue, aud when other taxes were counted in to over 80 per cent. It that was not a burden more than any industry should he called pon to bear he would like to know what was. If by any chance they did get hold of any profits they were taxed in addition, so that like Rabelais they could say at the end of their lives: ‘IT have nothing; 1 owe much; the rest I leave to the poor.”’ He hoped that when Mr. Baldwin realised the position as it would be put to litm by the trade, that the prophecy of Mr. Hannon would come true, and that the burden would be promptly removed, THE INDUSTRY’S EARLY DAYS. Colonel A. C. Bromhead, whose name was also coupled with the toast, referred to the fact that this year he was celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of his company’s founding. They had been years of struggle and endeavour on the part of all