Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-26
WAR ON PICTURE
HOUSES IS BEGUN
Arrest and General Inspection
Result of Fire in Art
Theater
PROPRIETOR is FINED $50
Police to Enforce Ordinance Gov
ern Employment of Lii
CenSed Operators
PROPRIETOR is FINED $50

One arrest was made, several owners
of theaters were warned to employ
only licensed motion picture machine
operators and all the motion picture
theaters in the business district were
hurriedly inspected yesterday by City
Electrician X. II. Manahan-all as u
result of the fire which occurred Fri
day in the Art theater, sos South
Broadway.
Frank Horton, youth II years of
age, was burned while operating the
picture machine in that theater when
the film caught fire. The aft air at
tracted attention to his age and the
fact that he had no license and caused
the hasty investigation.
The moving picture theater manag-
ers describe the sudden activity of the
police as unjust, claiming that the
ordinance which provides that a Ii
censed operator must be employed has
been dormant since its enactment two
years ago, and that now it is sudden
ly invoked and an arrest made with
out the formality of warning the the
ater managers that the law was going
to be put into operation.
A section of the ordinance governing
the conduct of moving picture the
aters provides that no operator shall
be employed who is not more than IS
years of age and who has not passed
an examination before the city cleo
trician and has license to act
as an operator
PROPRIETORS HURT
The theater men claim that many
prospective operators have called at
the city electricians office in the city
hall to submit to an examination as
to their fitness to hold a license, but
have been passed along with a per-
functory examination and no formal
license issued to them.
The first victim of police activity
was William A. Kerr, BOG Clay street,
proprietor of the Art theater. He was
arraigned yesterday morning in Police
Judge Fredericksons court on a COM
plaint filed by Patrolman Matuskiwiz.
He was charged with violating the
license ordinance, found guilty and
fined $50. Sentence was postponed to
Monday.
Kerr claimed that he did not know
there was an ordinance requiring the
machine operators to pass an examina-
ton and secure a license. The mini
mum fine for the violation of this ordi-
nance is $50.
The police were instructed yesterday
morning to order all managers of pic
ture theaters that they must secure
licensed operators at once or close their
ing unlicensed men Monday will be
arrested.
Another section of the ordinance
which has suddenly been rejuvenated
reads:
Every person licensed to operate
moving picture machines shall keep
his license conspicuously posted on
or near the door of the enclosure
or room in which is located the
iafT hi inn tod
by such person.
The picture theater owners claim it
is an impossibility to live up to this
provision of the ordinance, inasmuch
as the city electrician has not been in
the habit of issuing written licenses,
but has orally licensed men applying
for and passing an examination.
City Electrician Manahan takes the
stand that while he has not lived up
to the strict letter of the law, he has
carried out the spirit of the ordinance.
My great care has been to see that
the room in which each picture ma
chine is operated has been made fire.
proof" he said. II have inspected all
of the theaters in the business district
and find these requirements carried
out to the letter.
II have not issued written licenses,
but I have made q point to examine
all applicants for license and when a
man has satisfied me that he is COM
petent to operate a machine l issue
an oral license.
1.-THE main question involved is
whether or not these operating rooms
are freproof, end 1 have assured my
self that the theater men live up to
this section of the law"
Arthur Bard, who is interested in
motion picture machines, yesterday
sent to the city electrician an offer to
assist him in examining applicants for
licenses, or to relieve him entirely of
such examinations, if he is agreeable.
He stated that he has had seven years
experience in the business, also that
the plan he proposes is in use in Chi