New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-08
film ORDINANCES READY.
Regulations Favorably Reported
to Board of Aldermen.
SAME AS MAYOR APPROVED
No More Vaudeville and Seating
Capacity of the Little Thea
atres Is Increased.

Proposed ordinances for the regulation
Of motion picture theatres, which were
introduced in the Board of Aldermen 10y
Alderman Ralph Folks. leader of the ma
iority were reported favorably yesterday
by the Committee on Laws and Le8isla-
ton, and will be up for passage at the
meeting next week. These ordinances, with
minor changes. are the same as presented
by the special committee appointed by
Mayor Gaynor after Raymond b. Fosdick'
the Commissioner of Accounts. had MADE
an exhaustive investigation of the SUBJECT
Some Of the salient features of the oral
rances are:
Maximum seating capacity is increased
from 300 to COO
Strict requirements are laid down for the
heating. ventilation, lighting, exit facilities
and general sanitation of the theatres, and
these requirements are made retroactive.
The introduction of stages IS prohibited
thus doing away with cheap vaudeville.
The duty of maintaining the moral status
o. such places is placed upon the Mayor
bureau of Licenses, and corps of in
spectors for the work is provided.
II is estimated that there are six hun
cred moving picture theatres in greater
New York. with an average daily attend
ance Of three hundred thousand. five times
as many as attend the regular theatres.
LEGISLATION to regulate such places Is
thus Of the greatest importance, said
Alderman Folks last night. AT present
there are no special laws to regulate the
moving pictures in many respects.
The provision increasing the maximum
capacity 10 six hundred is Of great I'M
rortance. as the present limit is held ac-
countahle in many ways for the inferior
character OF many Of tie places in the city
Neither morally nor artistcally can good
performance he given at low price when
the seating capacity Is so small.
Our ordinances would permit music lee
lures or recitations in connection with the
motion pictures. but would eliminate the
vaudeville The cheap vaudeville Of these
places is usually bad in the extreme.
The ordinances establish practically a
censorship by the administration 10 he used
when conditions require. They do this by
leaving with the Mayor the power to refuse
suspend or revoke licenses at his discretion
and with no court review save on the
ground Of reasonahleness In this vav the
moral control Of motion pictures would b
much more complete than is the moral con
troll of regular theatres. which are not sub
iAct to the arbitrary license revoking power
Of the Mayor
There is a section in the ordinances which
exempts educational and similar institutions
from certain provisions. requiring. however
the inspection Of the Bureau Of Licenses
and the issuance Of n Iermit for such per
fOrmances
Everything in connection with the pecu-
liar construction of motion picture halls is
provided in the ordinances. and the pro
posed new building code does not interfere
with these in any way.
Among the organizations that have in
dorsed the proposed ordinances are the
Recreation Alliance. the City Club. the New
York Association Of Neighborhood Work
ers. the Brooklyn Association of NeiGhbor-
hood Workers, the Peoples Institute. the
East Side Local Needs Association and the
Baity League Of Social Service. II is be
heved that il will be passed By the Board
of Aldermen and Mayor GaynOr will sign
it. as he recently wrote TO the board asking
that it put the ordinances through at the
earliest possible moment.