The sun., 1916-08-20

~ -
A NEW association 10 being Or
s.n'''a in New York BY men
4 and women who are interested
in seeing to Il that any person pos
sessed Of IN extra dime may fnd {
cheap ana wholesome form Of enter.
tainment. The association Is styled tha
Movie Theatre Association: but In or.
der TO set forth It's purpose in full II
might be called tho Association for the
Protection Of Five and Ten Cent Mo-
ton Picture Theatres.
Mrs. G. A. Dessez Of 100 West l60th
street Is n Of the leaders in the
movement. which has the support Of
the Federated women's Clubs. the
.Anti-saloon League and q dozen other
organizations. During the last year
Mrs. Dessez has been working with
Mrs. Philip Speed Of Staten Island IL
an effort to obtain better motion pic
lures for children. They have suo-
ceeded in having special children's pro-
srammes arranged at several hundred
New York theatres.
Alwyn Ball. Jr., one OF the moor
porators Of the Movie Theatre Asso-
citation. said in discussing the move
ment: "In the last six months almost
400 motion picture theatres in New
York State alone have been forced out
OF business. These are the figures OF
the Motion Picture Exhibitors League.
Why were they forced out? Simply be-
cause the smaller theatres could not
afford 10 pay the prices demanded by
the producers for their programmes
which usually include a eo-cailed fea-
ture picture OF ive reels or so.
The theatre owners must take the
new pictures as they are turned out
week by week. no matter n there are
thousands Of good pictures on the pro-
ducers' shelves which have w been
shown In this particular owners thea
tire. This il nonsense. from an eco
nomic viewpoint. or any other view
point. \. good picture is a good picture
and worth seeing. whether II was made
yesterday or W years ago.
The craze TO make new pictures OF
any old kind Is responsible for the
present situation in the industry. II IS
to be hoped that some better and
cheaper means will he found OF dis
tributirg the good pictures already
made. For the benefit OF the women
and children and men OF the country
as n whole the fullest distribution
should be secured OF every entertain
ing and wholesome picture manu'ac-
tured.
I. " .s -,As,, yfNs,eA
theatres with higher prices let us have
hundreds Of thousands OF motion pic
turs theatres with low prices. thus
bringing sunshine into tho lives OF
5000. 900 or SO OF our population who
are now deprived OF wholesome enter
tainment because OF the con ton OF
their pockethooks. The motion picture
has its mission. but that mission GER
ta.nly Is not alone 10 provid" gorgeous
sp~eCtaCics FOR the two dollar tEcitrrs.
Then too there is N reason SO far as
| can 50" why II theatre snuvld h-
compelled I" pay an eXturtinra'e Or
unfair price for pictures when hy the
rXercise ~ a little common sense in the
industry the prices might b1put down
and kept down"
~ iytsNSI dfUi HtT dsSOCldte9 IN u
letter which Is being sent to women's
clubs and other organizations through
out the Country ask three questions
hearing on the future Of the movies.
These questions are:
"Do tie men Of your community ac-
company their children and women
folks to the motion picture shows?
Does IL make any difference TO you
whether a picture Is a week Old or q
year old Just 80 II Is wholesome and
entertaining?
What are the principal reasons
given by the motion picture exhibitors
Of your neighborhood for raising the
prices OF admission beyond fve ana
ten cents?"
In discussing their aims the promo
tiers OF the movement Ayt
"The motion picture business ranks
fourth among the country's big in
dustrles. This was its position in
1915. II had passed the automobile
and headed into the final lap with
steel and the railroads. The cinema
* one OF the largest borrowers on
time paper in tho New York
banks. That mcans that the i'm
mcnsi;y and the stability Of the BUSH
ness are recognized by the greatest
powers in the land. The
MIN world pays to its kings and
queens the largest salaries ot ans.
business in the world. More than
10000, 000 loyal subjects help to make
up the budget that pays the royal
family ~ film land, the Charlie Chap
lina nnl tha Nfnr, D,,tr,.l. -. 49,