Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-22
MOVIE EXCHANGES
MAY LEAVE CITY
Managers Dissatisfied With
Restrictions Thrown About
Business by District.
BALTIMORE MAKES BID

BALTIMORE MAKES BID
| Dissatisfied with the restrictions
thrown about their business for the
protection Of human life and property.
managers Of the local photoplay ex-
changes are said to be seeking the
| transfer OF the business from Washing
ton to Baltimore, where, as yet. 1t is
claimed. no regulations interfere with
their methods OF handling films.
The Baltimore newspapers, In refer-
ring to the matter, claim that the trans
fer of the business will mean the en-
ployment of probably geo Baltimoreans,
and besides will take to that city prob
ably 200 Aim exhibitors weekly to ex-
anime the films on hand and to make
| their bookings The proposition, con-
sequently, means that 200 Washington
employees will be dispensed with: that
all the film exhibitors in Washington
will be compelled to visit Baltimore
weekly to book for their houses and
that many exhibitors from elsewhere
| will hereafter go to Baltimore instead
Of coming to Washington.
Claim Misrepresentation.
Both the District building inspector
and the District fire marshal claim
there has been Misrepresentation as to
| the rigor of the new police regulations
governing the subject which were
ferences with the film representatives.
| Substantially they provide for the
| storage Of films in fireproof vaults:
| that they may not be stored. handled
or partly used for residential pur-
poses: that all fixtures. shelving and
furniture in the rooms where they are
stored or handled shall be metal or
Of non-combustible material, and that
not more than ten reels. or 10000 feet
in the aggregate of motion picture
films, shall be exposed for examina-
ton or repair at one time, and not
more than one exposed reel shall be in
| the hands Of any one person at any
not under examination, repair or in
use shall be inclosed in metal containers.
The regulations cover four pages of
closely typewriter matter and enter
into minute detail as to requirements.
They are exacting as concerns what are
known as combustible buildings and
seek to provide therein practically the
safety afforded by flreproof buildings
The fire marshal says they. are prac-
tically the same as those in force in
Boston, New York. Chicago, Philadel-
phia and Cincinnati: that they are not
designed to impose hardship, but to af-
ford that protection to life and prop
erty which Is demanded by the policy
In force in the District of Columbia
Managers Viewpoint.
J. H. Butner. president of the Washing
ton Film Managers Association. offers. as
the film managers side of the contro-
versy. the following statement:
1.-The vote Of the Film Managers As
ISOLATION at recent meeting, to recon-
mend to their home Offices the removal of
the Washington branches Of the various
Aim companies to Baltimore was unani-
1 m ali haf fta
ments imposed by the regulations adopted
by the District Commissioners were too
rigid, particularly In view of the fact that
the quarters we now occupy could, In only
few cases, be adapted to meet the re-
Quirements. In cases where present quar-
tiers could be adapted to the regulations
the expense involved would be great and
the film industry Is at this time in no con-
dition to withstand unnecessary outlay.
Moving Only Alternative.
THE Washington exchanges selected the
best available quarters when they were
seeking locations. Some that would have
been chosen, perhaps rather than the
because. while the landlords were anx-
ious to rent to US, the fire authorities
would not approve. The consequence is
that no available places other than those
we now occupy await us il we are ordered
from our present quarters We cannot
do business on an open lot or on the street
ana Dut one alternative remains, namely,
removal to some other city
We have had conferences with any
number Of Washington real estate peo-
pie. many Of whom expressed their will
ingnesS and readiness to erect a modern
fireproof film building at n reasonable
rental to each exchange. Such a build
Ing would house all of the branches. In
each case it developed that for one rea-
son or another these proposed enter
prises could not be carried out
Promised Liberal Treatment.
From Baltimore within the last two
days have come many tenders of fire.
proof buildings already constructed. and
| many offers to erect buildings designed
to meet our peculiar needs We are also
promised liberal treatment by the au-
thorities and are assured that rigid
regulations would not be adopted to
embarrass or hamper the conduct of our
| business.
While moving picture films are high
| ly combustible it should be borne in
| mind that the measures taken to mini
mlze nre risks are such as to prevent
outbreak of fires All connected with
film exchanges recognize the risks and
| 40 their utmost to minimize them No
| smoking and no matches are allowed.
and in other ways constant guard
| is kept against possibility Of fire,
The landlords from whom the Wash
lngton exchanges rent would be pleased
to have US remain in our present quar-
/ ters This would suit US If we are not
allowed this all we ask is that suitable
places To which we may remove be pro-
vided. Failing in this our only alterna-
| tive is to 20 to Baltimore"