The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-05
N ADOOS POSITION
AS MOVIE LAWYER
CANDIDACY HELP
Lawrence Visits Los Angeles
and Finds Former Cabinet
Members Chances for Pres
idenCy Better.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
The News Seimitar's Special Core.
s~pondent.l

tine news SeifnltaT's Special Core
%spondent.l
Los ANGELES, Cal. May 5.-Cabi,
net officers who can't afford to live
on $4,000 a year ought to get a glimpse
of the motion picture industry here
and decide for themselves whether vii.
liam Gibbs McAdoo made a wise choice
when he became general counsel for q
combination Of actors and PRODUCES
at a salary Of $500, 900 a year.
Back East there was a tendency to
deride Mr.. McAdoo's choice, but out
here the moving picture industry is
second only 10 the oil industry. and it's
4 serious business thar employs in the
neighborhood Of 10000 people and has
developed suburban sections and
brought millions OF dollars more q
month TO the business Of the city gen
orally, The moving picture folks spend
their money layishly and pay high
wages for their help.
Tradesmen Of all kinds, needed In the
building Of scenery and structures Of
all kinds, have come here from all parts
OF the country. The retail section OF
Los Angeles has profited immensely. |
mad not been In Los Angeles since 1911
when | came TO write the trial OF the
NAAASA hAAA III SNiuIliN
growth of the city, | am advised. is due
as much 10 the movie folks who select
ed Los Angeles because scenes con be
made outdoors practically the whole
year round, Mountains are within a
few minutes reach, the ocean is ten
miles away, a desert Is only a few
miles distant, ranch scenes. wild West
ern life, river escapades and all the
numerous phases Of city and country
NE or which the moving picture play
Is compounded, are all available in
and around Los Angeles. Millions Of
dollars have been invested In fashion
able homes, bungalows and stores In
the moving picture settlement and the
average fastener Is amazed at the
size OF the establishments which, taken
together, produce many more plays
than all the other moving picture con
Germs in tho world,
Feared for Dignity. Y...a.a
Politically speaking, friends Of Nc
Adoo who believe he will be the next
nominee Of the Democratic party were
a~pprehensive lest his connection with
moving picture stars give an impress
sion TO the public Of a lack of dignity,
! asked a Republican editor here what
he thought about that.
We regard the motion Npicture in
dustry," he said, "as a serious indus
try and a permanent one. We welcome
Mr.. McAdoo as one of our business
men; we haven't thought OF politics"
There we're many reasons. why the
big four, rs they are called-Douglas
Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pick
ford and VIM. Hart-found 1t advisable
to organize so that they could get
moro direct control of productions and
profits, and they wanted a man OF or
ganising capacity TO do the job. Mr.,
McAdoo delved into the intrioacies OF
TIM httWinaun aNA 4ttaIxE ~..A EA.-n-
Price, formerly assistant to the direc-
t~or-general OF railroads, in charge, as
president Of the concern which man.
ages the affairs of the big four
About the only difference IL has
seemed to make in Mr.. McAdoo him
self T. that now he feels he a afford
a private car when he goes back and
forth to New York. and he didn't dare
ride In one whom he raj the railroads,
From a political viewpoint, too, 1t
wasn't such a bad stroke for MFR. Nc
Adoo, assuming that he Is looking
ahead to 1920, to become affiliated with
an industry that reaches 10000, 900 per-
sons a day.
Escapes Criticism.
II he had general counsel of an or
gantzation or association OF powerful
newspapers, he probably would have
been subject to no criticism, particu.
~ WV pSDiit WOuIu nave pEOTlDtly
suspected that he was putting himself
in close touch with institutions that
would be a political help to him. No
one has vet given hat as the reason
Tor Mr.. McAdoo's tie-up with the mo-
ton picture industry, for tho $500, 600
a year Is generally regarded as suffi-
Gent attraction, but the fact liz the
former secretary OF the treasury and
director general OF railroads has made
himself popular with a very influential
group OF moving picture men who rival
the press in their power to reach pao-
pie throughout the country and the
scenario writer's. actors, producers, all
fundamental facts OF our economic life
as OF. social and domestic comedy or
tragedy.
For example. I encountered Charles
MacCauley, former cartoonist OF the
New York World, He was producing a
play he had written to counteract Boil
shevism. Another group of men were
Interested In using the movie to bring
nome to persons In various professions
and occupations illustrated lessons of
value to them In their daily work. The
uses OF the movie are limitless, and the
Industry here is not only looking for
big organizing minds and people with
new ideas, but 1t doesn't consider that
a cabinet officer Is too high In public
esteem or ability to hire II he can be
OF use in promoting a business In which
the returns are SO profitable TO all con-
Herned,
So the general impression here Is that
whether William Gibbs McAdoo ever
runs for president or anything else, he
quit the~ Democratic cabinet when the
quitting was good and got himself a
job that no longer makes him worry
about making ends meet on that paitry
$4,000 a year cabinet salary.
Copyright. 1918, by the New York
Evening Post, Inc,)