The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-01
FELT HARD BLOW
Motion Picture Industry Has
- Weathered Financial Storm.
%Despite Money Tightness Pro-
ductiOn Is Not Lessened.
NOW NEED GENERALIZATION
New York May Lose Business
Z Hold on the Screen.
Eastern Studios Only Ones
Which Felt Money Scarcity.

Los Angeles and New York motion
picture concerns are worried over the
erect OF the present money tightness
on their industry. Production of pic
lures has slowed down apparently and
~Lhere is a problem of unemployment
swithin that industry.
The Los Angeles Times sent an in
iyestigator to the various plants for
the purpose of ascertaining the exact
conditions. In the issue dated De-
cember IL was printed a statement
by Jesse l.. Lasky and BENJAMIN Is.
Hampton, two big producers who
seem TO be most active at the present
date. Mr.. Lasky is of the opinion
that the period of reimbursement will
De weathered safely, and the picture
business will emerge from 1t with
brighter prospects than ever. Mr.
~. MI tons statement was printed in
sthe Times in detail as follows:
Withstood Severe Blow.
"One may say with safety that pes
sslhlsm in regard to this industry is
-ul-founded. Motion pictures and the
wonderful music of picture theaters
are two great forces in American life
1orces that entertain, educate and in
-Splre The money spent by motion
picture audiences is an excellent in
eYestment for a nation.
No one who studied the workings
or the industry in the winter of 1878
~ can be alarmed by present condi-
tons Early in November. 1918, the
arnistice was signed, with the result
that war pictures Immediately be-
came unstable. That blow was
severe. Then came the unsettlng of
general business and financial condi-
lions, period in which all industry
ehalteds not. knowing whether to go
FORWARD or backward. Then came the
Third great blow, the nationwide cpl
sqemic of influenza, in which 95 per
gent of picture theaters were closed
Ffor nearly two months.
What other industry could have
endured such conditions and come
thru in the spring of 1919 in n healthy
condition? And yet, that is exactly
what the picture industry did.
But Little Let Up.
E This present settling down expert
ence is unpleasant, of course, but it
is merely "a temporary annoyance. /
think that shortly after the first of
the year conditions will improve ma
terially and that by spring the entire
industry will be we'll on it's way TO-
ward forgetting the present period of
annoyance. AS a matter of fact,
large amount of production is going
ahead steadily in Los Angeles, and
from all 1 can learn will continue to
go ahead.
= Production in the east, 1 under
stand, is severely affected. That is
due partially to the present unsettled
condition in the financial and indus
trial world, but due also to the fact
that the making of pictures in New
York a this time of the year is an
expensive, distressing annoyance
There is no reason why all the pic
lures made in the United States should
not be made in Los Angeles. The
only thing that permits New York to
Continue as producing center in COM
petition with Los Angeles is the fact
that the financing and distribution of
pictures is still conferred in New York
City.
IF Los Angeles bankers and BUSH
ness men ever realize the magnitude
of this industry and get back of it
earnestly and enthusiastically, there is
no reason why financial and indus
trial ends of the entire industry should.
not be moved to Los Angeles.
MAY I make the suggestion now
that this is the best time possible to
take steps along these lines?"