Pueblo chieftain., 1921-06-29
By Frederic J. Haakin.

washington. ID. Cs June @.-Ihe
great business discovery made by Mr.
p. T. Barnum-that the public loves
to be fooled and that II is amazingly
eAsy to fool it-has recently been put
to work in a new form. The wildcat
movie company has appeared. and has
scampered away with "A number of tho
public's millions and vengeance
breathing posse Of honest movic-mak-
ers hot on its trail
This latest child Of American fraud
-iincai descendant of tho gold brick.
tho wooden nutmeg. and the cherry
colored cat. nrst cousin of the saltcd
mine tho oil guaher for which tho pro-
motcr does all the gushing. tho pecan
groves and rubber plantations which
grow only in the tropical ,magtnations
OF agcnS-ls credited with having is
sued stock TO the amount OF not less
than a quarter of billion dollars,
and some nifty millions OF this amount
Is said to have left homo completely
and forever.
fortunes made by many in tho NOV
ing picture industry, large portion
OF tho public has fallen an easy VIC
tim to tho dishonest promoter of the
wildcat film company. Tho National
Association of the Motion Picture In
dustry has been most active in trying
to expose and discrcdit these men. and
Vigilance committee has been In
existence for some time which has
achieved notable results.
During the past year. this commit
toe has Investigated moro than a hun
drcd suspected moving picture COM
pantes. representing n combined CAPT
talizauon OF quarter of billion
dollars. \ great mary attempts to
EouEc and victinizo tho public have
been discovered in time to thwar,
worthless movie stock fotations II
found .hnf , vrf1e shEEc Gy-. nv
night concerns were differed by men
with no experience In tho moving pic
turc business
1t was particularly tho producing
companies of this character which
were found tn he shady and question
able. Usually they were composed Of
promoters evidently attempting. and
often with success. to cash in on the
widespread reports of fabulous for
tunes made in the milton picture in
dustry.
During the last calendar year. the
American public nut $50 .o0O.coN into
tho pockets Of dishonest promoters
/ thru tho purchase Of pretty stock cor
tificatcs in worthless producing com
psnics. This does not, of course. in
cludc any of tho stock issued and sold
by woil-estahiished and profitable mo-
tion picture corporations which sold
securities to the public during 1920 for
tho purpose of legitimate business OK
pansion.
But tho wildcat companies az n lure.
repeatedly call attention to the tro-
mendous earning power and assets Of
the honest and established concerns
seeking hy this indiraction to associate
their names with these honest and
above board representatives. of the in
dustrv
I, was for tho protection NJ tho pub
lie and the protection Of the honest
companies hat the Setional Associa =
tion Of the Motion Pic,pre Industry
appointed its Vigilance committee
about a year seo. when tho stock seil-
ing operations Of tho fake companies
were at hirh tide.
But putting M tho bars against tho
wildcattcrs. the respectable and hon
est movie men hope to protect them
solves. MS well as prevent further
nu'c'inE of tho public. james II.
ouirk. editor Of r1ovinr picture mag
azine. heads the committee.
rubii-isy tho Cure
MIR. Quirk Gays that publicity is the
strongest weapon the committee has
found with which to fight the dishon-
est promoter. As rUle. he says, these
promoters arc shrewu enough TO Keep
within the Jaw oven tn those states
where "hiua sky" IaWg sxiHt design ID