The Washington times., 1922-05-09
LEADER
ASKS INDUSTRY
Be RID Of EVILS
Sydney Cohen Demands Wide
Reforms to Overcome
Popular Prejudice.


Motion Picture Theater Owners
convention will be aired this after
noon, when Senator James J. Walk
er, former counsel for the owners,
addresses the delegates.
Both Sydney s. Cohen, the in
cumbent. and Walker are listed as
candidates for president. The re.
cent action Of a majority Of the
executive committee in severing
Walkers connection as counsel for
the organization precipitated tn"
fight. The two men are at odds
personally and their friends will
fight IT out today.
Walker, who had been national
counsel at a salary OF $1,000 a
month for yearly two years. was
dismissed. his opponents say. be-
cause as minority leader OF th'
! Democrats in the New York As-
sembly, he antagonized the majority
| leaders. This antagonism was
| traced to legislation that was oh.
| iectionable to motion picture the
ater owners and Walker was
blamed.
Industry In Slump.
Reform Of every phase OF the
movie industry except the box of.
flee was urged at the convention
yesterday. II was declared that
there is no chance for lower prices
while receipts are falling off at the
rate-of s43. 200. 900 a year.
This was the substance of the re
port OF President Sydney s. Cohen
to the Motion Picture Theater Own
ers OF America. He said that while
receipts fell off more than s43 900.
900 in 1921, the exhibitors paid
S10,62l 900 more for pictures last
year than the year before.
Cohen proposed that the organic
| ton boycott the works Of the CCm-
posers OF music who are members
of the American Society OF Com.
posers, Authors and Publishers,
which exacts a royalty on music
played in movie houses and com
prises most of the writer's Of popu-
lar hits.
Cohen outlined plan by which
! the exhibitors would encourage new
and independent composers by pub
fishing. playing and exploiting thei-
compositions, paying them no tak
on their music. a..s
Upwards Of 10000 delegates are
attending the convention, and
| Washington hotels are so crowded
that many OF the delegates are be.
| ing compelled TO seek accommoda
! tions I'm Baltimore. More than 15..
900 movie houses are represented.
| Greetings from President Harding
to the convention were read, and
IN address OF welcome was delivered
In person by Senator X. l.. Owen
OF Oklahoma.
Cohen Asks Reform.
President Cohen urged reform on
motion picture advertising. which
he said usually exhausted the die
tionary's stock of adjectives with
out giving any reliable information.
He said the exhibitors were tired of
exploiting the personalities of stars,
producers, directors. scenario writ
ers and camera men. and that the
public was disgusted with false
and lying claims"
The undue advertising given stars.
he said. had inflated them beyond
their importance and had resulted
in an orgy OF extravaganza and
scandal which had injured the mo.
ton picture industry.
I'VE have placed on pedestal. &.
persons who we know to be un.
worthy OF them" he declared.
He said the exhibitors must stanG
| together to combat the evils OF
censorship and the attacks of pro.
fessional reformers." and urged
that the theater owners do their
own house cleaning.
While the moving picture theater
men are discussing the problems Of
their business at the Hotel Wash.
| ington, the accessories dealers have
opened an exhibition of their wares
at the Coliseum. The exhibition Ia
| open to the public and souvenirs
are given to all who attend.