Arizona republican., 1922-01-09
Mr.. Hays and the Movie.

We not in accord with many of the utterances
of Senator Pat Harrison of Mississippi But we think
that endorse sincerely than he utters it, his
wish that Postmaster General Hays may not aban-
don the cabinet to accept position in the moving
picture industry at salary of s15O,oOO year.
We know salary of such proportions when
placed alongside that is less than one-tenth as
large, must be auring. But money not everything
and to such man Mr.. Hays is not comparatively
much.
There are several reasons why we think that
Mr.. Hays should not accept this Offer The country
needs his services his wonderful capacity for organ
ization and execution. Republicans especially should
regret a decision by Mr. Hays to retire from his
high place elder statesman in the party for con-
sdering his years he will be able for long time
to be of inestmabe service to his party. AS rep
resentative of the moving picture industry he could
be, if he desired, of service to his party or the
country
We conceive of legitimate service Mr..
Hays could perform for the movie industry that
would be worth nearly the sum offered him, and
that he would undertake to perform no il
legitimate service.
The comparison which Mr.. Harrison makes be-
tween the proposed employment OF Mr.. Hays and
that Judge Lands in the baseball world is not apt
Baseball is necessarily highly organized industry
and it supposed to be highly organized and proof
against such assault disclosed year ago
last September. Then suddenly, public confidence
it was shaken Public confidence is the foundation
and the only foundation of that industry.
1t was necessary. therefore. that it be restored
and that the weak places the organization be
inforced. The baseball world and the public gener-
ally had confidence in Judge Lands He was. there
FORE chosen the guarantor of the integrity of the
sport and he given such powers to enforce his
guaranty ever before had possessed. Base
ball asked nothing in the way of legislation, it asked
favor; only that the public would believe in it
again.
The moving picture industry is not and is not
intended to be. so highly and centrally organized.
The great producing companies independent of
another and there will always be keen competi-
ton among them. They need no one to guarantee
them to the public to increase the popularity of
their productions The influence of Mr.. Hays could
not add thousand dollars to the box office receipts
throughout the country.
There are. though, some common wants of the
producers-among them, for instance, a tariff
foreign films and legislation to protect them against
unbridled censorship. These things may be procured
for them through the activities of lobbyist And
certainly Mr. Hays could not descend to that position
for s15oOOO or s1,5Oo,OOO year. supposing though
wildly inconceivable is that he could accept the
office with the expectation that he would earn his
princely salary in that way, the Republican party
could not in the circumstances afford to enact
just legislation in behalf of the movies.
Every great producing company has its legal
advisers more familiar with the industry and we
may add, more skillful lawyers than Mr. Hays