New-York tribune., 1922-03-07
Hays ON Job as
Chief Director
OF Film World
New Executive Head Takes
Charge at Offices Here
and Registers Pleasure
Over Reception Given Him
Nothing Radical in Mind
Bespeaks Help Of Public in
Making Screen Powerful
Factor for General Good

Will II, Hays, Postmaster General
until last Saturday. when he rounded
out year as a member or President
Harding's Cabinet and dropped out Of
political life, took UP his new duties
yesterday as executive head Of the
motion picture industry, with Offices at
o22 Fifth Avenue. He is under contract
600 year, but ne declined to touch
upon the monetary phase of his new
lob. He said he believed there were
limitless possibilities for public scrv-
ice in the work he has undertaken and
that If the people generally did not
find the same interest in the matters
involved than he himself sees. "then +
Will conclude that | have made a mis-
take"
Mr.. Hays had many callers Mt his
luxurious Office OF the second floor of
the Guaranty Trust Building during
the day. These included persons prom
inent in the photoplay world, old politi-
cal friends and executive heads OF the
nationally known film producing COM
panies which comprise the nucleus for
the organization which is to be ncor-
porated as The Motion Picture Pro-
ducers and Distributors of America.
1t is this association whicn Mr.. Hays
will direct.
VIII DO Nothing Radical
To Offset any impression that he
started on the job with the intention
of institutng drastic reforms in the
photoplay business, Mr.. Hays declared
he was beginning as a novice and that
he intended to do nothing revolution
ary.' Any one who expected radical
changes would be disappointed. he let
it be known. adding that 'this is a
thing for nc to study and not to talk
about" He declined to talk for pub
!ication regarding censorship. though
he q known to oppose ii i'll principle.
1t was q little difficult for callers
who knew Mr.. Hays as the aggressive
leader Of the Republican National Com
mittee in the last residential cam
paign to reconcile themselves to his
wholly different environment as the
executive head of d business which has
come to be the fourth industry in the
country. But in his tslk there we're
forequent displays Of characteristic
vigor and numerous anecdotes to en-
phasze his points
Asked how it felt to be in the new
work, Mr.. Hays replied:
81 am very happy to be engaged in
what believe to be a real task; to be
in a cause where every one is on the
same side of the table and there no
acrimony ! approach this task with
much concern, but with that confidence
which springs from an earnest purpose
and from the conviction that we will
have the generous help Of every one in
accomplishing what must be recognized
as an effort for the good of all
"Thc potentialities Of the motion pic
ture for moral influence ano eoucatlon
are without limit, therefore its in
tegrity should be protected as we pro-
tecc the integrity Of our churches, and
its quality developed as we develop
the quality of our schools
Pictures Speak Every Tongue
He said tifty-odd languages were in
use in the country to-day, and by way
of emphasizing the practical good in
the screen, added But the picture OF
mother is the same in every tongue"
Messages of felicitatlon helped to
make the day pleasant for the new di-
rector of the moving picture industry
One Of these was from President Ear-
ding. Mr.. Hays declined to permit it's
publication, mot now, anyway"
He said he would depart for Sullivan,
Ind. his home, the latter part OF the
week, TO be gone for few days, after
which he would return to New York.
He has made no plans for a trip TO the
Pacific Coast studios, he said.