New Britain herald., 1925-08-26
MOVIE OFFICES IN STATE CLOSE DOWN
All Distributors Will Be Out by
 Saturday EXHIBITORS MUST PAY
This Will Result In Closing Of
 Majority or So-Callcd Neigh
 borhood Thcaters" - Managers Feel Public Won't Pay More

Now Haven, Aug. 26 Pt-Distri- butors of movie picture films for Connecticut thearters began closing their offices here today and by Sat urday it is expected every distribu- tor will have withdrawn from the state as a protest against the now law taxing movie films.
 This action will make it necessary for individual theater owners to go elsewhere to obtain films to be shipped to them if they desire to keep their places open, and it will also compel exhibitors 10 pay the tax. The law lays the tax against the distributors.
 Many To Close
 Owners of ncighborhood thcatrrs, who again met today for discussion of the situation, claimed that many of the smaller theatnrs will close at once and others will follow suit early next week, These owners claim that they are financially un- able to pay the tax on films
 Under the law the tax on 2 film is laid but once and while it would be possible for thCatcr owners 10 exchange films and pro rata the tax making individual shares trifing they claim that there is not supply of films enough 10 do this and to keep all neighborhood thcators open.
 Owners also claimed that it did not seem possible to pass the tax on 10 the patron because it would de- crease attendance and throw most of the business to tho large thc1t. CTS which show films in addition 10 other attractions, Owners of thcat- CTS in small towns. claimed that to meet the taX l'y increasing afmis- sions would not bring revenue and it would he better to close their houses rather than risk loss
 X proposition was put forward today that the owners of the large' movie houses create a hunger fund" from which to pay the tax SC that the small houses might rc- main open until the situation Is cleared up.
 No Plcn To Governor Theater owners in meeting last night talked about preparing poti' ton to Go ert.'r5" Trumbuil askinf him to call 8 special session of the general assembly to act upon 8 pro. posal tn repeal the movie tax law Today there was little discussion of that idea.
 Governor Trumhull signed the bill which provided for q tax OH films making it law, and in so doing he expressed his belief, in reply tC claims that the law was unconstitu- tional that the law could be admin istcrcd in a constitutional manner Connecticut executives have always been reluctant to call extra sessions of the general assembly and in near Iy forty years only four such ses- sons have been hold. and in each in- stance they were cmcrgnnt ones tc deal with legislation to meet situa- tions developed hy wartime condi- ttons, and in three instances they lasted but single day and in the fourth instance only two days These special sessions were in 1916 .lS and 'G0
 J. EFyiu Brainard, who is acting governor while Governor Trumbul is away said today that a specia session of the assembly might cost at least S6o,Ooo, and he entertained no idea that one would be asked for or called for any such purpos, as to repeal q law drawn to raist Irc>enuc for the state from an in dustry such ns the distribution anC use of movie films.