New Britain herald., 1925-09-05
TAX MAY PREVENT MOVIES IN CHURCH South Congregational Officials in
 Doubt About Future DRAMATIC PICTURES SHOWN
Frederic l.. Fay Expresses Wish Producers Would Stop Sending Films Into State So Public Would be Thoroughly Aroused,

That the state movie film tax may interfere with the moving picture services at the South Congregational church this winter is possibility. which Is facing the officials of that church.
 The tax provides for a payment of slO to the state on every reel shown except religious, educational and news reels. The South church takes regular dramatic pictures with a moral to them and the entire serv- ice, including sermon and music, Is adapted to the picture.
 During the past two or three years the church has been following this program on Sunday evenings. Rev. Dr. George w. c. Hill has be4n giving 10 minute sermons in con- nection with the picture. The pro- gram has drawn large crowds, the congregation Sunday evenings aver aging between 800 and 1000 every week.
 Just what effect the new state tax will have on these programs no one seems to know Frederic L. Fay, director of religious education. who has charge of the moving picture | program for the church, has written to movie producers for information but to date no one has been able to advise him definitely.
 | Programs of entertainment for which no charge is made also are given by the church on Friday eve nings during the winter months, when movies are shown. Because of there being no charge to these programs, the pictures heretofore have been tax exempt.
 l What will be the result of the threat by producers 10 stop sending films into Connecticut is not known. but a letter received by Mir. Fay this morning from one producer says that bookings for October and No vember will stand as dated. The present plans are 10 open up on Sunday evening. Oct. 1. with Joseph Lincoln's story, "Dr. Nye," under the screen version, Idle Tongues"
 Church officials do not mince words in expressing their opinion of the new tax. Mir Fay stated this morning that he wished all the pro ducers would stop sending films into the state, saying that this would raise such storm Of protest from film fans that in a short time the state officials would be forced to take some satisfactory action. Efforts were made this morning to get some definite information from the office of State Tax Com missioner William H. Blodgett at Hartford. At that place 1t was stated that the fact that no admis- sion Is charged for the church pro- gram may have some effect on the question, but that the mater was in the hands of John J. Splain of New Haven, who is the commissioner agent, and that he had charge of all exemptions.
 In the meantime the church off
 
 cials are making plans to proceed with the October and November program as originally booked.
 That the church eventually will have to pay the tax of BIO reel on all so-caIled program" films or commercial films which do not come under the exemption of news, educa- tional or religious films, was the opinion expressed at the office of Deputy Splain today.
 It was stated that the church would be permitted to continue its regular program tax free for short period until a letter containing a definite ruling could be sent out by the deputy. That taxes will have tc be paid on all taxable films eventual ly whether run for profit or not was the opinion expressed.