The Washington times., 1928-10-26


man of West Virginia gets his
share of front page type by at
tacking the present condition of
crowding every available patron
into the motion picture theaters.
In a letter to Major Edwin B.
Hesse of the Police Department,
he counsels stricter regulation
by the District, and intimates
legislation may be needed.
The arguments are not alto
gether on one side. Washing
ton is permitted to see the best
product of the Hollywood studios
at a price 40 to so per cent
lower than that paid by patrons
in other key cities. "The Sing
ing Fool" for example, is on
view at CrandalPs Metropolitan
Theater at top price more
than 800 per cent lower that
Broadway is paying at the mo-
ment. "Lilac Time" "Our
Dancing Daughters" "Street
Angel" -Four Sons" "The
Patriot" Mother Knows Best"
"Melody of Love-" "The Air
Circus" "Mother Machree," "The
Wedding March," and "The Jazz
Singer" are pictures which have
all been shown in New York at
So prices. They are offered
here at the regular F Street
scale. E
The Washington scale of
prices for the first run theaters
is lower than that of any city
of similar size in the country.
These prices are made possible
by the fact that the theaters are
able to turn over, or give six
or seven performances a day to
fullsized audiences. If the
number of performances is re-
duced the admission price must
automatically rise in order to
maintain a profitable revenue.
Given a referendum on whether
they desire increased admission
prices at the first-run motion
picture houses or the main
tenance of the present. scale
and existing conditions, ven-
ture the ballot of the motion
picture patrons would be over
whelmingly for the lower price.
A word as to inconvenience.
AS one who has walked away
many times from crowded lob
bies / question whether any with
good eyesight bought tickets
under any misapprehension as
to the crowded condition of the
theater. The lobbies are all
visible and the standing pa
irons can be observed from the
sidewalk. Accordingly those
who step up to the ticket win
dow and enter the theater ac-
cept voluntarily a condition
that necessitates some incon-
venience. Naturally they would
prefer to walk at once to
choice seat but the lure of the
program must be such they are
willing to undergo a period of
waiting before their wants can
be satisfied.
Women will stand any dis
comfort to reach the bargain
counters or join in Xmas rushes.
Voters every night in the week
all over the nation are endur-
ing crowding and pushing and
halls packed to suffocation in
order to hear the issues ex-
pounded by political speakers
or the candidates. They expect
a certain amount of personal
annoyance in good spirit as a
necessary accompaniment to the
achievement of their desires.
This keen demand to see the
new motion pictures when they
are first exhibited carries with
it the necessity of competing
with others for the right to a
desirable seat without waiting
in line. The majority must be
ready to accept this condition
or they would wait until such
time as the overcrowding was
over, or defer visit until the
same picture was shown later
in the neighborhood or second
run theaters.
1t is possible to bring a legion
of theater executives and man
ayers to testify that police and
fire regulations here are more
rigid and more firmly enforced
than in any city in these United
States. The Messrs. Shuberts'
records will show that a $4,000
audience was dismissed without
seeing a performance and money
refunded because musical
comedy was denied the right to
raise the curtain until scenery
had been given another coat of
fire proofing. The requirement
of sufficient exits and safe con-
ditions in the Washington the
aters is not a matter of per-
functory inspection, but a regu-
lar daily duty of the police and
fire department and uniformed
men fulfill it to the letter of
the regulations.
In the legitimate theater there
are hundreds of regular play
goers who frequently are ready
and willing to stand for three
hours to watch some entertain