The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1938-03-03
SEEN and HEAR
around the
NATIONAL CAPITAL
By Carter Field
rnuous WARRINGTON CORRESPONDENT
rhMous WASHINGTON CoRRESPokDENT

tllG Ulll III DILL hlQtkAA1H ~ ef~~@NS
of West Virginia to stop block book
ing and blind selling has been IA
vorably reported by senate COM
mittee. Although the house hasn't
done anything on il yet, definite &C
ton seems probable unless it gets
lost in the shuttle. The independent
exhibitors have been telling con-
gress that they are under constant
criticism, are losing money and los
ing their show houses.
Testifying before a senate COM
mittee in favor of the Nicely bill, the
little theater men lay all their trou-
bles on 1.-THE big eight" They mean
the eight big motion picture pro-
ducers. The big eight owns about
all the big chain theaters. Each
year the producers make few good
pictures and lot of pictures which
are not so good. They reserve the
good films for their affiliated the
aters and force the rest on the lit
tie independent men, according to
the latter's complaint.
This is how they do it, the little
exhibitors say. The producers draw
up a years contract IN which the
little exhibitor agrees to take a GER
tain group or block of pictures.
In the block are listed two or three
frst-class films, to be made by good
directors and competent players.
The rest are merely labeled class
A, B, C. The contracting exhibitor
never sees them. In order to get
any good films at all he must take
a lot of stuff he doesn't want. Even
a variety of news and other shorts,
loaded with free advertising for
women's wear and summer and
winter resorts, goes with the lot.
This method of doing business is
called compulsory block booking
and blind selling
For several years the independent
exhibitors have been fighting the
"BB and BS.' They've had several
bills before congress, and have
lodged numerous complaints with
the Department of Justice. But
something always prevents action.
Subverts Morals
The neighborhood exhibitors con-
tend that huge motion picture
monopoly subverts the morals of
the nation by making racket pic
lures and sex pictures, when they
could just as we'll make quality film.
High-class pictures, they contend,
have proved entertaining to the in
telligentsia and the rank and file
alike.
The "big eight has two answers
to the charges. More or less pri-
vately its claim is that the profit
il makes from the not so good pic
lures is necessary to support the
high-grade pictures. There would
be none of the good if it weren't for
the bad, in other words. And pub
hcly, every time the little men 60
to Washington and start making
things hot, the big men announce
a new set OF reforms, and suggest
some more conferences.
Meanwhile in North Dakota the
Independent exhibitors group got a
law passed prohibiting the showing
of pictures by theaters which be-
long to the producer that made the
pictures. Paramount, which is
strong in that region, is suing the
governor and the attorney general,
but the little fellows are sWarming
like hornets to help the state win.
Last Naval Resort
Suicide squadrons of high-speed
torpedo boats, to be steered by hui
man pilots head-on against enemy
ships, are boosted by Germany and
Italy. England probably has them
too. Buried inlAdmiral Leahy's tes-
timony before the United States
congress in favor of mightier navy
is mention of a $4,000, 900 item
for experimentation with small de-
stroyers The admiral declined TO
discuss the matter. Naval observ-
ers would like TO know If this coun-
try too will call for volunteer
death squadron.
In time of peace, definitely no. 1t
would be against the glory and ira
dition of the United States navy.
The suicide boats, say navy men,
are the unashamed last resort of an
inferior sea power. The mere adj
mission of the existence of such de-
vices is the admission of the fear of
defeat. Sending men to certain
death, fer any cause whatever is a
barbarity wholly repugnant to the.
navy.
And navy men maintain that the
torpedo boats are impracticaL The
United States fleet will fight its bat
ties far out at sea, perhaps 1000
miles. The sleds could not be-. used
in usually choppy open water. In
Europe, where sea fighting will be
at close quarters, it's different
story.
But in the heat of war involving
us, no one can say what might be
done. If an enemy fleet should sue
coed in reaching our shores, it
would be imperative to attack it
with the most destructive weapons
obtainable. A few dozen or few
score men sacrificed III .torpedoes,