PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT OFF TO FAST START ON TAX FIGHT Group Starts Industrywide Move to Put Pressure on New Senate and House NEW YORK—If wartime ticket taxes are to be reduced, now is the time to make the try, says Abram F. Myers, Allied board chairman and general counsel, who now is acting as chairman of the legislative committee set up recently by the Council of Motion Picture Organizations in Washington. There may not be another similar opportunity in years, he states. With this in mind, the committee met Tuesday (20) and laid out a program designed to get the industry's side of the case before the House ways and means committee when Congress convenes at the beginning of the New Year. RAISING SMALL FUND Sub-committees were appointed and provisions were made for raising a small fund to cover current expenses by means of contributions from exhibitor organizations and others. All this is in anticipation of further steps in the organization of COMPO which will, it is expected, set up a national organization in a few weeks and eventually will have funds for the varied activities of the group through contributions of ten cents per $100 of film rental by exhibitors and a similar amount from distributors. Myers pointed out after the meeting that the campaign for ticket tax reduction carried out by exhibitors in recent months has developed a strong sentiment for a cut among members of both the house and senate, and he said that for the first time a favorable attitude toward a cut has become evident in administration circles. While Myers was telling the press in New York what had happened at the meeting of the committee it became known in Washington that President Truman before leaving Key West had indicated that he might favor cuts in the so-called wartime excise levies, if some way could be found to raise funds from other sources. He is said to favor a total budget of about $43,000,000,000. His annual state of the union message will be delivered to Congress January 4 or 5, and his recommendations on the tax problem will become known at that time. AN EMERGENCY MEETING In explaining the purpose of the COMF>0 meeting, Myers said: "Despite pre-occupations with the approaching holidays, we called this meeting on an 'emergency' basis. It is generally felt that the impending campaign to bring about repeal of the federal admission tax is of such vital importance to the entire industry that no time could be lost in organizing our efforts on a nationwide, all-industry score. "Much splendid ground work already has been done by various organizations and individuals, but the time is now here when all of our various fronts and forces should be consolidated and coordinated into a united, tight organization that will reach into every ABRAM F. MYERS On the Go for Tax Reduction city and hamlet in the country. "Congress will reconvene in a couple of weeks. Many economists feel that 1950 is the year of decision so far as the so-called war taxes are concerned. If they are not repealed by the present Congress, they may never be repealed in our time. They may become a part of our peacetime economy. So the time for allout action is at hand. "Incidentally, in mobilizing ourselves for this fight against a discriminatory tax we have an opportunity to further the overall aims of the newly formed Council of Motion Picture Organizations by illustrating how, given a common cause, our industry can work together in all its branches and command the respect and consideration which we merit. That, in itself, is public relations on the highest plane. "Our committee, at its meeting today, set up the following general plan: "1. Through our Washington committee, a vigorous effort to present our case directly to members of Congress, to the proper Congressional committees. Preparation of briefs, etc. "2. Through exhibitor, distributor-producer committees, both on national and regional basis, to mobilize the screens and personnel of the theatres, exchanges and studios. "3. Through campaign activities committee, national and local, carry our message to the public and by the vigor of our efforts against the federal tax, to serve notice on local authorities that we intend to oppose any proposed local taxes with equal determination. TO NAME COMMITTEES "Appointments to the various committees, national and regional, will be announced by Chairman Myers from time to time. "The campaign is on and we hope it will develop into a demonstration of united strength such as we haven't had in our industry smce we did such a fine, unselfish job during the war. "We ask, and we are confident we shall receive, full cooperation of the tradepress, our principal line of communication within the industry. This drive should make news of interest to every worker in the industry, every exhibitor, every distributor and even to the millions of moviegoers who will benefit by elimination of the ticket tax." Myers added that he was highly pleased with the progress made to date. He also stated that H. M. Richey, exhibitor relations contact for MOM, who had an important role in the battle for ticket tax reduction after World War I, had been assigned by MGM to work with the committee. Chicago Better Business Bureau Attacks a Giveaway Promotion CHICAGO—The Chicago Better Business Bureau contended in its bulletin issued this week that an advertising tiein between the RKO Palace Theatre and Lander's restaurant for "Undertow" (U-I) was a lottery and utilized advertising copy unmailable under the postal laws. As the tiein is similar to dozens used regularly by exhibitors throughout the country, the allegation of the Better Business Bureau is of special interest to theatre operators. Both the theatre and the restaurant copy offered free dinners to the first 50 persons attending the RKO Palace after 5 p. m. on the first three days of the picture. The Bureau said that after complaints and an investigation, it found the copy contained all three elements of a lottery: No. 1—consideration (the price of a ticket to the theatre) ; 2 chance (the possibility of being among the first 50 persons to enter the theatre under conditions outlined in the advertising copy), and 3 — prize (the free dinners at the restaurant). The bureau reported that it had informed Ansel Winston, manager of the theatre, and Lander that any further lottery advertising would receive "such further attention as the facts and circumstances appeared to warrant." It is not believed that an issue will be made of the Bureau complaint and its implied threat of legal action if such a promotion was undertaken in the future. However, as this is one of the most common types of tieins—a theatre and a merchant—it may be that exhibitors will have to keep their promotional material out of the mails. The tiein in itself is not a law violation. 14 BOXOFFICE December 24, 1949
THE SNAKE PIT uncn; TO three wrvES SITTING PRETTY in i. come TO THE STABLE by one stiitlio Screen Play by Sy Bartlett and Beime Lay, Jr. • Based on the Novel by Sy Bartlett and Beime Lay, Jr.
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