The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 15

EditoriaE LETTERS FINANCE SOCIETY BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE THEATERS RADIO SIR LEGION SPORTS NEW YORK CITY, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1933 2 15 Brooklyn Was Cradle of Film Industry Maker inspired JOHN ERSKINC PRESENTS HIS VIEWS OF A GIGANTIC INDUSTRY 3 3Icn Launched Career $1,000 After One of Edison to Sell Him a Projection Machine Brooklyn wat the cradle of the movie induttry at well a the birthplace of the "talkie:" The moil tucctttful of tht tarty motion picture ttudiot Wat that of thm Vitagraph Company at Locutt Ave. and E. 15th Flatbuth, ttill optrattd at tht Warner Brothert Flatbuth Studio and where Vitaphone picturtt are now made. The growth of the industry in itt early dayt brought fame and wealth to three Brooklyn men J. Stuart Blackton, Albert E.

Smith and William T. Rock, foundert and equal partnert in the original Vitagraph Company. The following it the firtt of a ttriet of articltt telling of the early hi it or of the motion picture and Brooklyn'! thare in itt development. I I NATIONS ARE JUST FOLKS We can understand International problems if we translate them into personal terms. My mail has brought me two illustrations.

The first is a postal card criticizing my protest against the Buy American movement. I said, you remember, that those who wish us to favor exclusively American goods still drink tea and coffee. The postal eard says: "Your tea and coffee example is obviously unfair. Buy American does not contemplate the disuse of the sun either!" That remark delights me. My critic puts tea and coffee in the same order of nature as the sun, the moon and the stars.

Tea and coffee are things which just happen. He thinks it is obviously unfair to use them as illustrations of international trade. Most advocates of the exclusive purchase of home goods are making tssumptions as childlike as this. The Buy American movement, or the Buy British movement, or the Buy French movement would wreck any country that sincerely tried it, but no country will now try It; each is dependent upon the others for things to which they are accustomed-like tea and coffee, and the sun. My morning paper tells me there has been an unprecedented growth In "reciprocal trading agreements." That is, customers of a given business organization are willing to remain customers only so long as that crganization purchases their goods in return.

This tendency has been noticeable for some time, says the article, but it has been speeded up by the Buy American movement. Has it been encouraged by the Buy American movement? In principle it contradicts that movement. What is happening among these business organizations is exactly what must happen among nations. Railroads would like to carry food stuffs, but, in order to do so, they find it advisable to feature their customers' brands in their dining cars: You By HARVEY DOUGLASS Cnpital of a few hundred dollars sufficed to launch on its career the Vitagraph Company, one of the titans of the early days of the motion picture industry and, until its sale to Warner in 1925, one of the most important units in the producing field. When J.

Stuart Blackton, William T. (Pop) Rock and Albert Edward Smith pooled their resources to form the company, back in 1897, the total assets of the three were probably somewhere under $1,000 a sum I PIONEERS is said to have been $10 a month, later moving to 116 Morton St. At first they did not produce films, but merely acted as film exhibitors, mostly of foreign manufacture. But Smith, who had some inventive ability himself, managed to find a way to convert the Edison pro I JMiM 1 tDtltvtODD UMvTr -i I Above, Mrs. J.

Stuart Blackton, the screen's first actress, and Albert Edward Smith, one of the original partners in the Vitagraph Company of Brooklyn. Below, William T. (Pop) Rock and J. Stuart Blackton, the remaining partners in one of the first of the motion picture companies. i if! 'II MsL as.

L-x I can say that their customers are bringing pressure upon them, or you can be more accurate and say that the pressure comes from economic law, and rests with equal weight upon them both. In business, if I do a service for you, you must do a service for me. That's all there is to it. If we decide to serve only ourselves, the chances art small that we shall be well served. If you and I are on a desert island exchanging services, you may cook better than and I may chop wood.

Neither of us, probably, is a physician, or a surgeon, or a dentist, or a chemist. But if more people joined us on the island, these additional services might be represented, and in an efficient form. So in trade the greater the number of nations which are exchanging goods the better the goods will be. My critic in the postal card adds one other sentence. "Do you by any chance favor the purchase of, let us say, foreign-made shoes in preference to American?" I favor the purchase of the best shoes, no matter where they are made, and I want to purchase them on the same terms as men in other countries.

If foreign shoes are better than American, I want to buy them, and in the end I will. If the American motorcar or typewriter is better than the European, Europe ought to buy the American machines, and in the end Europe will. If we are free to do so, we all will buy the best, and the exchange of first-rate services will be good for us. But I can't see the benefit, not even to the American shoemaker, If he produces Inferior shoes and I don't like them, but buy them because they are American. In the same mail an anonymous letter asks me if I think it is fair to the holders of guaranteed mortgages for the mortgage company to suggest a reduction of interest from five and.

one-half to four percent. "Is their guarantee worth nothing? 1 am tempted to say to them, as Will Rogers suggested in regard to the foreign loans, PAY OR DEFAULT." The parallel between this private problem and the international debts is just. The holder of the mortgage, who now sees his income leduced at the "suggestion" of the mortgage company, feels as outraged as many an American feels when European countries "suggest" that they pay no more of their debts to us. Most of us have had similar announcements that our income will be cut, and usually ths impersonal detachment of the news has made us mad. The manner implies that it is only a routine procedure with which of Vitagraph Firm With Them Had Persuaded aged in some manner to borrow the amount needed to start them in moving pictures.

They then approached Rock, proprietor of a billiard parlor on 125th in Harlem, who had been exhibiting films at county fairs. They induced him to contribute a camera and films he had, together with some cash, toward an equal partnership among the three. In such manner did the Vitagraph Company come into existence. Exhibited Pictures The partners first rented an office in the Morse Building, 140 Nassau Manhattan, the cist of which Rcilly Proposes To Put an End to Divorce for Cash Democratic League Also Hears Suggestion on Food Distribution Plans Divorcing for money will become an obsolete sport If Edward J. Rellly, president of the Brooklyn Criminal Bar 'Association, has his way.

Speaking before the Young Folks Democratic League of Kings County last night on proposed changes in the alimony laws at the bi-weekly forum of the league in the club-rooms at 118 Livingston Mr. Rcilly outlined his plans to help the male who pays and pays. Sidney Kuntz, executive member, suggested that the city should give out food instead of food tickets, as is now done with the system of Home Relief, because the city could get the food at half the price now sold by Individual grocers, to whom holders of the tickets apply. He also advised that the city open food kitchens, and use the men working in the parks to build barracks, to house the unemployed. He will approach Governor Lehman with this plan in Albany on Feb.

21. If' 1 Cll A 1 jlVl Otlil ASlCCD After 366 Days Chicago, Febi 15 Wi Asleep for 365 days and nights without a known moment of consciousness, 27-year-old Patricia Maguire of Oak Park, near here, has slumbered a puzzle to physicians. Feb. 15, 1032, a doctor was called by her family. They could not arouse Patricia.

For davs she had eomnlalned nt foplinrr tiiwi nnd i and hurt heen Wnlnir extra time. "Sleenlnor sickness" or lrtharuic encephalitis, pronounced the medl cai autnority. All medical science has been able to do has been to keep up her physi- cal strngth by forced feedings of I nourishing liquids, which will be I continued. Expect Jury to Get Guy Slaying Case Long Beach, Feb. 15 The trial of William James Guy, charged with the slaying of Walter Wanderwell, neared a close today with final arguments and court In structlons to precede the placing uf I By Lindbergh Couzinet, Spurred by U.S.

Ace's Flight, Built New South Atlantic Craft Fail nnrtau. S.I Kue l'mboa. By GUY HIC'KOK Parts. Feb. 4 Rene Couzinet, whose plane Arc en Ciel (Rainbow) has brilliantly flown the south Atlantic, is only 28, the youngest airplane constructor in the country and a victor over a rare accumula tion of adversity.

His fortune Is probably made now, for the plane seems what Francs has been looking for to make th Paris-Rio-Btienos Aires mall services a successful reality. Lindbergh Is responsible. Couzinet at 23 was in the mob that saw the Spirit of St. Louis slip like a white feather through the searchlight beams to Le Bourgefc field In 1927. Couzinet had no money.

He had no powerful friends. Borrowed to Build He rushed back to the boarding house hotel in which he lived completely out of himself with excitement, determined to build the plans he had thought out as a student at the School of Arts and Trades at Angers. All he lacked was the necessary cash with which to begin. He borrowed all his hotelkceper's savings-Si. 600 and started work.

Time after time he had to tell his workmen, "No pay this week," or "We have to stop work until I can get the price of more material." But he had whatever it is that inspires loyalty, and the workmen stayed with him. He begged and borrowed everywhere, overcoming bit by bit all the loan resistance that a kid Inventor naturally encounters. Eventually the plane was finished. It was nueer looking, but It flew wonderfully. Then in one of the trial flights it crashed, killing the well-known pilot Drouhin and his mechanician.

Couzinet. loaded with debt, and with only the wreck of his plane, most of it unpaid for, was discredited. He beRnn hunting money again, fanatically sure that his design was a good one To his surprise this time money was not so hard to get. His determination had aroused enthusiasm in the alumni of his old school, and they raised several hundred thousand francs in small subscriptions among themselves. Somehow he got more credit, but just as the second Arc en Clel was nearly completely the small, borrowed, shedlike factory In which it stood burned with everything In It.

Makes Third Endeavor Nothing would stop this lad. He began a third Arc en Ciel under another borrowed hangar. This time he could not build a big one. No amount ot persistence could get enough money or credit, nnd Couzinet had to be satisfied with a little plane, a miniature copy of his first two. He got it done, and it flew brilliantly to New Caledonia, French south sea colony, and returnrd.

This flight restored his credit, and he went to work on a fourth Arc en Ciel, a big three-motor machine exactly like the others ln silhouette, but flying normally with two motors and with the mechanician able to gat at and repair all tfoe motors while flying. He still had obstacles to fare. The Government would not O.K. ths plane for the transatlantic flight. It did not have the wing-spread ln proportion to weight required by their severe regulationswhich incidentally are so stiff that they would disqualify all the record-making American planes from Lindbergh to Hawks.

In addition it wai a seaplane. The government was ronvlnred that only seaplanes should take the South Atlantio route. test In Success Couzinet got a good pilot, Mermoa. who had previously flown from Africa to South America. He put on as much gas as the government would let him have and took off for Africa.

At Dakar where ofllclal observations we so not so strictly enforced he filled her up and took off for Brazil. He was in the plans himself this time It was do or die. With him were two pilots, a navigator and two mechanics. In spite of bad weather they muds the 3.200 kilometers across the oc-an ln 14 hours 27 minutes, and dawn and dark an nve--cs "-peed of 220 kilometers per hmir One can Imagine the sensnt oris of the young builder. It is not a complete victory yet.

Courinet must mnke three or four return PVhts between the two continents before his plane is bought by the Arropos-tale. the transatlantic mail sorvlre, for which he made the test flight Rrooklyn Glee Club Plans Minstrel Rehearsals are being held for an old-fashioned minstrel show to given by the Brooklyn Olee Club Saturday, March 11. at the Cnrtel-you club. Bedford Ave. and Avrnus D.

Jay El wood is coaching the production The Brooklyn Glee Club meets ihursday evening at All imn LMiivri rtiiuM iHtrrn, UCVitH and Damns Avs. J. Thurston Ni is the director. Officers of the club who were elected at a recent meet fiii? are: It nrr Oevtvi mi prMtrlmt Wiihtrn Mdi'MniTiiv. vice prf'Mdi'nt.

Hiiffircr Smv Uif re Hirer. 'iirM cor reminding rrfnrv Will a in Hrtt, rfconlir nffreurv 'Viliiiini hum l.hi arum WiHUi( MacM'tr, Oeonj Jtlfttfra Cifrtiv, June Ivmit. ttmttct, Michelangelo's Vatican Art, Held Up as Ohscene, Released Ten pamphlets of photographs of Michelangelo's frescoes on the ceiling oi the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, impounded because a customs inspector thought them obscene, have been released by customs officials, it was explained at the Custom House today. When the photographs arrived they were sent, as a matter of routine, to the appraiser's stores for examination. An inspector who ev Selioenbach Intent On His Next Step that was pyramided into millions within the next few years.

According to the last United States census, the movie industry now pays out annual salaries of more than $24,000,000, and the value of the films produced each year is nearly $200,000,000. These figures do not take into account the hundreds of millions invested in theaters and other agencies connected with moving picture entertainments. Result of a Bet Motion picture historians tell us that the genesis of the movie oc curred in the early eighties and was the result of a bet made by Leland Stanford, once Governor of California, that a horse in full gallop lifts all its feet off the ground at one time. In order to prove his contention Stanford engaged an engineer, who, by the device of putting a succession of cameras in a row, managed to photograph the horse in a number of positions as it ran past, and proved not alone that Stanford was right but that motion could, after a fashion, be photographed. Several years later Thomas A.

Edison toyed with the idea of making animated pictures, and the Edison kinetoscope was produced in 1889 as a result. This consisted of a cabinet in which a spool, holding 50 feet of film, revolved when a coin was dropped into the box. The invention was immediately rewarded by attracting more interest than had Edison's phonograph. George Eastman of the Eastman Kodak Company had in the meantime made the Edison inventon possible by producing films which replaced the earlier use of glass plates in photography. European Development So unimportant did Edison regard the kinetoscope from a commercial viewpoint that, although he patented the invention In the United States, he would not spend the trifling additional sum required to secure patents abroad, with the result that in Europe further experiments were made and the motion picture there underwent rapid development.

The Frenchman Lu-miere designed the cinematograph, out of which grew the word "cinema" by which motion pictures are still known In Europe. Although Edison regarded his in vention as a plaything he continued his experiments and developed the first projection machine in 1895. It was known as the "vitascope." A sensation was created in April, 1896, when the first public performance of pictures projected by the vitascope was given at Koster Bial's Music Hall, 34th Manhattan, the site of which is now occupied by R. H. Macy's department store.

The first subjects shown were of a galloping horse, men marching. scenes of a prizefight and similar simple studies, designed principally to actually show men and animals going through lifelike motions on the screen, which was considered, a marvelous accomplishment. Birth of Mckelodions Out of this sprang up the hundreds of nlckelodions in New York and throughout the country Edison would not, at first, sell or rent his motion picture cameras, hoping to keep the field of produc tion exclusively to himself. This, however, proved impossible because the Biograph Companv and others produced similar cameras. ii was ac mis time, early in 1897.

that James Stuart Blackton and Albert Edward Smith came upon the scene. Blackton, a youth of about 20, a newspaper reporter, who added to his newspaper drawing, painting and doing what he called "chalk talks," was assigned to Interview Edison on his latest invention He was so impressed with the money-making possibilities of the vitascope and proved himself so ingratiating to the inventor that the latter agreed to sell him a projector and outfit of films for t800 Joining hands with Smith, a ma gician oy proiession, men aiso oniy about 20 years of age, the two man- Paralysis Cases Declined 1,382 'j Kingston Avenue Hospital. Brooklyn's only hospital for contagious diseases, cared for 1.400 cases of poliomyelitis or Infantile paralysis ln 1931. Last year the namber was 18, a decline of 1,382 coses, ac- ording to the annual report of the social service depart- ment of the Institution, made public yesterday. Scarlet fever led the list In 1932 with 967 cases.

Dlphthe I rla was next with 838 cases we must be delighted. But human nature goes into these announcements of bad news. The mortgage company would pay us the Interest if it could. For its own credit it would pay us the highest Interest. It doesn't like to come out In plain terms and say it is on the rocks.

Perhaps our attitude would is sweeter if it were more frank, but some day when we have got used to our loss we will understand the motives for Its reticence. i Similarly the governments which will pay no more on the debts, and which in explaining the default emphasize the benefit to us, are really trying to conceal the unpleasant fact that they are bankrupt. Every advantage would follow to them from payment. If payment were damaging to us, they would pay all the more readily, if they could. They would not mind seeing us damaged.

But they can't pay, and it is only human nature to bluff a little. We don't need to be trained diplomats In order to understand the world. We need only observe our neighbors, and be frank with ourselves. (Copyright. 1933.

br John Brsklnc) jector into a camera and Blackton and Smith were then equipped not only to exhibit, but to manufacture their own subjects. They were joined at this time by J. B. French, who had accompanied the magician Alexander Herrmann, "Herrmann the Great," on his tours. French remained with the Vitagraph Company through its entire career and is still employed today at the Flatbush studios now conducted by Warner Brosthcrs.

Variety Program The three young men did not rely upon the 'pictures alone to make a living, but offered a variety program in which Blackton gave "chalk talks," Smith or French performed tricks and the re maining member of the trio operated the projection machine. The first pictures actually taken by the Vitagraph Company were news events and, indeed, the early equivalent of the news reel was one of the first developments of the motion picture. These pictures were usually of idently never had heard of Michelangelo, noticed the figures were not entirely clothed. In his interpretation of the modern code of morals he decided that the pictures came within the classification of the American law pertaining to obscene art pictures. But G.

W. Brewer, Solicitor of the Port, when the news reached him, ordered the photographs released. Mrs.RooscvcIt Will Ban Politics, She Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt has no Intention of being a power behind the President's chair.

She said so last night after she had listened to humorous songs and skits at the Women's Trade Union League, 247 Lexington Man- "1 launhlngly. "I do think, however. that there are possibly a great many things I may be able to do for women gs a whole. And when one does things for women of course one is also helping the men." Mrs. Roosevelt was guest of honor at the entertainment.

The organization Is one in which she has been Interested for the last ten years and part of the proceeds of her commercial radio talks have "one t0 worlt' 11 WM Inst night. fiCARD 3VWIE AFTER TIlKr.Vr Cliarfield. Feb. 15 P-The home of Judne A. R.

Chase as closely guarded today as the result of a letter police said the received threatening him "u'hnf MfHiill fmt hntlrved In re- tcr to the unsolved shooting of At- torney L. D. McCall of Dubois. SPARTAN RRtVCRY 'MYTH' Chicago. Feb.

15 (P Spartan bravery was something of a myth. In the opinion of Preston H. Epps. author of "Classical Philology." published today by the University of Chicago Press. parades, prize fights, fires, a body of soldiers or some other local happening.

These were developed immediately and shown the same day or evening at Koster Bial's, Tony Pastor's, Keith's Union Square, Proctor's theaters and other old-time plRyhouses. The showings of the pictures were accomplished with almost as much dispatch after they were taken as is true today, although, of course, the subjects were of an exceedingly crude and limited variety. The First Drama The first movie drama they made was taken on the roof of the building occupied by the Vitagraph Company In 1897 and its title was "The Burglar on the Roof." Smith was the photographer and technical expert of this then "mammoth effort," Blackton played as the burglar and his appeared as the heroine. She is said to have been the first woman to appear professionally as a moving picture actress. Tomorrow Establishment of the Vitagraph Studios in Flatbush.

Mrs. Bowers Asks Change of Venue in Fighting Divorce Rieh Really Man's Wife Holds She Cannot Get Fair Trial in Suffolk A change of venue in the divorce action begun by Jacob F. Bowers, wealthy Smithtown realty man, was requested yesterday In Brooklyn Supreme Court by his wife. She said a fnlr trial could not be held In Suffolk County because of Bowers' holdings and influence. Justice Bonynge reserved deflsion on her plea and on a motion to amend her answer to a frame-up.

Mrs. Bowers asked a Jury trial. Denying her husband's charge of misconduct at the Hotel Clarldge, Manhattan, Sept, 30. 1932, Mrs. Bowers said she was conveyed to the hotel and a raid staged under false pretenses.

Tile "unknown" man named by Bowers she declared to be known to her husband and working with him. Mrs. Bowers said her husband has "quite a fortune." "By virtue of his holdings he is in a position to take advantage of any art displeasing to him," she said. Mrs. Bowers' counsel told the court it is "doubtful If 12 Jurors ran be serured In Suffolk who are not obligated to Bowers or prrjudlrrd In some wny." Justice Bonyngp remarked thit Bowers must be "a superman" and declared strange If.

In a county 100 miles long and with a popula- tlon of 165.000 people. 12 unbiased Jurors cannot be obtained. Bowers is 55 and his wife less than half his age. Union Men Attack Workers in Shop Fourteen men shortly nfter 3 m. yesterday invnded the plant of the Metropolitan Dress Company, on the second floor of a building at 3902 14th attacked two members of the firm and drove 50 workmen Into the street.

After doing this they fled wlth- out making any attempt to damage ul" premises l-ouce say me invasion one of a series which have taken place ln dress shops through out the city recently, and they believe their purpo.se Is to Inttmtd.Me workmen of the shops Into Joining union. The Metropolitan Shop Is conducted by Hymnn Isaacs. 65, and his two sons. Nicholas nnd Frank The last two were Injured. To Collect U.S.

Rill Tells Union League i But Borough Contractor, Has No Intention 'to Be Wlio Boanlotl Hoover in Power Behind llie Presi-Hotel, Is a Bit Puzzled dent's Chair, She States Joseph Schoenbach, the young electrical contractor of 834 Sutter who created sonvtHng of a sensation Monday night when he attempted to present a mil owed him by the Government to Presi dent Hoover at the Waldorf-Astoria, A Few Kind Words By WILLIAM WEER Is puzzled as to what further steps hnttnn, describing her as terrifying he can take to collect. i members of the Cabinet and set- Certain of one thing, at least, that national issues at Washington he can't go to anyone "higher up" witn 8 hKh hand, in an effort to secure payment, 1 "There's one thing I won't do-Schoenbach has resigned himself to mpM ln politics." the wife It is true, I hearv that the Prince of Wales drove a London subway for two miles the other day, and an oldtime subway motorman who had been watching him (with some trepidation) gave him the following recommendation: "He has the makings of a pretty good motorman." That is just the typical Englishman's restraint. What the oldtime motorman meant, it seems certain, was that the Prince had it in him to go far. Some subway motormen have been known to go thousands of miles, always returning to Times Square, however. He may rise to political heights, also, as motormen in this country have been known to do.

One Brooklyn motorman became mayor and then a judge. To do as much, however, the Prince will have to obtain John H. McCooey's support. It has not yet been made clear whether such political ambition is behind Wales' new preoccupation with subway driving, or whether he Is merely changing from the horse's saddle to the motorman's coop in the role of a "detcrmlneo but not too hopeful debtor," he told The Eagle today. He is eager to carry on his fight to get the $30,382.09 which he claims is due him for falling a floodlighting system on the Statue of Liberty in 1931, and will act on my practical suggestions for effect- In a ouick settlement he declared, I unless the bill Is pali promptly fa.

iut l0f his capital was invested in the i project. "After seeing almost every of- flclal In Washington I have nothing i to show but a lot of imposing doc- uments promising that everything will be all right, but 'just see us he declared. "In fact, up to the present no reason has been given for the delay In settling the bill. I hope it will be paid before the currency Is inflated." Schoenbach said he Ls catrful for the kindly manner ln which the Chief Executive heard his plea, but is a bit peeved at the police nnd Secret Servlre men who prevented him from keeping his "buslnefs ap-poin'ment with the President" on i the interest of increased safety. Roosevelt Ends I will consult ln New York very like ly will be Senator Glass of Virginia.

the leader In new banking legisla- I rill CP I ntl Iff lift 1 tion, who wanted for Secretary' 111 lUliltlllll 0I the Treasury. Upon his return here late today. Miami, Feb. 15 (- President- It is understood the President-elect elect Roosevelt returns from the will confer with James M. Cox, the freedom of the Southern seas here 1920 Democratic Presidential nomi-tonlght to plunge Into the Preslden- nee, who sounded the call last Sat-tlal problems confronting him little urday for support of the Congres-more than two weeks hence.

slonal plan to give Roosevelt ex-He has fixed his policies for the traordinary power to cut deal." Between now and mcnt expenditures by complete re-March 4 he will determine finally organization, the key men unon whom he will An early appointment with M. L. depend to carry nut his program. Benrdum of Pittibi'rgh also is on Among the first with whom be ths Roosevelt calendar, floor of the Wnldorf- the case ln the hands of a Jury of cine men and three women. I the 14(h 1 Astoria,.