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Show PICTURE PROGRESS By Adam Hull Shirk. (Figures made public at the Exhibitors' Exhibi-tors' Convention in Chicago during the past week give an idea of the true importance im-portance of the motion picture industry indus-try in the United States. They are as follows: Number of picture theatres in the United States, 21,600; daily attendance, attend-ance, 25,000,000; amount invested in picture theatre property, $360,000,000; salaries paid weekly, $2,300,00; number num-ber of picture theatre employees, 205,-000; 205,-000; amount invested in film plants, machines, electrical equipment and theatres, $2,000,000,000. It would be difficult to find in a consideration con-sideration of all the greatest enterprises enter-prises in the world's history, either in this country or elsewhere, anything to compare with this record. The automobile au-tomobile industry presents startling figures, but it must 'be remembered that besides being a pleasure vehicle . the automobile is also one of the most important -utilitarian inventions. The pictures, except in a minor way, are ' almost entirely devoted to supplying amusement. In another sense, however, the motion mo-tion picture has a distinctly utilitarian side. As a means of education, by broadening the intellects of the picture pic-ture playgoers, it has few if any superiors. su-periors. By its means those who have perhaps never gone 'beyond the confines con-fines of their native town, are enabled en-abled to see something of the great world outside, Others who may have ti veled extensively in this country, i mi vho have never gone abroad, have the world brought to them. I (Scientific research and education have been assisted in a very material mate-rial degree 'by tho films. Health propaganda pro-paganda and propaganda of other kinds have found in the pictures a medium almost if not quite the equal of the newspaper. Wiith all this, the figures are remarkable. re-markable. Above all, they prove that the industry can no longer be regarded regard-ed as of anything but the highest importance im-portance and lawmakers who seek to retard its progress by unfair legisla-" tion, will do well to consider the number num-ber of persons involved in the making of films as well as the amount of capital cap-ital invested. Strange as it may seem there are still individuals who seem to he otherwise other-wise well informed, but who fail to find anything worth while in motion pictures. They scoff at the whole matter and sneer at the productions made; they dismiss the future of the films with a world usually of contempt. con-tempt. Needless to say, they will be compelled to modify their opinions very decidedly. No enterprise which brings entertainment, instruction and amusement to 25,000,000 persons every day, in this .country alone, can be regarded re-garded contemptuously or passed over lightly. Tho -best prophets in the business today are, if the fact be known, hopelessly hope-lessly at sea as to the actual probabilities proba-bilities of the motion picture's future. Some say tho (high-priced production, in numerous reels and with the most spectacular settings, will prevail. Others Oth-ers declare that short films and low prices are certain to be the thing; some assert that the real function of the films is artistic solely, and not literary ; others maintain that the "play is the thing." Still others believe be-lieve stars are essential to success and so no, without end. In any case, whatever the future holds for the films, the one thing certain cer-tain is that they will grow and expand ex-pand and that new developments will come with every passing day. What the picture of to-morrow will be is hard to say, Indeed. But that it will be better than the picture of today goes without saying. The business must progress. It cannot stand still nd the figures given are sufficient proof that it will not retrograde. |