Coin Machine Review (& Pacific ...)

1
7~e 123/'4 CcnJecutive IItcnt~/~ jJJue c( t~e
Coin Ma'chine Review
••••••••••••••• SEPTEMBER, 1943 •••••••••••••••
The C O IN MACH IN E REVIEW for September, 1943. Vol II. No.3. Published monthly at 11 15 Venice Blvd .. los Angeles 15. Calif. Fitzroy 8269. Paul W.
Blackford, editor and publishe r. NEW YORK OF FI CE (17): Ralph P. Mulligan, 441 Lexin g ton Ave., Murray Hill 2-5589. C HI CAGO O FF ICE (I); C . J. Ander-
son, 35 East Wacker Drive, C EN tral 1112. En te red as Secon d Class Matter July 23, 1936, at the Post Office at Los An g eles, Calif., un d er the Act of March 3,
1879. SUBSCRIPTI O N RATES: $1.00 per year or $2.00 for 3 years . 25c per copy.
CERING PRICES MAY STAND
Hearing Date Set
WASHINGTON, D. C.-Representative
Doughton (D) N. c., the No. 1 tax man
of the house, announces that his Ways and
Means Committee will probably open pub-
lic hearings September 20 on new war-
time revenue measures. Along with new
revenues the committee will likely study
means of simplifying the intricate tax laws,
It is before this committee that repre·
sentatives of the Associated Operators of
Los Angeles County, Arcade Owners As-
sociation and numerous other groups and
individuals of the Coin Machine Industry
intend to appear to argue for a reduction
in the $100 .. 00 tax now in effect on certain
types of coin-controlled equipment.
In announcing a probable d '.te Doughton
said he thinks it possible to write a new'
revenue law (probably with higher levies)
by January 1, notwithstanding threatened
delays due to a conflict between the Treas-
ury and Congressional tax advisers,
Game Review Denied
LOS ANGELES - The California Su-
preme Court has refused to review the de-
cision of the District Court of Appeals in
the case of Gayer vs. Whelan and widely
known in the Industry as the San Diego
Free Play Case,
District Court of Appeals decision held
that pinball games were not gambling or
lottery devices and the refusal of the Suo
preme Court to interfere with the Appeals'
decision is equivalent to an approval of
same and establishes this decision as the
law of the state of California, insofar as
pinball games are concerned. Therefore,
the operation of a pinball game on the
basis of "free plays'" is not considered to
be a gaming device under the laws of the
state of California.
On lhe
Cover - - -
The fuel shortage isn.' t going to both-
er lovely Beth Rog ers for she's split
many a ra il a n d , h as earne d the repu-
tation in Hollyw ood of b eing the " Rail-
splitting Fra il."
OPA Endeavoring To Establish
Industry Advisory Committee
WASHINGTON, D. c.-Just who might be a wholesaler and a retailer in
the Coin Machine Industry is something the Office of Price Administration
intends to solve and accordingly is forming an Industry Committee to work
with its administrators in fixing policies for the Industry.
A self-appointed delegation from New York City, claiming to be repre·
sentatives of the Industry (and definitely without portfolio) visited the
announced deputy in qharge of administering the order in the Coin Machine
Field. Instead of making an impressive presentation and gaining a favorable
audience the committee "messed the works" and confused the OPA deputy
to the point that it may be weeks before a satisfactory program is worked out.
Important jobbers and distributors from Chicago, St. Louis and other
key cities arriving in Washington with their legal representatives learned of
the "goodwill" work the self-appointed committee had done and returned
home with "hymns of hate" for the damage done.
Here in Washington OPA announced in-
tentions of forming an Industry advisory
committee to work with the administrator
on setting ceiling prices. The broad state·
ment might mean that a separate set of
prices could be established for this Indus-
try instead of the arbitrary percentages
ordered by MPR·429. Plenty of complaints
have filtered into Washington and these
will have some effect on the final draft in
the matter.
OP A is cognizant of the dilemma of the
Used Car dealers and what a price ceiling
might mean to that Industry. In the Coin
Machine Industry the same feeling is evi-
dent for the OP A has permitted this In·
dustry to advance prices each month in an
unrestricted manner for more than 18
months without any thought of regulations.
An enforcement of ceiling prices at the
present time on the scale suggested by
MRP-429 would result in losses upward of
millions of dollars for the jobbers and dis·
tributors of the nation. The OPA is familiar
with this fact and it is believed a new pro-
gram for our Industry will be worked out
or our Industry will be completely elim-
-----------------
inated from the tenets of MRP-429.
Reports have reached Washington of the
complete stalemate of sales in the Coin
Machine Industry while the OP A toys with
its interpretation of the order. Important
sources have advised this REVIEW reporter
that a definite announcement from the OPA
will be ready before October 1st.
Free Matches Restored
WASHINGTON.-The Office of Price
Administration has ordered retailers, who
in March, 1942, gave away book matches
WIth cigarettes, to continue this practice
in the future with similar sales. Operators
of vending machines likewise must resume
filling chutes with free book marches if
they did so in the basic month.
THEY LIKE THE REVIEW
THE REVIEW:
I enjoy reading THE REVIEW. It is very
well written.
G. 1. M., Detroit.
THE REVIEW:
Can't get along without THE REVIEW.
R. & H. Amusement Co., 1. A.
THE REVIEW HAS NEVER MISSED AN ISSUE IN THE PAST TEN YEARS!!
NO OTHER COIN MACHINE MONTHLY CAN MAKE THAT STATEMENT!!
COIN
MACHINE
REVIEW
3
FOR
SEPTEMBER
J943