The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1910-09-29
THE MENACE OF THE MOTION
PICTURE.

L y
When the art of the motion picture
machine was first made practical, it
was hailed as one of the greatest aids
in modern times in the dissemination
lof scientific and educational facts
The menace of the new art had not
been foreseen.
Magistrate John j. Fresshi of New
York is up in arms against the exhi-
bition of certain kinds of pictures in
the motion picture show houses, and
in the class of pictures mentioned by
the New York magistrate lies the me-
mace of the motion picture exhibits.
In speaking of the New York mo-
ton picture show houses Magistrate
Freschi says: Il believe that one
need spend less than fifteen minutes
in most Of these establishments be-
fore some picture will be shown that
has a degrading influence on the
minds of many boys.
believe that some of the blood
curdling titles of the films displayed
in front of the halls are as bad as
the pictures themselves, and that the
whole business needs thorough and
rigid overhauling"
The New York magistrates obser-
vations are timely and undoubtedly
true. He spoke Of the case of a boy
named Monahan who had been tried
and convicted before him of assault
and ROBBERY. Monahan said that he
had conceived the idea of becoming a
criminal and had learned the way of
going about the robbery from a
scene in motion picture show. The
magistrate repeatedly questioned the
boy as to whether he had not been
led astray by bad companions or
some other evil force, but the boy in
sisted that the motion pictures were
responsible, and no other contami-
mating force could be learned Of.
In relating the story Of Monanan's
downfall the New York World gives a
list of the sensational. pictures seen
by one Of it's staff correspondent
who was sent to investigate condi-
lions. One of the films showed a
bull fight, with all the revolving and
disgusting features of the contest
carried out in detail. Anothe r film,
THE Darkest Hour showed the rob-
berry of an old physician by thug,
assisted by two pals" tie murder of
the physician being thought necessary
to complete the bloody portrayal.
Pictures of bloody Indian massacres,
society "Raffles,' moonshiners' thrill
ling fights with revenue officers and
italian vendettas, complete the SAN
culinary list.
1t is evident from this that the
National Board Of Censorship, which
has it's headquarters in Magistrat
Freschi's home city and which claims
to censor the films displayed in this
country 'for the improvement of mo-
ton pictures and for their further ex-
tension in this country as social and
educational forces" has sadly neglect
ed its duty The Board Of censorship
was supposed to deal constructively
with the social, civic and educational
problems connected with the elimina-
tion of unworthy pictures from the
list of pictures displayed in this coun-
try Enterprising motion picture man
ufacturers, who are ever ready to
give the public any sensational thrills
that will be allowed and which will
coin the money, seem to have gotten
the better of the proposition. 1t is
only by a thorough and rigid over
hauling" Of the motion picture bust
ness by real Board Of Censorship
that any helpful results may be OBJ
tanned