Atlanta Georgian., 1913-02-28
SAVE D
THE MOVIE FOR .
AMERICA |
John Collier, Son of Ex-Mayor.
Given This Credit by Will
Irwin, Author. ;

Ninety million people, more or less,
might we'll rise up and call blessed ths
name of John Collier For to this young
man, a native Albanian, is given the
credit for2 giving to the country that
greatest of all popular amusements, the
moving picture show, which was threat
ened with prohibition by outraged moral
lists Of the United States. At least, so
much credit is given Mr.. Collier in an
article, How the Movies We're Saved
by VIII Irwin, In the current issue OF
The Metropolitan Magazine.
The young Albanian. according to the
article, was the prime mover in the puri-
tication of the picture drama, acting with
wise decision at time when, as the
writer declared. the movie business. rep
resenting already many millions Of in
vestment, faced panic and failure. He
suggested the National Board Of Cen.
sorship' that rather mysterious bureau
whose approval Is flashed OH practically
all phOtoplays that audiences in Atlanta
and every other American city enjoy.
Had Fallen Into Decline.
Before the organization Of the board Of
censors at Mr.. Golfers suggestion the
photo drama had fallen into the way Of
moral decline, says the magazine ar
ful sex conflicts, bad taste of a violently
bad order all were displayed in the un-
censored pictures that were revealed fori
the delectation of old and young Thea
ters we're death traps, darkness. yelling
probable evils, masked the interior OF
the play houses, saiacous suggestions
flashed on the screens. A universal howl
went up a I conditions. Mayor Mcclellan.
Of New York, issued an edict forbidding
,.l,..
cities prepared 30 follow New Yorlls ex-
ample. source of popular and instruc-
tive entertainment was threatened with
extinction.
Enter Mr. Collier He was an attache
of thf Peoples Institute of New York,
which is a Laboratory of social exper-
ment.' Thirty years old, he was born
and reared in Atlanta. being the son of
the late Charles a. Collier, former may
or, and president of the Southern Inter
national exposition in 1895. Common
sense and a wide humanity has made him
an invaluable factor in the work of the
Peoples Institute.
Put Through Censorship.
He suggested the national board of cen
sorship, and the Peoples Institute put
it through with the acquiescence of the
film producers. It has worked success
fully, and shortly it can be said that the
moving picture drama is purified and
saved because of It's work
Tribute to Mr.. Golfers wisdom is paid
by the writer of the magazine article
who says that if the board of censorship
had been public institution, instead of
the informal tribunal that it is, existing
by tacit agreement, it would be ineffec-
tive. Graft, carelessness. incompetency
would mark it az a part of the govern
f,t1lvr tIC,t{C
is apparent in its work as II exists.
What is the National Board of Censor
ship and what was Mr., Golfers work?
Here is the word of the magazine writer
for the arrangement:
The driving force of the Peoples In
sttute in New York was John Collier, r
young man so forceful, individual. and
useful wtthal, that one is tempted to lin
ger on his personality. The Peoples In
stitute has always tried to mediate be-
tween what the people want and what
high-brows, social workers and statesmen
believe that they ought to have. Collier.
that practical idealst of whom Ford.
dreamed in The Honorable Peter stlrl-
ing is half philosopher and half investi-
gator He holds the conviction that the
people of the tenements, and all the peo-
pie Of squeezed lives need a great deal
more innocent and heathful recreation
than they get.
Saw Possibilities for Poor.
He saw the possibilities Of pioturs
shows for education and culture. When
the fight was on, the picture men began
to visit him unoffcially, to ask aid in
restoring confidence.
There's only one way to do IL: Clean
up!' said Collier in effect.
1T was an extremely difficult opera
tion. with three groups of producers-the
trust and two independent companies
bucking each other. He recommended a
board of censors. He collected a hun
dred men and women pledged to give a
certain day a week to the work Over
them he set a general committee, picked
formed a court of appeals, to which either
managers members of the COMMITTEES
might carry up any decision with which
they were dissatisfied"
Suggestions of salaciousness and of
crime methods thus were eliminated The
picture play has been regenerated and
made potent. Collier has saved the peo-
pie of the United States a great source
of entertainment All this the article tells
about.
John Collier is the brother OF Rawsou
Collier, OF Atlanta, contract agent of the
Georgia Railway and Electric Company;
Charles A. Collier. of the Georgia Rail-
way and Electric Company. and Mrs.
Robert Davis.