New-York tribune., 1913-12-29
POLICE AS CENSORS
STIR SOCIOLOCISTS
Raids on House of Bond
age" and "Slave Films"
Rouse Fund Officials.
STANCHFIELD HIRED
FOR LEGAL FIGHT
Mass Meeting of Protest To Be
Held at Cooper Union on
FRIDAY Night.

II the plans Of the Sociological Fund OF
THE Medical Review of Reviews formu-
lated Saturday and announced yesterday
by the president of the fund. Frederic II.
Robinson, work out as expected the IN
coming Police Commissioner is going 10
have q whole lot bigger job on his hands
than any OF his predecessors.
That is, he will have If he attempts TO
follow in the footsteps of the present ad-
ministration and tries to interfere win
folk who want 10 make money cut OF
moving pictures and plays dealing with
tho underworld. as have Mr.. Waldo's men
With their raids on "The House of Bond
age" and the film play The Inside OF the
White Slave Traffic
All matters of that sort. provided they
have educational value" hereafter VIII
he under the protection or the Sociological
Fund and if the police persist In gong
after them the courts will be kept busy
with the war that is sure 10 result, for
il was announced the fund had retained
John 3. Stanchfield Ito fight 10 a success
ful finish the question as to whether the
police can prevent such exhibitions
"
Mr.. Robinson Yesterday. Ito determine
once and for all whether the police OF
Sew York may constitute themselves the
Judges and censors in our community and
condemn as salacious a performance
which brilliant minds in every phase o.
public hfe-Writers. sociologists. Judges.
physicians and others-have indorsed as
correct portrayal and as a means OF
erousing public sentiment to degree
which would awaken the sluggish and un-
concerned 10 the extent Of crushing ont
the white slave traffic.
"Wo arc fighting for the future as wei
as the present, since il is the purpose Of
the Sociological Fund 10 continue lending
its Endorsements and cooperation 70 any
new movement or idea which has for its
aim the bettering Of social conditions and
the elcvating of humanity.
We are particularly anxious TO ascer-
tain the legal status Of the case, in view
Of the fact that The House Of Bondage
which was raided when produced in The
Bronx, will reopen on Broadway on Janu-
airy Il under our auspices.
I'VE arc fighting for principle--s great
princple-and believe the outcome Of the
battle will take its place in history as one
OF the hardest fights which has ever been
fought in defence of a principle
Nr Robinson asked TO have corrected q
statement that he was associated with
the men backing the film Play financially
He declared his intcres; 10 be merely
humanitarian.
1t was also announced that the first step
in the big fight aside from the present
legal situation, would be in the form Of a
monster mass meeting" next Friday
night at Cooper Union to protest against
the actions OF the police. Norman Hap
good will preside, and the speakers will
he Mrs. Inez Mnholland Boissevain, DR..
Frederic c. Howe. of the Peoples Insti-
tute; Mrs. o. II. p. Belmont and Dr..
James p. Warbasse.
Mr.. Robinson said yesterday Christabel
Pankhurst's writings in "The Suf-
fragcttc,' which were seized and their
sale prohibited by the police when her
mother, Mrs. Emmeine Pankhurst, was
here, will be brought out i'm book form
TINS week, in defiance of Anthony Com
stock and ths others. by the Sociological
Fund as part Of its big fght for an
idea"