The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-28

Buroau.)
 |~ONTRoL over motion pictures
 has recently aroused widespread public discussion. Official cen IEf3xI sorship has been established in
 four states and many cities, and a bill is
 pending in Congress to create a federal
 motion picture commission for licensing films.
 Especial interest therefore attaches to a statement recently issued by the na- tional board of censorship of motion pie
 lures, giving its present policy and stand ards of judgment. The board Is a volun- tary self-governing organization working with the manufacturers and importers of motion pictures and in the interests of the public. It was formed by the Peoples institute of New York. No member is en- gagged in any branch of the motion picture business. The 33 members of the general
 committee speak as skilled social work
 CTS, representing such agencies as the
 Young Mems Christian association, Char
 ity Organization society, Children's Aid
 association, Federation of Churches,
 Women's Clubs, Young Women's Chris
 tian association and Peoples institute.
 The CensOring Committee The 105 members of the carefully se- lected censoring committee drawn from the most intelligent groups in New York volunteer their services. The board at present views from 150 to 1855 film sub jects a week. covering 95 per cent of the industry. These pictures are daily seen by about 8.o0O000 people in 1S,000 motion picture houses in the United States Last year 53 film subjects were entirely con demned and parts were eliminated from 401.
 The total cost of negatives and copies kept off the American market was more than s5S2000 The board sends out weekly a bulletin of all the pictures passed for the week or without parts eliminated and those which have been condemned These bulletins go to some 400 city au- | thorities, social workers, censoring com
 mittees and interested individuals. The boards statement of its policy and standards of Judgment is an interesting attempt to crystaize in words the moral and psychological effect of this new form of recreation on the minds of people, to estimate public opinion and to criticize or exclude from the screen those scenes which have dangerous effects.
 Difficulties of Censorship Few people realize the scope and com | plexity of such criticism. Laws have always Jagged behind public opinion and there has been startling disagreement on basic ethical principles. The mem- | bers of the national board recognize these obstacles and freely acknowledge that | they are open to error Their methods, however, are sound. They know the mo- | tion picture business. They have actual knowledge of the effects of the pictures ] on people of different classes and in df- ferent parts of the country. They seek advice from people skilled in part or | the whole of the field of life.
 The problem is found complicated by
 the necessity of reviewing and criticizing pictures for all the people. The same films are released on the same day in 1 Florida, Maine and Oregon. The motion picture houses are open to puople rang ing from to 80 years of age and repre- senting social traditions and educational influences, some modern and some ante quated, some native and some foreign. A partial solution of this difficulty appears to be special theatres and programmes for children and young people, community theatres and unusually fine films in schools, churches and libraries
 The board recognizes that the imagina- ton of young people acts quickly on the senses. It appreciates that they are open to all kinds of suggestion On the other hand, it knows that the safeguards of
 youth-reticence, respect, fears and Ideals act as barriers against impude and un-
 worthy thoughts and acts.
 Sensuality and Crime It realizes that pictures stimulating the
 senses require particular study from the
 point of view of the adolescent It. there
 fore, has adopted standards "curtailing
 prolonged love scenes which are ardent beyond the strict requirements of the dramatic situation" It believes that it 10