The Washington times., 1914-10-05
Board of Ndtio ma
CenSOrS Is Now
Seeking Help
of Public

The national board of censorship is
seeking to broaden its powers and
widen its scope. Several times ref
erence has been made to the manner
in which the work is being broad
ened, but recently Orren c. Cocks
and o. F. Lewis, prominent mem
bers of the board, have made what
might be called a public appeal for
help. Mr.. Cocks is the virtual head
of the board and he is much inter-
ested in securing the cooperation of
the people in providing his associates
with a basis upon which to work.
MIR. Lewis has set forth the ideas OF
himself and Mr.. Cocks in very plain
terms.
What the board now needs is more
light he declares. 1T is making
very gratifying efforts 10 get light.
Not satisfied to refer the most i'm
portant social films to its general
specialists a number of times. when
such films as Damaged Goods" the
Sex films. and the drug pictures have
been under discussion. Here are a
few of the questions we are asking,
relating TO the connection between
motion pictures and possible crime:
II. Are normal boys and girls
aroused to crime by seeing crime
against person or property depicted
in the midst of a film story, if the
emphasis of the plot is elsewhere,
and the crimes are not depicted In
such d way as to be initiated?
-. Is the effect of the motion
picture more decided than that de-
rived he 90
stories of adventure?
3. Are young people from thirteen
10 twenty accustomed to repicture in
their minds details that are sec
ondary in the main story?
4 Can such details be excluded,
when they are permitted in books
and on the stage?
). Have YOU formed any conclusion
as TO the percentage of the moron
type. or that of arrested develop
ment among motion picture audi
ences. who are known to be more
open to suggestions.
6 Where shall the line be drawn
in the portrayal of scenes of mar
rage infidelity. the triangular situa-
ton. and loose moral situations be-
tween the sexes?
-. Is there a place for motion
pictures dealing with the seI
tragedies of life. if the moral IS
pointed ana lear is engineered
And so forth? II seems to rne
that the board has successfully go:-
ten through the first stage of its
existence. it has justified itself, and
il is recognized by the country a 5
a controlling force, as well as by the
leading manufacturers. 1t is essen
tiaI that so far as possible il
should standardize its principles o.
Judgment With so great corps Of
volunteers. am told that seldom IN
deed do the pictures that 90 out
from the subcommittee meet the
disapproval Of the national board
later. when shown. Just as in the
magistrates court Of New Jersey
some common sense seems TO be
prompting the members.
"A gradual elevation of the subjects
depicted has undoubtedly come
from this control.
What do the movie audiences Ike
best? This important question is
saved for the last They like action
action. action, When the adult gets
into the movie theater he becomes
somewhat more like a child, and he
finds more than customary pleasure
I'm the things that appeal to children.
Have you ever noticed that in your
self? The old scenes OF railroads,
and ships. and the like have rels-
lively little appealing power now,
There is a gratifying increase In
the number of dramatized stories.
often Of the classics. Only day be-
fore yesterday band OF five or six
took possession of my front piaZza
tr New Rochelle. and in due time
I shall see Martin ChuZzlewits rel
atives coming down my front steps.
and my own wolfhound fguring in
the ensemble Up at the Edison
studio this afternoon ] heard one
man ask another if he was the one
that was going to stage the Land
ing Of the Pilgrims No he was
not. for he had the Prison Reform
Picture
THE frmness of the grip of the
motion pictures cannot be denied.
To millions the movies are a form
Of vicarious leisure. enjoyed In leis-
ure. ] mean by that. that nightly
there is placed before millions OF
people the visions of the talleRedD
1sll-to-do or leisure class. The