The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-07-04
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
of the
Exhibitor to
the Public
Reviewed

The exhibitor who has taken the
law into his own hands and has
volunteered to run his house for the
benefit of the public is coming in
for much commentator by the men
whose business II is TO keep things
running smoothly in the moving pic
ture industry. The periodicals de-
voted to photoplays have been di-
recting much attention to this sub
ject since the agitation for national
regulation of films, and many very
wholesome lectures have been print
ed in these payers directed toward
the exhibitors. 1t is the opinion of
the experts that the regulation of the
business lies wholly in the hands of
the exhibitor. They believe that he
is the man who can make good films
possible throughout the country
and drive the bad films out of the
business 1t is their deliberate
opinion that the exhibitor occupies
q position toward the public as
responsible as that of the educator
or the minister, and that it is the
exhibitors duty to see that his
house is always fit place for the
women and children of his city TO
visit.
Washington is peculiarly fortunate
in its exhibitors Of moving pictures
as a general class. The men who
have picture houses here are above
the average of other cities. There
are a number Of them who have the
same set policy as has been an
nounced by the manager of The
Strand" New York's largest and
best moving picture house. This
gentleman states the general policy
of his house in the following terse
terms:
we will endeavor to offer at all
times only such entertainment as
will be consistent with the dignity
of American manhood. Our house
IS a theater for mothers, daughters,
sisters and wives, where the purity
OF, their thought will be conserved
above ali other things"
That these sentiments meet with
full approval of the experts who
have enthusiastically opposed Fed
eral regulation and who are also
lighting manfully for the uplift-
ment of the film is shown in The
comment that Louis Reeves Harri-
son makes on the Strand announce
ment. Mr.. Harrison's comment is
50 much like what We have been
thinking along the same lines, and
he puts it SO much better than We
could, that We. give it here at
length: -. ....-..
Good. plain, ordinary common
sense is shown by the manager of
The Strand in announcing a we'll
defined policy of presentation.
A policy so sound needs only
TO be stated to command unhesitat-
ing and universal assent. Many
subjects present themselves to diff
ferent individuals in different de-
Erees, according TO the tempera-
ment of each-there may be a wide
divergence Of opinion in some cases
but there is deep-seated in the ORR
EInal constitution of manhood a de-
sire, almost passion, to protect
Uomanhood and childhood from
harmful influence. with a resultant
harmony of. opinion as to what
should not be thrust upon mixed
audiences attending the picture
shows by millions.
A man does not carry books, per-
lodicais or pictures of evil purpose
10 his home, but he cannot exercise
The prerogative of selection when
MEMBERS Of his family go to exhi
hitions of moving pictures. The
"llONE dTt CltdU anu de-
rule-they usually deserve the con-
fidence so freely given them-but
those who attend have no other
than poster forewarning Of what
may be thrown on the screen, and
that does not always indicate its
character. The household may he
shielded by it's natural protector. by
the elimination of all that is unde-
Eirable in books. papers and maya
zines, but when its members go to
little place OF entertainment, an en-
tirely new condition is set up.
The great study of modern times
Is that of the workings and weak
neSses of the human mind. and this
subject is of supreme interest to the
preme in their minds is the progress
Of their children along the finest
possible lines OF development. II
IS true that those children are not
sent 10 picture shows for an educa-
ton. but there is an obvious daE-
screen portrayals. There is no
sight more p'tifuI than that Of a
Numan creature of God-given capac-
ty enfeebled by vicious influences
over which he had no directive con-
'rol during his formative period.
nd Il is quite in the nature OF
things for those who have the bet
scan closely any influence eXerted
by those irresponsibles who confuse
liberty with unqualified license
20 do as they please.
Freedom in its noblest sense
grants breadth of opportunity for
the exercise Of ones powers. Its
rest use implies a breaking away
from conditions hamperinS progress,
but Il was never accorded by our
institutions with any idea that 1t
meant individual contempt for law.
decorum and the rights Of others.
The rejection Of legal and moral
control is not. and never has been,
the American idea OF liberty. The
self-imposed policy OF The Strand
that of giving Only such entertain
ment as will be consistent with the
dignity Of American manhood. II
followed in a general way bv Amer
ican exhibitors suggests the Solu-
Won of a much-discussed problem.
Now there are MANY unfortunate
thousands Of grown-ups with unde-
yeloDed minds scattered among
those who watch the screen pictures
With absorbed interest. and. while
they are not DETECTIVES TO any serious
extent, they are impreSsiOnable and
largely guided nv impulse. They
also furnish a large proportion Of
our criminal class. They nave the
intense primitive egotism Of de-
Scctive children. and are easily af
fected by suggestion, led to pursue
liberty of action at the expense OF
society's welfare. The majority of
them are not criminal by tendency,
hut they lack safeguards against in
GulFence in criminal conduct, and
they lack that sense Of duty normal
men acquire through education or
through the example Of intimate as
sCciates.
''SCch people are often led to COM
nit crime by Misrepresentation Of