The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1914-06-11
100000 SEE
MOVIES EACH DAY
Congress May Pass Censorship
Law at This Session
TO AFFECT 18, 900 THEATERS
Film Makers Protest. Saying Their
Products Are Good-Advoestes OF
Proposed Measure Say Children Are
Led Into Crime by Some Photo Plays,
Some States Censor All Reels.

Proposed Measure Say Children Arr
Led Into Crime by Some Photo Plays
Some States Censor All Reels.
Washington million persons
daily attend the $4,000 moving picture
theaters now In operation in the Unit
ed States. a large proportion Of the
patrons are children. There are ap.
proximately 2O,Oo0.O0O school children
In the United States. The attendance
OF the picture shows therefore repre-.
sents four-ffths OF the daily enrolment
OF the public schools and far exceeds
that reported by churches, libraries
and other institutions Of human bet.
terment
These facts. or what are represented
to be facts. were brought out before
the house committee on education. The
committee has under consideration u
bill TO establish federal censorship
commission over moving pictures. The
measure has strong support. and the
chances ARE that Il will be enacted
into law NJ this session OF congress.
II has been indorsed by clcrgymen.
educators and some moving picture ex.
hibltors
Other exhibitors oppose Il on the
ground that Hlm makers censor their
product aud that federal censorship
would interfere with the business. An.
other objection urged against the bill
Is that It's passage might serve as u
precedent for legislation abridglng the
liberty of the press.
Those who voice this objection argue
that II the federal government under.
takes 10 censor moving pictures II may
extend the authority 10 printed matter
Advocates uf federal censorship of
moving pictures say that these cNhlbl.
lions are hurtful or beneficial a. the
youthful mind according o. their char.
meter 10 Is asserted that many crimes
have been traced 10 children who hnd
witnessed dohaslng scenes In moving
picture houses
For this reason IL Is argued that com.
pctcut inspection ana effective censor.
ship Of films are needed The two
sides Of the story were told IN the
house committee
MANY parts OF moving picture eXhi.
billions are perfectly proper" said the
Rev. H. y. priuglc. assistant supcrln
tcudcnt of the International reform bu
rcau "Othcr parts may he objections
able because they present ut times pic,
lures OF murders. rohhcries. holdups,
assaults, burglaries aud nearly the
whole catalogue of crimes
Every few days you may see In the
newspapers ullusions by criminal court
judges 10 the connection between juve.
nile crime ana the demorallzing pres.
entations just mentioned. This bin
proposes the examination ana censor
ship OF picture films so that tainted
and diseased amusement may not be
sent out from about fifty film manufac-
turing firms ana importing firms 10
nearly 10000 moving picture theaters
20 injure millions OF immature persons
who daily see these productions"
resenting moving picture publication.
made defense OF American made
moving pictures.
Respect for the ordinary decencies
OF life characterizes the producers OF
moving pictures" he said. They are
anxious TO please, not TO offend. II is
a fact that the American producers
supply not less than 75 per cent OF the
worlds market OF moving pictures
mo matter where you go In Europe.
you will lind strong percentage OF
each program is made up Of pictures
made I'm this country, Why? Because
the American pictures with negligible
exceptions are clean.
They are made by men whose eyes
aud ears heed public taste and senti-
ment and who do not want 10 cater 10
any morbid or depraved taste. Now.
81 Europe for great de-
,rease In the number Of pictures made, |
md absolutely no good is accomplished |
by the censorship such as exists In |
Russia. Germany and other countries"
1t was brought out that Ohio. Kan |
'as. Pennsylvania and California exer-
Use censorships over moving pictures.
Boards OF moving picture censorship |
also are In operation I'm many cities.
among them New York. San Francisco
chicago and Cleveland. Censorship |
avs are applied TO the business In
Nm Sfrfa rl