The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-04-22
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
Mothers Clubs Are
? Taking Up the
Selection Of
PhotoplayS


are looking into the matter of photo
. plays.
We have been wondering how lcng
such distinctly mothers subject
as this would be permitted to re-
main undiscussed while the nuner-
Gus things that the school authori-
ties are better able to handle than
the mothers are made the subject
Eof endless as we'll as fruitless arSu-
, nent. The real hope Of the moving
picture as an influence for good and
q help to the race lies with the
mothers. Somebody has said some
thing like that before about some
thing else, but this is the first time
1t has ever been applied to the pho
toplay, and We take credit to our
selves, accordingly. But it is fact
-trite as It reads. The real CEN
sorship-the helpful, constructive
censorship of the films-lies in the
hsne circle over which the mother
presides. It is a most hopeful sign,
therefore, when we find an evidence
OF enlightenment such as is shown
By the taking up Of the subject by
clubs of this character, instead of
the usual procedure Of protesting
TO the authorities against the show
ing of unfit plays.
The only power on earth that can
mako the managers of theaters pro-
duce the sorts of plays mothers
want their children to see Is the
power in the hands of the mothers
themselves. OF course, this applies
10 all other influences of child life
But it is especially true in the case
Of the photoplay because the mother
has two very positive means of en-
forcing her will.
The first and most important of
these is the influence she can bring
toward directing the tastes Of her
children in the right direction and
schooling them to avoid things that
are not best for them to see or hear.
This is the censorship that is lasting
and that is worth while. To show
the child what 1t should do and
what It should not do, is a part of
the business of mothers and some
OF them take II seriously. The mat.
ter of taking the children to the
shows-the kinds of shows they
should see-is another part OF this
mothers censorship that is worth
while. There are few children who
would not rather go to a show with
mother than with anyone else. And
the influence the mother can exert
in training the child's intelligence is
OF such tremendous and such easily
understood importance that discus
sion of ii here is unnecessary. The
second way in which the mother
can exercise a positive influence is
by cutting of the supply OF nickels
and dimes that are used to buy
tickets FOR the entertainment. This
Ia not as good a way as the first two.
md should be only q last resort.
But II can be used and Is used in
cases where the other influences. do
not work.
The mothers power does not seem
to be very well understood Nor ap-
preciated by a lot of the exhibitor.
At a recent meeting Of mothers
clubs a report of a very unsatisfac-
tory nature. was made by q commit
tee which was appointed to look
into the moving picture matter. The
ladies who formed the committee
were most courteously received by
the exhibitors OF their neighborhood.
who suavely declared they would be
make their theaters more attractive
and morally healthful-but they
sprans the old alibi about being COM
pelled to take what the exchange
sends them. They told the mothers
they were very sorry. but that the
exchange was the place to go. 1t
was the exchange men who were the
believe that they had pleaded for
better films with tears in their eyes,
but that the exchange people
wouldn't listen to them, and they
had to show what the exchanges
sent or stsrve. The members Of the
committee FASTENED to the exchange.
The exchange man. whoever he
was, is not onto his job as well as
the exhibitors were. He was frankly
discourteous-was little short Of in
sulting, so We were Informed. And
the good ladies on the committee
were willing to let il go at that be-
cause they did not see what they
could do about it.
How long are the exhibitors going
to keep up this fiction of not being
able to get what their patrons de-
mand? 1t would be q good plan for
them TO get together on some sort
OF pan 10 INC OIL
this. because 4 is about to be blown
into bits by a businesslike exhibitor
IN the northeastern section of the
city who has asked the Parents in
his neighborhood TO confer With him
regarding the class OF plays they
want their children to see. so that
he can make arrangements to secure
only those plays. This exhibitor Is
q new men at the business. we are
tolS, and he has started on the Job
by taking the public into his con-
Ndence. We want to predict right
here that he is destined to Go big
business.
This dealers attitude is rather
aside from the mothers club posi-
bilities. however. The mothers CLUBS
mean business with respect 10 the
pilotnplays. Thew are not 70 be
satisfied with a lack II action IN the
part of the exhibitor. They will get
something done or they will go 70
the authorities and have > rigid
censorship adopted for the District
For. be II understood. that = hen
the women Of q comTnunit~ make up
their minds to secure the enact
ment Of a police regulation they
usually get what they want.