The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-13
TIE PARADE OF VICE.

| comment OH II. Wo felt that II had
! received enough free advertising;
| through tho censorship and we were
ccipts by denunciation or criticism. Rut
now that tho pictures have gonc from
Richmond, VIC wish to point out the
danger they constitute.
So FAT as this particular performance
was concerned, II was a very feeble
melodrama. very poorly acted, and
contained nothing that would have Jus
titled police interference. II II had
dealt with any other subject. 1t
days run nj any OF the fvc-cent thea
tres. If, indeed. il would ever havo been
produced. II drew large audiences ana
commanded Il relatively high price,
solely and only because its title suc-
Gested indecency and immortality.
And here is our first objection to
this, form OF drama. Vice We have in
America, vice that VIC must combat
with cool reason, sane persistence. But
we have dccency as we'll, and dccency
which rebels 1T the portrayal OF inn
III IT. We can never bring ourselves to
countonance those motion pictures.
those so-called problem" plays or those
novels which base their appeal on the
portrayal or discussion. Il matters not
in terms now chaste, OF the base ana
ugly things of life.
We are strengthened In this con-
viction by observation OF the peopl.
who flock 10 witness dramas OF this
doubtful type. Many mature persons
go through idle curiosity weakness
thcy are privileged to indulge; others
so in Il mistaken belief that a great
moral lesson" is 10 he learned: but
Gar more people Datronlze such dramas
because they wish to feast upon the
fculness OF tho thing--to pick out the
suggestive and the indecent.
Can ffteen-year- old boy learn a
great moral lesson" from a play which
follows the career OF some forlorn crea-
ture? Can a young girl profit by see
ing paraded In luxurious splendor that
life she has been taught to abhor as
worse than death? The very question
is nreposterous! Inevitably and surely
the boy will remember more OF tho sug-
gcstivc incidents than OF the moral:
the young girl VIII take homo with
her. IN far too many instances not the
picture OF the victim, but OF tho prodi-
gal leisure In which that victim lived
We cannot expect in youth that critical
reflection and that morailzins discrimi-
nation which arc The blessings of ma
turity. we cannot, accordingly, point
a moral" lesson by Immoral pie.
lures
Let us make ourselves pertcctl.
plair. We believe, as we have often
stated. that knowledge OF sex hygiene
should be q part OF the education OF
all children we believe that every
mother and father are dangerously lax
in their duty unless, in all the beauty
and purity of parental love. they teach
their children OF the great mysteries OF
life and caution them against those
evils that threaten our civilization. But
We do not believe that suggestive
dramas and questionable pictures, dis
played 10 large, mixed audiences, can
either take the place Of the parent or
tail 10 do far more harm than good
We're we able 20 carry our point, ".
should bar all children from every
theatre whore the least doubtful drama
is presented, and We should ordain u
special criminal statute for those base
comedians whose equivocal jokes and
indecent pranks are but SCOT and filth
upon the purity OF childhood
The parade Of vice has another and.
in some respects. scarcely less dan
sorous aspect This is the lmclina-
ton of theatrical producers whether
OF drama or Of motion pictures, to OK.
aggerate the subjects they treat They
heve to do it y drama based, on
white slavery as it exists In scattered
cases would not be thrilling or appeal
ine; even the most prurient mind.
would End 1t pathetic ana distressin,
/ In It's utter basencss. Consequently the
picture is touched up-.-scencs are por-
rayed which never have, and never
VIII be enncted IN real llfc. tho victim
is made some fair girl. who is deceived
! by somo man OF high estate; all the
melodramatic features Of the popular
/ ton twent- thirt" haIr-raiser are
/ added. The result OF this is not only
transformation, hut needless fear ana
! suspicion For example, the girl who
J witnesses such a motion picture drama
/ ne that presented last week in Rich
! inond leaves tho house convinced that
every man is q knavc. ana that courtesy
| merely cloaks crime From this there
is but a step 20 hysteria--to poison
! ft.,ig.