The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-01-29
movie" men TO meet
next TIME IN Reading
Banquet Marks Close Of Three-Day Con-
vention Here-Resolutions Adopted
Calling for Public Support in Pro-
posed Fight on Legalized Censorship

John Price Jackson, Commissioner of
Labor and Industry, and j. W. Binder,
of New York, member of the National
Board of Censorship, We're the guests OF
honor at a banquet given in the Plaza
hotel last night by the Harrisburg mo-
tion picture exhibitors as the closing
event of the three-day State convention
of the newly.formed Motion Picture Ex-
hibitors League of Pennsylvania. Fred
J. Harrington, of Pittsburgh, acted as
toastmaster, and among the speakers
was Peter Niagara, of this city.
The final business session was held
in the Bolton house in the afternoon.
1t was decided to hold the next con
vention in Reading on June I, s and y.
Frank A. Gould, of Reading, publicity
manager of the league, said that Read
ing is fast becoming a convention city
and that seventy conventions of vari-
Gus sorts are booked to be held there
in the next few months.
Before adjournment the league unani-
mously adopted the following resolu-
ton:
Whereas. It Is currently reported that
the legislature of this state will soon
be asked to pass new building code
Whereas, The provisions OF the pro-
posed measure are arbitrary and do in
fact amount to condscation as tar as
the theatres of this state are concern
ed. therefore be II
Resolved, That we most emphatically
protest against the enactment of any
such drastic law and take proper meas
ures to defeat the said proposed build
ing code.
fully submit to the legislative and eN-
ecutive branches of our state govern
ment that such legislation would de-
OF this commonwealth of their business
interests and their means of livelihood.
The following resolutions also were
adopted:
The motion picture exhibitors of the
state of Pennsylvania, in convention
assembled. do hereby appeal to public
opinion to relieve the motion picture
industry OF the injustice of legalized
censorship as II is now embodied in
the law of Pennsylvania, We believe
that legalized censorship is grave
menace to that freedom of expression
which is guaranteed to the citizens or
this state by the constitution.
The screen on which motion pictures
are projected is as much medium OF
expression as the spoken or printed
word and is therefore entitled to the
same immunity from pernicious legal
restraint as the book and the news
paper. An enCroachment on the con-
stitutional guarantee of freedom of eN-
preston is not only an INJURY and an
Injustice to the motion picture business
out an entering wedge of political inter-
ference with the press and freedom OF
speech.
press to unite with lis in resisting to
the utmost every attempt to aorldge
the liberty of the screen. we beleNe
that no censorship is necessary because
a.. .fa,Ff oh a
is under the constant Influence of pub
lie opinion and the laws now on the
statute books are amply sufficient to
deal with Objectionable pictures as they
are amply sufficient to deal with news
papers offending against the law
We urge all citizens of Pennsylvania,
of whatever political creed, to protest
against the legalized censorship and TO
Legislature asking them to vote FOR
speedy repeal of the censorship law.
We extend our congratulations to the
organized exhibitors of our sister state
of Ohio upon their efforts to repeal the
censorship law in that state. we re-
cord with satisfaction th3t legall2ed
censorship has only been accepted in
two states out of As in spite of the
fanatical crusades against the free
dom of the screen.
We record our abiding faith in the
good sense and in the love of fair
play and justice of the American peo-
pie and express our hope that legalized
censorship will soon be a thing of the
past. We desire TO go on record as
emphatically opposed to any abuse OF
the freedom of the screen by irrespon-
sible persons and we pledge ourselves
to prosecute or to aid in prosecuting
any person or persons who are guilty
of showing pictures the exhibition OF
which constitutes an offense against
the law.
We invite the cooperation of the
people of this commonwealth to aid us
| in maintaining the present nigh stand
ard of motion pictures by helping us
! to discover and renounce all persons
who show pictures which violate the
law.