The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1915-03-12
DISAPPROvES OF .
''CLANSMAN' PLAY
National Board Of Censorship
Takes Quick Action.
BIG VICTORY FOR OUR RACE


Severe Blow to Production Of Film
Show Called birth Of the NatieR,r
Based on Dixon's Book.
New York.-The National Association
For the Advancement Of Colored Peo-
pie has scored q real triumph In this
city in succeeding In getting the ma
tional board of censorship to reverse
it's approval Of the moving picture hlm
called THE Birth of Nation" which
is based on Thomas Dixon's CLANS
man."
As soon as advised Of the action Of
the board Of censorship, at the sugges-
ton Of Paul Kennaday, a member Of
the board of the National Association
For the Advancement Of Colored Peo-
pie, officers of the association got In
touch with the police commissioner
through Mr.. Oswald Garrison Willard
who has been advised by the commits
sioner that the entire matter has been
placed in the hands of Chief Magis
trate McAdoo, and the owners Of the
film have been warned not to pro-
.duce It. ..
It had been extensively advertised
for production beginning on the night
of March 8 in the Liberty theater,
Forty-second street, west of Broadway.
One hundred thousand dollars has
been invested In It Its owners are
Messrs. Aitken and Grifiith. The lat:
ter Is reported to be a Virginian. An
advance performance Of the production
was given in Washington, and it is
said that Chief Justice White and Pres
ident Wilson were present.
The reversal Of the decision Of the
board Of censorship to approve the film
win probably prevent its production In
about 80 per cent Of the theaters Of
this country, since many cities have
ordinances prohibiting the production
of moving pictures when not approved
by the national board Of censorship,
and even when there are not such pro-
hibittve ordinances many theaters will
not produce films unless they have the
approval of the censorship board.
The National association had very
difficult task to perform In suppress
ing this film since it had already been
approved by the censorship board when
the association first heard Of it through
It's Los Angeles branch, where It is al
legged duplicate film had been re-
leased and produced In spite of the pro-
test Of the branch. The reason given
by the police department and the city
council for refusing to interfere was
that the film had been approved by the
national board Of censorship.
When the national association first
made its appeal to the national board
of censorship there seemed to be
little prospect Of getting an unfavor-
able decision on this film In the limited
time left before its advertised public
production. The association communi-
Gated with every member Of the board
Of censorship, and through the latter's
courtesy an advance performance was
arranged at the Liberty theater Mon
day afternoon, March l. All the mem
bers Of the board Of censorship were
present, and a small committee from
the National Association For the Ad-
vancement Of Colored People was in
the audience. At the close Of the per
formance the board Of censorship met
and unanimously voted to disapprove
tho hlm.
In connection with the difficulties
that the national association met In
having this criticised film censored
It is interesting to note the action tax
en- in Atlanta, Ca, In regard to "Uncle
Toms Cabin" which has recently been
produced there in moving pictures. To
suit the southern community the name
Of the production had to be changed to
"Old Plantation Folks" and all disa,
greeable scenes cut out, such as the
whipping post. Legree is made almost
a saint
In justifying this action Mrs. Joseph
Morgan Of Atlanta, president of the
Pioneers, says: Nobody has any right
to come here and stir up sectional
prejudice by Offering such play. Tb
play recalls all the things we have beer
trying to forget"
At His Best.
Blobbs - The doctor told GuZzler