The Denver star., 1915-03-13

NeSlOu4s A00Oot3ts0n t0f xUo ADVANCE.
mont Of ceiorsd People Administers
Severe Blow to Production sf Film
show Called Birth Of the Natien,"
Based on Dixon's Beck.
New York.-The National Association
For the Advancement Of Colored Peo-
pie has scored real triumph In this
city in succeeding in getting the ma
tional board Of censorship to reverse
its approval OF the moving picture dim
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, 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 McAdop, and the owners Of the
film have been warned not to pro-
duce 1t.
1t had been extensively advertised
for production beginning on the night
Of March 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 Griffith. The lat
ter Is reported to he Virginian. An
advance performance of the production
was given in Washington, and it u
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
will 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- |
hibitive ordinances many theaters will |
not produce films unless they have the |
approval OF the censorship board.
The National association had n very
dificult task to perform in suppress
ing this film since 1t had already been
approved by the censorship board when
its Los Angeles branch. where 1t u 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 nrst |
made it's appeal to the national board
of censorship there seemed to b.
little prospect of getting an unfav0r-
able decision on this dim In the limited
time left before its advertised public
production. The association communi-
Gated with every member of the board
courtesy an advance performance was
arranged at the Liberty theater Mon
day afternoon. March 1. 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
the film.
In connection with the difhculties
that the national association met In
having this criticised film censored.
1t Is interesting tO>note the action tax
en- In Atlanta, Ga, 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 he changed to
"Old Plantation Folks and all disa-
greeable scenes cut out, such as the
whipping post. Legree II made almost
saint.
In justifying this action Mrs. Joseph