The Washington times., 1915-05-25
THE BEST
Photopldy Department in
WASHINGTON
Would Cut Distorted
Situations From
Scenarios Not
From Films

In the general discussion Of the
nlm censorship question which is
now In progress throughout the
country and which will undoubtedly
furnish the principal topic for dis
cussion at the next convention Of
the Exhibitors League, new ele-
ment has been introduced-the prop
osition to censor the scenarios be-
fore the pictures are produced!
1t would seem, at first glance. that
this idea would settle much vexed
question and to give 1t a test judge
Willis Brown. of Salt Lake city,
who Is its sponsor, proposes to cause
a bill to be introduced in Congress
at the next session with this object
in view. The censoring OF the
scenarios would be about the same
thing as compelling the manufacture
ers to censor their films themselves
the thing which they nave failed 10
do and which has been responsible
for the agitation that has spread
through the country and is threat
ening to disrurt the motion pic
ture business.
Judge Brown Is opposed to the
idea Of a censorship of tilms-and
rightly so. 1t seems to us-becausc
he regards II as un-American and 10
a certain extent a restriction OF per-
sonal liberty. He believes that II
gives no protection to the public and
Is largely controlled by whims. He
points out that such a film as the
Star of Bethlehem" would be sub
jected to the personal whim of a
censor in exactly the same way as
THE Traffic" or some film that flies
In the face Of ordinary conventions.
d. 1v,nn
Brown does not believe that the best
results are being obtained by the
producers from the material they
have at hand-largely because they
pursue that vague thing they call
1.-THE punch" without knowing exact.
they are likely to distort a situation
that Is a punch" of itself in order
to overemphasiZe one little incident.
He explains his idea OF scenario CEN
sorship-or, as he calls It, elimina-
tion, as he dslikes to think OF IL as
censor
which will be introduced in Con-
eress, which Censors, II YOU so call
IT, the scenarios. A Federal noard,
with deputy boards in various cities
or sections of the country VIII re-
ceive manuscripts from those deslr.
ing to have film productions made OF
the stories contained therein.
"The author has protection and
also permission to sell his scenario
to any producing concern. In inns
manner a Aim may be produced in
the same manner in which book Is
published. and the public protected;
II any manufacturer Of films should
change the story and weave into II
the undesirable, then present laws
are adequate to punish such a hrm.
"It gives no protection to the public
and I have discovered, is controlled
largely by whims.
THE overstress that must be put
IN every situation IN order to get
punch, the absolutely sill love
making, the villain, who must always
depict the worst of human passions.
betrayals and treachery. in order to
make the virtuous shine the more,
seems all too real to the younger
mind and all too unreal to the adult.
Life as 1t is, just normal life. has
in It the most mystery. the most
tragedy and the unfolding of stories
which. having no great punch, of
murder or a domestic sin, does de-
velop character and does bring retri-