The Denver star., 1915-03-27


Severe Blow to Production Of Film
Show Called Birth Of the Nation"
Based on pixon's Book.
New York.-The National Association
For the Advancement OF COlOred P6o-
pie has scored real triumph in this
city III succeeding In getting the na-
tional board of censorship to reverse
its approval of the moving picture film
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-
Pile. officers OF the association got III
touch with the police commissioner
through Mr.. Oswald Garrison Willard.
who has been advised by the commis
sioner that ti:e entire matter has been
placed in the hands of Chief AIagis
trate McAdoo. and the owners of the
film lavc been warned not to pro-
ducc it,
Ii 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 1t. Its owners are
Messrs. Aitken and Griffith. The lat
ter is reported 10 be II Virginian. An
advance performance of the production
was given III Washington. and it Is
said that Chief Justice White and Pres
ident Wilson we're present.
The reversal of the decision OF the
board of censorship To approve the film
will probably prevent its production in
about 50 per cent of the theaters Of
this country. since many cities have
ordinances prohibiting the production
OF mOvin. pictures when not approved
by the nationa! 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 very
diiicult task to perform In suppress
ing this film since 1t had already been
approved by the censorship board when
the association first heard Of it through
it's Los Angeles branch. where It II 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 drst
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 Mt the Liberty theater Mon
day afternoon. March 1. All the mem
bers Of the board of censorship were
present and u 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 disapprovs
the film.
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, 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 be changed to
''Old Plantation Folks" and all disa.
greeable scenes cut out. such as the
whipping post. Legree Is made almost
u saint.
In justifying this action Mrs. Joseph
Morgan Of Atlanta. president OF the
Pioneers. nays: Nobody has any right
to come here and stir up sectional
prejudice by offering such play. The
play recalls all the things we have been
trying to forget"