The Washington times., 1915-03-03
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLAYERS
-. . -. '....... u GARDNER MACK,
Recreation Survey
Develops Some
Surprises AS
- To Films

The report Of the expects who have
had charge Of the recreational sur
vey Of the Dist-ict. as forecast in
The Times yesterday. contains some
very interesting matter for the peo-
pie who have been accustomed to re-
gard seriously almost anything that
might be said against motion pic
lures.
The greater part Of that report. 1t
would seem to us. tends to prove
many things that have been set forth
IN this column from time to time
during the past year-but 1t does not
prove or suggest that the films that
are shown In Washington dcmoralixe
the children. The principal reason
Tor this being that children consti-
tute only about one-fifth Of the audi
ences that 6 -end the motion picture
exhibitions and that tho pictures are
designed to meet the needs and de-
mands Of the other four-fifths.
II there Is any de.norali lization Of.
the children by the films shown here
1t 10 due to the parents who permit
susceptible children to attend film
shows they would not object to see
ing thcmselves-or would not regard
es improper for grown folks to see.
one that almost every problem of
conduct leads to--but It is tust as
true OF motion pictures as it Is Of
everything else. II parents would
exercise the same care with their
children with regard to the films as
they do in other things, It is need
less to say that In those neighbor-
hoods where children do form the
greater part Of the patrons Of tho
theater the films shown would be Of
q better character.
The matter Of the number Of peo-
pie who 20 to the motion picture
exhibition in washington should be
In the year. That means that in a
week as many people go to motion
picture theaters as the total popula-
tion Of the District! There are very
few cities In the country with such
an attendance record. The cxpen-
capita. is fairly high also-it
amounts to almost q million dollars
per year.
1t Is only reasonable to suppose
that form of amusement Of such
Importance that it attracts the full
population Of the District once each
week. should receive some attention
from the people who are trying to
determine what sort of recreation
is best for the people. 1t would be
we'll for the Investigators to UNDER
stand that 1t is not their province to
determine what Is hest for the peo-
ple-the people will do that for them
selves. If they could bring out the
real facts OF the motion picture
business, as they seem to have done.
and will stick closely to those facts
in their subsequent consideration Of
the problem, much will be gained
both by the exhibitors and the pa
irons Of the film.
There never has been a time when
the pictures in Washington were
better than they are today. There
never has been time when the i'm
provement Of = year was more mo-
table than It Is at present. Today
the seventy odd theateps are In first
class condition also. The surveyors
found only nine Of them badly ven-
tilated. and only two badly lighted.
Much Of this IL due to the sentiment
that has been awakened among ex-
hibitors themselves that It Is a good
business proposition to ventilate
and light a theater properly. This
has been demonstrated without ques-
ton.
The exhibitors may feel rather
proud of the report Of the recrea-
ton surveyors. 1t Is rather u ver-
dict In their favor. and, incidentally.
in favor of mot lon pictures as q
means Of recreation. G. NJ.