Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-07-25
UNCLE SAM AS MOVIE CENSOR
BY Frederic ]. Haskin

A BILL is now before Congress cre-
n ating federal board of censor
ship for motion pictures, to be
included as a new division Of the Bu-
reau of Education. This board, COM
posed of members whose salaries are
paid by the government, is to license
all films that meet with its approval
and requirements, and it's chief pur-
pose is to prevent the production of
pictures that might have degrading
effect on audiences In view of the
difference of opinion as to the wis
dom of such a board and the opposi-
ton of the motion picture industry as
represented in the testimony of vari-
Gus members before the committee re-
porting the bill, the question of fed
eral censorship is distinctly interest
ing.
For some time the need of some
adequate method of censorfng the
movie has been evident. Women's
clubs have attempted to have local
boards of censorship established In
their communities, philanthropists and
social workers have lectured and
written on the subject enormously in
the last two years.
At the present time the censorship
of moving picture productions is con-
fined to the National Board of Cen
sorship of New York city, the staff OF
which is paid by the motion picture
interests and might therefore be con-
sidered prejudiced; special commits
sions in three states, including Penn
sylvania, Ohio and Kansas; and in a
few municipalities.
The state boards are evidently suf-
ficient unto themselves, but have in
Cured a good deal OF humorous criti.
cism. For example, it is reported
that certain state board objected tc
the youthful unconventionality ot
Shakespeare's Juliet, and indeed re-
jected all but five Shakespeare YET
was not adverse to passing modern
pictures showing eIopements, detec.
tive dramas, and slapstick atrocities
Several of the states seem to have
had 1t in for the recent production ot
Carmen" with Geraldine Farrar
some objecting to Garments character
altogether others to the fact that she
smoked and still others taking excep.
ton to the duel between Morales and
Don Jose. Yet the opera had prob.
ably been given in these states fol
years, and no one thought of censor.
ing it.
From this it may be seen that cen.
sorship of the movie, as it exists, tc
day, is not only inefficient but incon.
sistent and sometimes ludicrous. Or
the other hand, it is certainly true thai
the need for some restriction upon the
| type of sex play that has been flood
ing the country, is acute. A great
many people. including several of the
large producers themselves, believe
that the present bill, providing for G
federal commission to pass upon the
decency and fitness OF motion pictures
will prove the answer to the prob
lem. Others are quite as firmly con
vinced that it will not, that it is un,
constitutional because it is akin to re-
stricting the freedom of the press. anC
that it would work many practica
hardships on an industry which after
all has sufficient evidence in its profit.
that it is giving the people what they
want.
At least five big concerns, however
are interested in seeing such a com
mission established. and have cooper
ated with the committee on educa,
ton in changing a few of the provis