Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-09
School. and from others

rev. w. A.bury Christian. -. D.. and
| Mrs Georgia May Jobson were active
IN reading sentiment for the establinh-
| mcnt of censorship bureau and in
presenting the selected speakers. Rev.
! V" Russell Bowie. -. -. rector Of st.
| Paufs Church, was tho first and one
| OF two who offered working sugEes
! lions. He remarked that the first
| thing To be stressed was the need Of a
| censorship more efficient than that now
! IN operation, and that then every mo-
| ton picture should be paascd upon by
competent Judges before being present
cd. fic said that motion pictures pos
scsS great educational possibilities, and
| he supposed that their net result was
good But no thought that the bad fea-
| lures could be eliminated without
| wreaking deleterious effect upon tho
| good.
pr Christian stated that effective
and efficient boards of censorship had
been established in many other cities
and presented suggestions borrowed
/ from several cities he had visited and
| from which he had procured copies of
! their censorship ordinances. He stated
| that effort is being made TO have Great
! cd "a national board OF censorship and
| added that Richmond has some bad
| shows. in spite of the assertions Of tho
! Mayor. who seems not TO be suueam-
! ish." He said that there was no fight
against motion pictures. but that If
! obscenity could not be prevented the
! pictures would be stopped. There we're
! several efforts on the parts OF members
! Of the committee to have the sneakers
make reference to some particular reel
! in their condemnation. but they refer
/ red only TO incidents In plays they had
seen or heard of. All Of them attemp-
! ted to make ii evident. however that
1t was not the motion picture in itself
! which they were armed against but
the features that crop out and tend to
] dtstort the view and idea OF the young
! KICKS SAYS CHILDREN
SHOULD HE ACCOMPANIED
Justice j. Hoge Kicks. of the Juvenile
AND Domestic Relations Court. recited
Instances in which children had stolen
money to go to motion picture shows,
/ ana advocated suggestion that no
! child less than fourteen years OF age
! Should go to movie unaccompanied
I lie was reminded by a member that his
I argument seemed TO be directed against
! the movies" themselves, which he de-
! nied He was brought to admit that
! motion pictures In themselves are not
bad. and that sometimes children stole
| 10 buy candy
Major Louis Werner. CHIEF Of the
Police Department. outlined briefly the
| system OF censorship now maintained
! oE MN. lie receives every week re-
port from the National Board of Cen
! sors. and has eliminated every obioc-
L <.
he said that there are fourteen mo-
tion picture theaters in the city, and
that IT. would require fourteen men
every day from his department. to re-
We" and pass upon them all These
, men ne said. could not be spared from
the force Complaint, ne eaid. would
! De heard against every picture, and it
! would be rather difficult to plcase
eEerybodH- He preferred that the au-
! thority to censor be not given Ia his
I'D
! were TO be established. he asked that
one particular feature he eliminated
and that is rdicule of the police. which
! nc SAID tends TO lower the dignity Of
the Law and TO lessen It's Observance
MEN HESITATE TO DESCRIBE
PICTURES CHILDREN SEE
W. b. Rroaddus. chairman of the
Trade Extension Bureau OF the Cham
Der OF Commerce. supported DR.. Bow!e
Kew. II. d. G. MacLachlan D. D. pas
tor of Seventh Street Christian Church,
urged censorship and suggested that
the matter be referred to a subcon-
inittee OF three. Mr.. Cottrell was dis
/ inclined TO think that censorship was
needed, gained from ministers admis-
sion Of tho belief that the world is
| growing better. and suggested that IL
e: censorship OF shows were TO be estab-
! lished certain magazines should also
{ be included
! Miss Adele Clarke, of the Richmond
Art Club. remarked that il was sig
nitcant that at this meeting men hest
tated to describe screen scenes, and
mat children were allowed to see them
others who spoke in favor of censor
chip were Dean w. L. Prince. Of Rich
mono Academy: l.. l.. Parham, Mrs.
Johson and Miss I.awton
When immediate action on the pro-
posed ordinance seemed Impending,
/; Councilman English reminded the COM
mittee that Congress Is now contem-
plating enacting law establishing a
national bureau OF motion picture CEN
sorhsip, and asked for reasonable de-
lay. so that sufficient data might bs
procured. Councilman Welsh moved
reference of the ordinance TO sub
committee. which was opposed by AL
dcrman Paul. and was defeated by the
following recorded vote: ayes-Eug-
lish, I.add Welsh and Gunst: noes
Cheatwood. Christian, FERGUSON, Paul
and Fuller.
Clerk Alfred H. Mcdowell was direct
ed to write TO Congressman Montague
for Information as to action contem.
plated by Congress and 10 gain data
from other cities.