The Washington times., 1916-01-24
BOARD ON PICTURES
BACKS TOWNER BILL
Measure Is Aimed Against Inter-
state Commerce in Films Of
Unfit Nature.

Motion picture experts in Wash
ington indicated today that the sup
port of the Motion Picture Board of
Trade and of the producers generally
will be given to the bill introduced in
the House by Congressman Towner of
Iowa.
The measure practically extends to
motion pictures the provisions of the
law regarding circulation of unfit lit
erature through the mails. Tho Town
er bill is n substitute for the hughes
censorship measure which has brought
representatives OF the reform organi-
zations and the motion picture mag
mates into series of clashes before
the House Committee on Education
during the past two weeks.
The Towner hill provides that no pic
ture of an unfit nature shall be per-
mtted to be carried between the states.
The question Of uniltness shall be deter
mined as the matter of unfit mail mats
ter is determined.
David w. Griffith Aids.
The determination of the motion pic
ture people to support this bill was
brought about through the efforts of
David Wark Griffith. producer. Mr..
Griffith is known as the man who
brought out Mary Pickford. tho late
Arthur johnson. and many of the other
big stars "a soId Of the t h, lm 4ho fret man ,o
aliZc the value Of the dramatic posi-
bilities OF motion ricturcs. PC Is lead
er in the artistic side of picture makinS
and Is known to thousands of motion
picture patrons He conceived the idea
for and produced "'rho Birth of Ma
ton" which Is enc of the greatest OF
motion picture spcCtacles.
''All the big, reputable producers oil
motion pictures arc unalterably op-
posed to Federal censorship said Mr..
Griffith today while IN Washington for
few hours to go over the situation
with the leaders of the motion picture
mems fight. Tho Towner bill would
put out OF business the only kinds of
pictures to which anybody can possibly
object those dealing with improper and
shocking subjects. l feel that this Is
exactly what the American public wants
and nothing more. We are for 1t, and
we arc going to try and lend all the in
fluence we possess to see it enacted in
to a law.
Will Fight Hughes Bill.
"But we are going TO fight the
Hughes bill to finish." Mr.. Griffith de-
clared. Tho creation OF board of
five commissioners to pass on all the
motion pictures manufactured in this
country day by day proposes a task
that no five men can perform. even If
they work twcnty-four hours every day.
1t has been suggested that. under tho
hughes bill. which proposes the board
of censorship, the five ccnSors may APP
point deputies to help them. Fas any
one calculated how many deputies would
he required" And is it fair to the cdu-
Gated American public to have such
work passed on by men who would be
willing to take job at the usual sal
aries paid to deputies by the Govern
ment?
eve have absolutely no oHjection to
the enactment OF the Towner bill. This
Ia wwoulC put improper and obscene
pictures under tho provisions of the
criminal code forbidding The interstate
shipment in any form of any improper
thing. picture. newspaper or book. This
would put a stop effectively to the man.
ufacturo by IRRESPONSIBLE and unscrupu-
lous parties of tilns that ore objection
able" s,si