Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-05
MOVIE TRADE BOARD
OPPOSES CENSORSHIP
Representatives of Producers
Begin Campaign Against
National Censorship Bill
By the photopIar Editor

The censorship of motion pictures by
| a commission of five, TO be appointed by
the President of the United states, and
| clothed with arbitrary power to license
| or prohibit any film which, in the judg-
ment Of the commission, Is "obscene, In
| decent, immoral or Of such a character
| that its exhibition would tend to impair
| the health or corrupt the morals of chill
| dren or adults, or inclte to crime" will
! become a reality in the United States,
| if House resolution No ij6. introduced
| by Hon. Dudley NJ. Hughes. of Georgia,
! and Senate bill No. 22Oi, introduced by
| Senator Hoke Smith, of Georgia, become
| laws.
This is the third time these bills. al
most exactly alike in character and
verbiage. have been before Congress. At
each time previously they have failed Of
passage
They are backed industriousiy and
actively by the Rev Wilbur f. Crafts.
who Is the directing head of the Inter
national Reform Bureau, located at
Washington. This gentleman has, dur
ing the last year, secured a great mass
OF alleged Endorsements for the measure
from sources scattered all over the coun-
try.
The Motion Picture Board of Trade Of
America Is opposed to all kinds of CEN
sorship. II believes that the motion pic
ture ls one of the three great mediums
through which the human mind may eX
press itself. The other two are speech
and the press. 1t holds that If 1t is right
and legal to subject the motion picture
one of the most potent forms of thought
eNpression-to pre-publicity censorship,
then 1t Is equally right and Just to sub
ject the other two mediums to the same
kind OF censorship. In this view It Is
being supported by n great many of the
leading publications throughout the coun-
Wbn rpuliYp thn truth nf fbn hOlrdta
contention
The struggle, however, has passed out
of the realms of academic discussion and
must be met practically. Therefore the
board of trade, Immediately upon the in.
PRODUCTION of the bills, by telegraph and
letter demanded a hearing before the re-
spective committees on the merits of she
bill. This hearing will likely be held at
an early date.
Thomas II. Ince's prophecy that the
Kay-Bee studio would keep six plays
ahead of the requirements made by the
Triangle film service has been amply full
filled. Mr.. Ince enters the new year with
an unusual list of attractions. Among
the plays now ready for presentation in
New York or on the way from Los
Angeles to New York are THE Green
swamp" Peggy" "DArtagnan," Hon
or's Altar" "Hell's Hinges" WATTS"
II
Eyes"
Vivian Blackburn, who Is featured in
the Pathe-Iienry w. Savage film produC-
ton of Excuse Me-" is the daughte. of
an army officer who was stationed at
Fort Leavenworth. Kan. As every one
knows. army circles have society of
their own with a strong caste feeling.
The youthful Miss Blackburn had a mind
of her own! and possessing an ardent am
bltion to go upon the stage. she dened con-
ventions and cut the Gordian knot by
going to- New York. There she was for
tunate enough to secure an engagement
with May Irwin and stayed with her for
one season. Then followed engagements
with John Drew and three seasons with
Anna Held. She was in the original COM
pany of "Everywoman." and for two sea-
sons played with the original company of
Excuse Me-"
Theda Bara one of William Foxs best
known film stars, attributes her success
to the whisperings of two little gods, each
of which is no more than two inches high,
Daikoku, who knocks anything into your
life. and Abesu, the god of laughter and
sunshine, are the names and their mis-
sons.
Dustin Farnum, the Pallas-Paramoun
star, recently passed through the first
serious illness he has ever experienced.