The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-11-30
UNDER THE POLICE POWERS
Informal Board Sought to Advise Mayor
With Understanding That Police
Would Stop Presentation of Abnor.
NAL Pictures on His Order.

Parent Teachers Associations of the
city made a new plea to Mayor Pfennig
ON Monday for the protection of the
morals of the city. In a communication
signed by many well known women of
the city, officials of the school associ-
atoms, the mayor was requested to ap-
point committee of interested citizens
to pass on moving picture films offered
for presentation in Kenosha with view
of using the power of mayor as
chief of police to put an end to the
display of the abnormal pictures in the
city.
The mayor declared that he would
take the matter under advisement with
the city attorney and that if he had
any legal right to grant the request that
he would be pleased to do it. ''The NOV
ing picture is a development of recent
years." said the mayor, and the laws
have not been made to regulate them
like many other sorts of amusements.
[ feel deeply the need of some supervis-
ion over the pictures in Kenosha. I 20
not want to usurp any power myself but
/ can see the objections that the mo-
theirs of girls and boys raise against
some pictures which have been sho n
IN Kenosha. just how much power airy
board appointed would have, 1 can not
say. The city attorney may be able
to figure out method that the city
may follow in meeting the very courte-
GUS request of these women of the
city,
The question of censorship Of pictures
was laid before the council in commu-
nication from the school board some
time ago and at that time referred to
the Committee on Judiciary. This com
mittee has not as yet made any report
but it is understood that several of the
members of the committee are favorable
to an ordinance which would regulate
movie production.
The women who have appealed to the
mayor for "Board of Review do not
hold that this board would have any
power to stop the production of any
picture in Kenosha. They hold that such
a board could review any picture to
which an objection might be raised and
after the board had made its report on
the picture the mayor would feel free to
act.
This plan has been followed most
successfully in Milwaukee," said one
of the women interested in keeping the
81 1bo
of that city has taken an interest in the
matter and with the aid of q district
attorney and chief of police they have
done lot to keep bad pictures out Of
Milwaukee. We can see no reason why
the same will not work in Kenosha. The
members of this committee on inspec-
ton of pictures need have no official
designation. 1t may not be recognized
by the common council and its duties
could be made wholly advisory We
know of number of people who would
be willing to give their time and effort
to become members of such committee
and we feel sure that such committee
could be selective of pictures without
being prudish. There is no desire to
eliminate from picture screens in Keno
sha any picture fit to be seen. What
we want to get away with is this i'm
moral and suggestive stuff which comes
along just about ever so often.'
Mayor Pfennig has declared that he
will give his answer to the suggestion
of the women of the city within the
nxet few days.