The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-09
CENSORSHIP MEASURE
IS AGAIN DISCUSSED
Ordinance Committee Letter From Mayor Vigorously
Opposing Measure Werner Says 1t Is Too Large
Job For Police Department Ordinance Offered Pro
vides For Board of Three Persons

mittee desires my presence in regard
to an ordinance before IL requiring
the Superintendent OF Schools to CEN
sor all motion picture films prior to
presentation here, with the right of
appear to n body provided in ordin-
ance.
Assuming that the pictures shown
u Richmond are OF such objectiona bic
character as TO make necessary some
sort of censorship. the manifest i'm
practica bility OF the pending proposal
l. such that | cannot believe that you
take it seriously This has been point
ed out 10 you by superintendent
Chandler himself and others
ION the general question of censor
ship. II your committee Is without per-
sonal knowledge Of the pictures shown
here and assumes that they are habit
ually of such character as to violate
reasonable standards of the pro-
prieties: or that the attention that
should be paid to such matters by the
authorities is either impotent or in
different or that those named in the
pending ordinance to do this work
possess peculiar qualifications for 1t
lacking in those now charged with
the enforcement OF the laws, ! beg
TO advise you that. In my personal
knowledge and opinion, such is not the
case Richmond is not a dumping
ground for indecent pictures.
The notion that pictures prohibit
ed elsewhere are shown here is false
I am able to deny upon the written
authority of those In charge of the
city of Chicago a statement to that
effect lately made here. in which Rich
mond was compared to Chicago. by
one whose recklessness of statement
should have been restrained by both
his calling and the place in which the
statement was made. The practice
here Is substantially that of Boston,
the difference being in a few details.
MY personal knowledge and of
dealings with the theater people here
convince me that they are Jealous and
solictous of the character and-repu-
tation of their houses. and that they
are prompt to adopt any reasonable
suggestions made by the duly consti-
tuted police authorities.
There are about thirty-fve thous-
and theater- goers in Richmond. |
think 1t probable that, on the aver
age, their notions OF the proprieties
In such matters are quite as sound as
those OF the rest of us, and it is sig
nifcant that the agitation for the
pending ordinance does not come from
them.
/ am ADVISED by those pIoltSSlO
~ connected with juvenile work that
there have been no cases of juvenile
delinquency tracea BILE to the character
of motion pictures shown here.
II do not think at present that ad-
ditional legislation is necessary. If l
had thought so I shoul have been
prompt TO recommend it. I beg you
TO excuse my absence. but If you wish
to hear further from me. I will at
tend one of your future meetings"
Work of Police
Chief of Police Werner said that
his department for five years had
been watching the picture shows as
closely as possible. Weekly reports
from the National Board OF Cen
sorship" were received at his office.
These reports carried the titles of
all the films sent out from the moving
picture headquarters. Some OF them
carried warnings to look over certain
pictures, which might need elimina-
tons. All these pictures were seen
by the chief or one of his officers
and the suggested Examinations were
made in each instance.
The chief said THAT occasional conf
plants were made of pictures. but in
most instances they were made after
the aim had been taken away.
Whenever there Ii a complaint