Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-11-05
APPEAL TOC|TlzENS |
FOR BETTER MOVIES
Women Issue Open Letter ia
Washington People, Asking
Support for Movement.
"GOOD WILL NOT ENOUGH"

With "the children" as a slogan. the
Federation of Women's Clubs Of the
District has issued an appeal to the
people of Washington to support its
movement for better motion pictures
for the youngsters of the National
Capital.
In an open letter to the city Mrs..
Jacob John Locher. chairman Of the
motion picture committee Of the fed
Grafton. explains the movement:
The motion picture committee 10
now ready to submit its plan for better
pictures for children to the public
THE subject has been most carefully
considered from both the producers and
the public's side. and the committee 10
working along the lines of the resolu-
ton adopted at the recent biennial In
New York city. which favored the sur
national plan of cooperation with
producers and club women for better
pictures.
Committee to Attend.
with the hearty cooperation of the
Aim companies represented in the Dis
trict of Columbia and the local man
ayers, eleven motion picture houses.
nine white and two colored. in the va
rious sections of the city where schools
are located will run free trial matinees
for four consecutive Friday afternoons
from 4 to $50 o'clock. At every per-
Torrance there will be two or more
members of the committee In attend.
ance. SO that parents may feel safe In
sending their children alone.
THE films are to be selected not 50
much along educational lines. although
where that class of film will be at
tractive to a juvenile audience. 1t viii
be shown. together with clean comedy
and wholesome stories. Entertaining
and amusing programs are to be the
feature, however. in an effort to win
the children from the questionable and
pernicious subjects they have in many
instances acquired a taste Tor.
The men interested in the motion
picture industry claim that motion
pictures are made. and always will be
made. to meet the demand of the pub
lie II this be true. then it Is time the
right thinking majority OF our public
demonstrate conclusively to the pro.
ducers that we do want, and will have.
clean pictures.
Importance Of Question.
There is no stronger appeal. no slc.
gan more powerful to win united effort.
than the children When we realize
that we are injuring the little ones Of
this generation by allowing pictures Of
crime and the lower world in all its
their eyes to see. and their minds to
interpret as best they may. no further
appeal should be necessary to arouse
every American citizen to the true i'm
portance of the question.
ION the other hand. il we are to CO.
operate as the resolution adopted by the
general federation stated we musl not
forget that the motion picture industry is
one OF the biggest commercial enterprises
in the country today: that millions Of dol
lars are invested in it, and that we arc
indebted to the men. the pioneers of the
business. who have risked fortunes in the
development of one of the greatest dis
coveries of the age: that through their
efforts such excellence has been reached
now able to use the motion picturs in
every branch of education. and we are
bigger and broader as a nation in our
knowledge Of the world through the
placed within the reach of every one an
amusement which can be made tho great
est asset of our land in educating and
making good. loyal American citizens.
Must Maintain Demand.
But we must demonstrate practically to
the men OF this great commercial enter
prise that we VIII do as we would be done
by. The public who want clean films must
take the place Of the pupi:c that will only
go where they are fed Oh sonsAtionalism.
in which crime. the life of the UNDER
world and the triangular situation are
featured.
I'VE must constitute ourselves a board
of recommendation. This means the pub
lie; every good picture we see we should
tell our neighbor to see: II will onry be
short time before the managers will be-
gin to feel the influence OF this move
ment, and when they understand that the
public want clean. wholesome pictures
that is the only kind that will be shown
It is fair REIMBURSEMENT of existing con-
ditionS.
IN order to bring about this change we
must have the cooperation of the pub
lie: not their good will. but their active
support: not for a month. but for a year.
BY that time our films will be as clean
and well selected as the books on tho
shelves in our public library