The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-05
FILM CENSORSHIP QUITE RIDICULOUS
 SAYS MIR. CALMAN
Is an Infringement on Free Speech-It Deprives of a Proper Incentive to
 Seek the Truth

John Calman vice president of the Strand theatre, does not believe in mo- ton picture censorship. There is at pres ent bill in Congress which contemplates establishing a federal supervision over the movies and this MT. Calman opposes
 ''But for it's meddlesome side" said MT. Calman, this whole agitation for censorship of moving pictures would be funny-extremely funny. Therein it is pe- culiarly United Statesian. In recent years many of our good people have become so poverty stricken in affairs of their own that they have nothing to do but mind the business of others. TIey are the ones who feel qualified to serve the Qom- munity as censors.
 ''As far as I can observe it is largely a personal matter A case in point, as it affects the. motion picture industry to- day: Recently the Dallas, Tex, board of censors reversed itself. The woman who made this possible by changing her vote is reported to have said that she objected to the film the first time be- cause it was tiresome and she just didn't like it.. Elsewhere the committee from a trades union influenced the censors to ban a picture because it did not hero ize the members of that organization.
 NO HALFWAY POSITION
 "But from the ridiculous to the sub lime:
 Censorship is right or it is wrong. There is no halfway position. This ap- plies to all forms of expression, wheth- CT it be spoken printed, photographed, painted or by any other means that may yet be devised.
 'Tf censorship be right, then, by all means, let us have federal board au- thorized to expurgate our literature, an- cient, medieval and modern. Begin with the Bible. It contains every known plot. The seemingly newest tales all have their prototypes in Genesis. Exodus. Deu- teronomy, etc. If they are to, be ex- cluded from the screen, you must also blot them out of the Good Book. Nor will the daily press be immune from this renovaiing process.
 But censorship is not right, just be- cause few publishers or producers err occasionally. do not oppose censor ship because I favor letting down the bars. I am against it because I hold it to be wrong in principle. am firm in the conviction that that condition Is safest in the long run where the great est degree of liberty prevails. In Hyde Park, London. any anarchist, polyga- mist or other extremist may air his views tlnrestrictedly in public To prevent a Uolief lTOHi eApIOulu6, yOu HccO c Sc1Acty valve.
 PUBLIC OPINION REGULATES "The obscene publications. picture. play or film is always reachable by police regulations. Public opinion is also an efficient regulator of such matters. Concerning children and the screen We must remember that as all books are not written for minors, so there may be some photoplays not produced for non adults. Careful parents do not permit their young to indulge in reading that is intended primarily for mature minds 1 In the same way, they should exercise some supervision of their young ones screen diet.
 "When Thomas Jefferson saId that government is best which governs least, he summed up the ideal form of organ {, ized society. This maxim was written 1 into our constitution, as it applies tt the expression of thought by means o1 | the spoken and printed word. Had tht
 moving picture been known or thought of in 17S7 it would have been accorded | equal freedom"