Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-10-22
MOVIES
ON MORALS DEBATED
Question Raised in Resolution
for National Censorship Be-
fore P. E. Church Body.
BISHOP HARDING HoNoRED
BE- the Associate ted Press.

By the Associated Press.
ST. LOUIS. Mo, October 21.-The gen.
eral convention of the Protestant
Episcopal Church turned it's attention
today on the effect of moving pictures
on the morals of America. A resolu-
ton, adopted by the house of deputies
social service commission to arrange
conditions to create a national board
of censors.
Whether the class of motion picture
films shown in the United States is i'm
proving was the question raised with
the submission of the resolution, sub
mitted by Rev. E. v. Shay1or of Seattle.
This resolution originally asserted that
while admitting the beneficial effects
of some pictures, an increasing number
are being presented showing dis
torted views of affection, suggestions
Of lust and license and details which
combine to develop a school of crime
Rev. Edward S. Brown of Cambridge,
Mass, objected to the words 'increas-
Ing number" asserting that that is a
matter of personal opinion, and as a
result they were stricken from the
resolution as adopted.
Plea for Christian Principles.
The clergy and 1aity of the church
are urged in a resolution adopted by
the house Of deputies to the rigid OBJ
servance in all social habits of those
Christian principles which make for
sobriety, purity and holiness in life"
The resolution, which was presented by
Rev. James E. Freeman of Minneapolis,
Mimi, asserted that there Is a con-
SpicuouS 1axity" in the observance of
such laws in the United States, mani
testing itself in the increasing tendency
to divorce and the dishonor of Sun
day.
The resolution also asserted that the
awful tragedy of Europe demands a
searching Investigation of the stand
ards Of our individual and corporate
life" American life, it asserted, sis
marked in vulgar and fragrant way
by ostentatious luxury and prodigal
extravaganza, creating false standards
OF living and tending to make more
evident the cleavage between rich and
poor"
Divorce Issue Revived.
That the fight within the church for
the prohibition of the remarriage by
its clergymen of divorced persons was
not ended when the house of deputies
recently rejected the proposal was
evidenced today in a resolution In
troduced by the Rev. Leighton Parks
OF New York, and referred to the com
mission on holy matrimony. This pro-
posed canonical amendment, which
! would forbid clrgymen performing
such ceremonies. is in new form
from the rejected proposal, with its
reference to the commission on holy
matrimony, and leaders of the con-
vention asserted it was certain to be-
come one of the paramount issues in
the 1873 general convention
prohibition probably will be discuss
eG before the convention next week.
rms was determined today, when a
memorial, submitted to the house of
deputies by the church temperance So
c1ety, was referred to committee. to
be reported later in the session. The
memorial. in effect, asked that the
house indorse the prohibition move
ment. also for an expression of SYM
pathy for the workers who are un-
selfishly devoting their efforts to the
suppression of the sale of alcoholic bev-
erages."
The house of deputies did not act to-
day upon the selection of Bishop Ar
thur Selden Lloyd of New York as pres
ident, and George Gordon King of New
port, r. L., as treasurer of the board of
missions. as had been expected but
probably will vote Monday.