Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-12
CENSORS BAR FILM
OF THE KAISER AS BAD
FOR CITY'S MORALS
"Close-Up" Pictures of German
Emperor and the Redoubt-
able Won Hindenburg
Eliminated
GUARD AGAINST RIOTS

The Kaiser and Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg, slated to he stars of the
east" at the Chestnut Street Opera
House, have terminated their engage
mentS
The Pennsylvania State Board Of Cen.
sors has cut ~ feet of film showing the
German Emperor "Close up" and also
eliminated Field Marshal Won Ilndenburg
from the German war pictures, with
Won Hindenburg at the Front" now ap-
pearing at that playhouse, under the law
prohibiting scenes that are "SacrilogiOuS,
obscene. indecent or immoral or tend to
debase or corrupt public morals.'
Both the Kaiser and the hero of Tan
nenburg are permitted to appear in the
group pictured, but the CLOSE ups have
been stricken from the hlm.
Fearing IA riot, the boarC exercised what
it considers strict neutrality. What, it ar
gued in its deliberations, would happen
if an enthusiastic German, overcome by
the sight of his hero peering from a
large screen, should shout "Hoch der
kaser"' and an unappreciatve English
man should tell him to sit down? What, it
argued further, would happen If there
were 80 Germans and 80 Engishmen in
the house? A riot, it concluded, and riots
corrupt public morals.
King George of England, General Joffre,
the Car, even the ruler of San Marino.
at war with Austria, probably would re-
ceive like treatment, the board hastened
to make clear. Any pictures that tend
TO arouse demonstrations at variance with
strict neutrality are censored
The German war pictures, which were
taken on the Russian war front by Will
bur II. Durborough, of this city, are in
reels, running $500 feet. They We're
sanctioned by the German Government,
which censored about 1900 feet of the film
I..F 11.,v.a
Germany with it.
POSTERS CONFISCATED, TOO.
But the German Government did not
dream that it would have the Pennsyl-
vania censors to reckon with. The CEN
sors not only eliminated the views which
might provoke a demonstration but also
put the ban OH adjoining telegraph poles
and shop windows with 2-by-3-fOot post
ers Of the Kaiser, intended to advertise
the show. which opened a four weeks
engagement at the theatre last Monday.
The posters would be misleading, it was
ruled inasmuch as the Kaiser was pre-
vented from filling his engagement.
\ spirited argument over this phase Of
the censorship followed between william
u. Russell, who is producing the pictures,
and j. Louis Breitinger, chief censor who
is censOTng them, Russell maintained
that the posters did not misrepresent the
pictures, as the Kaiser actually does ap-
pear at intervals, fitting across the land
scape I'm automobiles and reviewing his
troops. But the result was that no posters
of the Kaiser appeared on the streets, for
they lie confiscated in heaps in the man
ayers office of the Chestnut Street Opera
House.
CENSORS TONE EAISERS RETREAT
The KAISER portion of the film under
went the first grilling three weeks ago,
NKsha hA T,iR 1af ha
Censorship Board while Russell was ar
ranging for the engagement OF the thea
tire. The Closeup" views of the German
ruler We're frowned upon and just before
the opening of the show on Monday the
management of the theatre received
certificate from the censors IL was dated
January 90.
The mystic words which caused the
Kaiser TO retreat from the movie" lime.
light read;
"R No. g. Eliminate showing of the
photographs Of Won HIndenburg and the
Kaiser"
Shocked the managers read further, the
reason for the elimination;
III such eliminations or changes are
not made, the same Che flm) is not APP
proved in accordance with the provisions
as are sacrilegious. obscene indecent or
immoral, or tend in the judgment of the
board to debase or corrupt public NOR
ais" The certificate was signed by Mr..
Brettingerr- chairman, and Ellis p, Ober-
holtzer. secretary,
Probably arguing that it was Just II
men with names of such Teutonic tnge
could censor the Kaiser Russell elided
the Kaiser and Won Hindenburg, although
he stated that he did not think they
were unneutral-that is, the pictures, not
the Kaiser or his right-hand man.
The pictures were shown in Chicago
without corrupting or debasing morals.
1t was said, and later in Dayton. o. So
successful were they that the producers
the American Show Print Company, de-
cided TO try them in the East.