The Washington times., 1916-01-24
BOARD ON PICTURES
BACKS TONNER BILL
Measure Is Aimed Against Inter-
state Commerce in Films Of
Unfit Nature.

Motion picture experts in WASH
.inBton indicated today that the sup
port OF tho Motion Picture Board of
Trade and of the producers generally
will be given to the bill introduced in
the House by Congressman Towner OF
Iowa
The measure practically extends TO
motion pictures the provisions of the
law regarding circulation of unfit lit
erature through the mails. Tho Town
er bill Is n substitute for the Hughes
censorship measure which has brought
representatives of the reform organi-
zations and the motion picture mag
mates into series OF clashes before
the House Committee on Education
during the past two weeks.
The Towner bill provides that no pic
ture of an unfit nature shall be per-
mitted to be carried between the states,
The question Of unfitness shall be deter
mined as the matter Of unfit mail mats
ter is determined.
David w. Griffith Aids.
The determination Of the motion pic
ture people to support this bill was
brought about through the efforts Of
David Wark Griffith. producer. Mr..
Griffith is known as the man who
brought out Mary Pickford. tho late
Arthur Johnson. and many Of the other
big stars of the, film.
aliEc the value Of the dramatic possI-
bllities OF motion pictures. Pc Is a lead
er in the artistic side of picture makinS
and Is known to thousands Of motion
picture patrons. He conceived the idea
for and produced "The Birth of a Ma
tion," which Is one of the greatest OF
motion picture spectacles.
IAN the big, reputable producers OIL
motion pictures are unalterably OPP
posed to Federal censorship" said Mr.,
Griffith today while in Washington for
few hours to go over the situation
with the leaders of the motion picture
mems fight. The Towner bill would
put out of business the only kinds of
pictures to which anybody can possibly
object, those dealing with improper and
shocking subjects. 1 feel that this Is
exactly what the American public wants
and nothing more. We are for It, ana
fiuence we possess to see 1t enacted In
to a law.
Will Fight Hughes Bill.
"But we are going to fight the
Hughes bill to a fnish," Mr.. Griffith de-
clared. THE creation OF a board of
five commissioners to pass on all the
country day by day proposes a task
that no five men can perform. even II
they work twenty-four hours every day.
1t has been suggested that, under the
Hughes bill, which proposes the board
of censorship, the five censors may APP
point deputies to help them. Has any
one calculated how many deputies would
be required? And is It fair to the edu-
Gated American public to have such
work passed on by men who would be
willing to take job at the usual sal
aries paid to deputies by the Govern
meht? -a lr-s..~'. ,.
1--WE have absolutely no objection to
the enactment OF the Towner bill. This
Ia wwoulG put improper and obscene
pictures under the provisions of the
criminal code forbidding the interstate
shipment in any form of any improper
thing, picture, newspaper or book. This
would put stop effectively to the man.
ufacture by irresponsible and unscrupu-
lous parties of tilnns that ore objection
able,".,s ,y,se, gssi