Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-12
When Moving
Picture Screen
Plays Politics
Censorship and Tsxation
to Be Bought Ffom the
Projection Booth
By RICHARD A. ROWLAND


Mr.. Ro,otand Is president Of the MORO
Pictures Corporation and a member 81 the
National Association OF the Notion Pictsre
Industry lately formed to fight the photo
plays battles.
The motion picture screen is the most
powerful Influence of modern times and today
is farther reaching than any newspaper
or any gp0up Of newspapers In the world.
In response to the request that set down
my views of the manner in which the screen
could best be used for the best interests Of
the motion picture, shall begin by saying
that the field Is limited only by human
brains, human Imagination and ingenuity
Against censorship tiyere can be used
precisely the same campaign methods as are
now employed by the newspapers with short
clear telling edltorlalss brief, weTl-written
news of the situation short, sharp charec-
terizationS Of the mistaken men and women
who are fighting the pictures: propaganda
plays enacted on the screen; slogans that
stick, and appeals Tor reason, Justice and
fair play. The better these are done, the
greater the simplicity in their presentation,
the greater the carrying power OF the mes
sage they bring.
The people can be told how to fight
against oppression, how to defeat men for
office, how TO resist the sinister and blgoted
efforts to curtTul their liberties
In making Alss of the screen for this I'M
portant work, the greatest care should be
taken and 1 feel sure will be taken not to
misuse its tremendous power. To misuse
the screep would be to kin Il entirely as a
public irduence. and those who are about
TO engage in the nationwide fight through
the screen against censorship will move
as men holding in their hands a deadly
weapon so tremendous in its force that II
shill be aimed only at n real enemy In n
bSht against real evil. The power OF IL
makes n tremendous appeal to any man OF
any Imagination. With a message every
day well told and skilIfuIly contrived pre-
sented to 2O.000.001 OF persons, is there
anything that such an influence could not
accomplish? 1t could elect candidates for
office and defeat unworthy men. II could
lay down principles OF human liberty In
such a way as to arouse nation to any
task 1t could make for peace or war and
hold the politicians of the United States in
the hollow of Its hand.
With the exhibitors uniting as they are
uniting n solid and harmonious army is
already formed, organized and ready TO
stand for their rights and their liberties and
those who seek to oppress the industry by
unfair taxation or bigoted restriction will
before long consider well before they move
against us.
Not very long ago Arthur Twining Had
ley president of Yale University md one
of Americas foremost educators, expressed
in n letter TO our company the deepest in
terest in motion pictures, not as an amsTse-
ment but as an influence. Far-seeing man
that he is, he recognized Immediately the
screens possibilities and / look for word
from Doctor Hadley recommending motion
picture making as a profession to the stu
dents at Yale.
In informing the public on matters OF
health, in educating mothers on the care and
training of their children. in inIplanting
ideas and ideals, the moton-pcture screen
will only scratch the surface OF its tre-
mendous possibilities Right now there is
need for it's use against the gallant states
men who seek to oppress US becaue they
have read the stories of great fortunes that
the business is supposed to hold for all who
are engaged ~ IL. There is need for its
use in every State, in every Congressional
and Senatorial district against men like
Cristman, who fathered the Cristman-
Wheeler bill in New York state; against
men like Funkhouser, of Chicago; against
men like Congressman Kitchln and Hughes.
Either these men should be fair to our
Industries, as in fact TO all ether industries
or they should bo retired to the rest and
quiet of private life
Make no mistake, these men viii learn
from their constituents at the polls that
motion pictures charming company for
an evenings enter:a nment, but dangerous
things to deal with unfairly.