The commonwealth., 1917-03-21
WITHIN THE ENEMY'S RANKS.
(By S. NJ .Blanchard.)

(By >. NJ .blancnaru.)
There are many and beautiful and
useful inventions, arts and science
which have been confscated and put
to ignoble uses in a measure, lowering
the stardard of morality, and prevent
ing the imagination. These should be
captured entire and put to noble and
high use, as the Creator intended,
when he entrusted mankind with the
wonderful secrets of nature. Thous-
ands of men, women and children are
attracted nightly and daily to the
moving picture shows, and like moths
around candle, many of them have
their wings scorched so that they fail
afterwards to soar to heights sublime.
These startling real life-like produc-
tions represent for the most part,
crimes, robberies, murders, gambling,
beer drinking, kidnapping, unfaithful
husbands and wives, young girls fall
ing into mems embrace, at the slight
est hint of love, and sometimes bit
of interesting history appears, so that
they are not altogether to be con-
demned.
Three reels are generally shown in
sapid succession, unfinished, unsatis-
factory, leaving the mind confused
and often tainted. Little children
have been heard to sob and have all of
their innocent natures wrought up to
pitch of fear and excitement that is
most injurious. "0hl mama-what is
he going to do?" cries an agonizing
little one, when some ruffian drops a
child by cruel force to pit, and
thrusts her down into the darkness, or
man chokes his wife to death, or
william stabs and slays.
Rightly conducted, these shows
could become source of useful infor-
nation, as well as splendid training
for the morals, and manners. 1t is
claimed that only certain reels are
sent out and must be accepted in the
order in which they are received by
the local picture agent, regardless Of
what they represent. True, many are
marked passed by the board of Cen
sorship," and yet many should not be
passed except passed by in disgust.
Even if grown people persist in "see-
ing sights little children should not
be permitted to attend scenes of full
grown life and crime. Is there not
some good angel in every town, who
could regulate these shows for their
benefit, that their little lives may be
free from the nightmares of these dis
section rooms, and their dreams un-
disturbed by the black-winged bats of
overwraught imagination? There
should be beautiful pictures from
fairy lore, and all kinds to give them
confidence in God, humanity and them
selves. There should be band of
Christian men and women in each
community to pass judgment upon a
picture before it is ever put before the
public. You say this is impossible,
then let the W. G. T. U. or the Y. M.
c. A. install rival show, where his
tory, science, beautiful pictures from
home life and white life, are present
ed, These need not be sober or dull,
either, but interpersed with enough
clean fun to convulse the audience
with good, hearty, wholesome laugh.
You say again, that the public de-
nands the depraved side of life-what
part of the public? A goodly part of
the public demands also murder, ar
son, robberies and all crimes, and
where are they mostly? In the peni-
tentiaries, jails, asylums-Do you
wish this element to set the standard
of morals in your community? If it
IS really true-that in every town
there is class of people, who like the
vulture, passes over all that is clean
and sweet, and seeks his dismal meal,
yet there is another and better class
who like the honey bee, gathers
sweets for his winter store. Which
class governs, controls and directs the
affairs of your community? Let
the little children have their Fairy
land, their Santa Claus, their beauti-
| full dream world, for all too soon they
will awaken to reality, Let them not
be initiated into life beyond their
comprehension or desire. AS they adj
vance in age and knowledge, life's
rough way, may always be bordered
with the beautiful flowers Of imagina-
tion, sown by some kindly hand, along
their childhood's path. Ever before
them, these good seed will be carried
to spring up again and again, in all
the dark places, to refresh the weary
traveller till the journeys end. They
will bloom eternally, and bear fruit in
that better land, where the Fathers
house waits and all good and beauti-
full dreams come true.
Just little pilgrim band,
Wandering through Fairyland,
II things are not as they seem
M nnf xyn ta thar, fror, 4L: