New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-03-07

The | Open Forum.
Editor Of the Open Forum:
Since 1 have referred to moving
pictures in adverse comment, now want
to supplement my remarks with modify
ing statements. For 1 have witnessed
Grifith's magnificent and boldly RAJ
tional presentation, Intolerance, and
in it saw possibilities for throwing light
upon some popular humbugs that yet
take the place of more sane concepts.
Based upon history and upon modern
occurances, Intolerance" compares the
Babylonian era with present day con-
ditions. proving that we now adhere
to and practice about the same ira
tional and vicious things which were in
vogue thousands of years ago. This
playwright goes on to illustrate his
theme by presenting lucid pictures that
display how mankind still founders on
untenable premises, which are unsocial
and barbaric, as much so as men did
during the clark ages" An outline Of
his story may be seen as implied by the
following paragraphs he employs in his
advertisements as also he uses to throw
upon the screen in the theatre: !
Away with meddlers.' DO you
love life and laughter, or do you want
busy bodies to regulate your life? DO
you believe in freedom Of thought, action
and being, or do you prefer law-making
meddlers who would 'legislate the Joy
out Of life?' If you have not yet made
up your mind on these questions see
Intolerance and learn the lesson of the
ages" $780, ~ *l
'Do you know:-That the demonolo-
gists were very common in ancient
times? They believed everyone was
besets with demons except themselves.
They raved and sang, exhorted over
their supposed victims to relieve them
of their demons of sin" s1
z ''Do you know:-That the Medicine
Man of the Indian and Voodo doctors
belong to this same class as the demono-
logists Of the ancients? they worked the
emotions of their audience up into a
state Of animal and sexual emotion I'M
der the guise of religion?"
'tDo you know:-That you may see
in the modern revivalist descendant of
this priestcraft? That the drinking of
wine is never condemned in the Bible
and that one of the accusations made
against the Nazarene was that he was a
wine bibber? (see Matthew XII 1917.
That prohibition is one of the modern
forms of intolerance? That Americans
are more enslaved than the Russians?
Americans are slaves to laws. They are
the most lawed-against people in the
world. Every new politician seeking
Office; proposes new reforms and new
laws, most Of which are chiefly remark
able for their childishness."
do you know:-That the blessed
Saviour in travelling from Maine to Cali
fornia turnout our country, living his
life as He lived it according to the
Scriptures, could be arrested, disgraced
and jailed on five counts? that in other
words, American hypocrites claim greater
perfection than did the Son of God?
That our highest ideal seems to crush
out laughter and joy from the world?
That everything people find Joy in must
be sin? That soda fountains, where
chewing gum and peppermints are sold,
seem an ideal room for virtue and re-
spectability compared to the saloon, that
tomorrow, when the saloon is gone, the
smut hounds will bark just as vigorously
at the soda fountain, calling them re-
sorts Of vice and flirtations pathways to
hell?' that professional reformers must
continue to live, They must have some
thing to preach against?' b.
These and much more are the texts
from which Intolerance" presents vivid
and convincing pictures showing
the absurdity Of what now passes as
being virtuous and respectable. Always
the attitude of '.holier than thou by
professed "uplifters" who are seen taking
away Children from their mothers by
overcoming her, under the idiotic pre-
text that such is for Social uplift"
and rescue work." {
Il While the fact that this great picture Of
human relations being permitted to be
shown is rather astounding, it is encourag-
ing for the thought that the Zeitgeist
has an atmosphere enabling enough
people to appreciate presentations avow
ing principles that are Numerically
opposed to what obtains now.
Developmental growth of human in