Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-01-10
SEEK THE REPEAL OF
MOVIE CENSOR Law
MotiOn-picture Exhibitors viii Ask
Assembly To Wipe Out
The Measure
REVENUE is NOT LARGE
Exhibitors Are Organized CensOrs To
Ask For More Funds.

Aeptai OF the state Board OF Mo-
tion Picture Censors' law will be
asked Of the present General Assem-
bly, The law has been given fair
trial and. it is claimed, has been
found wanting on many grounds, es-
pecially as a large revenue producer
for the States. It's wiping out will
be asked, largely on the plea that
the law gives opportunity to gag one
of the largest sources Of public ex-
preston. A bill has been prepared
carrying a repeal Of the law, and this
will be introduced in both the House
and Senate within the next few
weeks.
For several months motion picture
people Of the State have been feeling
out public sentiment in Baltimore
City and in all the counties, and they
are confident that the censor law is
an unpopular measure from many
standpoints
The repeal OF the law is not de-
sired that the doors Of the motion
picture houses may be opened for
the exhibition of any sort Of char
acter OF picture, especially Of the
sort that might tend to debase the
morals OF the community.
Instead there are existing laws to
protect the public against the show
.ng OF improper pictures. The police
now have power to stop the exhibi-
ton OF any improper screen picture
just as they can stop any theatrical
exhibition regarded as improper or
immoral.
The censor law has been in opera
ton since the summer of 1916. There
have been numerous complaints
against pictures shown on the screen,
even though many such pictures have
borne the patent evidence that they
had been passed upon by the Censor
Board.
One of the strongest arguments
used in favor OF repeal is that the
law gives opportunity for small
group of individuals to pass upon
the views and tastes of the COM
munity and to aTbitpariIy say what
the public shall and shall not sec
without the public being given an op-
portunity to voice its own views.
The Exhibitors League OF Mary
land representing motion picture pro-
ducers of the state has been organ
lied and will carry the fight to An
napolis. The League has opened
headquarters at 30 West Lexington
street, Baltimore. and has issued a
pamphlet on state Censorship What
1t Means The book dwells with en-
phasis on Article 40 OF The Maryland
Constitution, which provides for the
liberty Of the press and the inyiolable
right of every citizen to spaalS, write
and publish his sentiments, being re-
sponsible for the : ,use Of the privi-
lege
Frank A. Hornig is president Of
the League, Louis Schlicter is first
vice president, Eugene McCurdy sec
ond vice president, w A. Stumpf
treasurer, L. A. De Hof secretary
and Louis Rome counsel f. c. San
dell and Walter Pacy are also mem
bers Of the legislative committee
The book reviews the history of
the Censor Law in Maryland and its
origin and result Further, it gives
an extract from Bagby's Annotated
Code. showing plainly the police
power already possessed in the state
to deal with obscene or other i'm
proper pictures without resort to the
arbitrary Censor Law. which has
been shown to be the hobby Of q
small group of people. and It carries
extracts showing George Creel's re-
pudiation of abitrary censorship and
the editorial views of many of the
most prominent papers Of the coun-
try unanimously against censorship
Cens0rs To Ask More Funds.
The resume shows that the Censor
Board produced a revenue of $4,000
during its first year, with $4,000 to
its credit during the first six months
OF the second year Against this
however. is the fact that the pres
ent censors propose 10 ask the As.
sembly for some several thousands
of dollars Of additional funds to cover
travelling expenses and additional
paid inspectors in various parts oi
the State This additional allowance
viii cut the revenue to the State &
almost nil.
Despite this increased expense ths
amount Of film used in pictures ha:
been curtailed and viii be furthel
curtalIed at the request of the gov
ernment with an increase in quality
This condition win cut down by al
most 4 third the receipts of the Cen
sor Board which are based on tn
amount Of flm By feet which is cen
sored. Therefore, with curtailmen
Of the film and with increased cper
ating expense il is predicted that tn
revenue from the law viii be wipes
ont during the year, leaving th
measure to be operated solely for n
benefit Of those who desire TO arbi
trariiy pass upon what the genera
public shall be allowed 70 see on I'll
| screen.