The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-26

I taxed the things that are for our
children's good p"
Mr. Kelly did not reply
/ Mr.. Kelly next offered a defence of
the character and reputation Of the Wiz.
GINA moving picture exhibitors.
Ine gentlemen whom / represent"
/ continued the attorney. faro unwilling
+ TO be put under censorship. They
are not willing to exhibit shows that
are Objectionable There is no picture
being exhibited in Virginia that has
! not been viewed privately by the ma
tionai board. In this way you are get
I ting censorship without expense to the
state or the theaters."
! individuals differ as to what Is right
ana wrong. he further explained.
The best and wisest people differ as
70 what is correct in shows. Some
people think some shows should be
shown and some should not be shown.
. II you choose a board of three members
I their decisions will be In their con.
sciences. DIR. Cannon and and DR.
Christian on that board wo@ld con-
denim some pictures which others would
not object to. Is 1t fair to leave this
to the minds Of few people?'
In reply to this Or. Cannon stated
that he was not nor would he be a
candidate for any office. and added
further. 1T would not be a matter
specifically that there Is an appeal to
the city court OF Richmond"
MIR. Kelly stood Corrected.
In conclusion Mr.. Kelly reviewed
the great strides that the moving pic
| lures had made since their infancy
Not only have the moving pictures
grown in wealth and size, but he as
serted, their quality has improved, ana
the character of the shows has changed
materially. He finally urged the adop-
ton Of the policies of the national
board of censorship.
Women Offer Support,
After the men had debated the
question from all sides, the chairman
invited the women present TO offer
was first, She spoke as a mother and
said that "it is woman's wisdom to
rear the children II is aid that
The hand that rocks the cradle rules
the world GU have given us the
arst OF these but not the second"
She told wildly several experiences
she had had at the Richmond movie
theaters. MANY of the crimes COM
mitted by children In this city have
been directly traced to sensational
pictures that they witnessed In the
theaters." she concluded.
Mrs f. c. Carroll, of the Rich
mond alumnae OF the training school
for kindergarteners, said that when
she was a girl the yellow back ed
novel, with its exciting stories WIS
the thing to be kept from children.
But today" she added, the NOV
ing picture has suppIa-ated the lewd
stories OF the old"
The next speaker. Miss Adele
| Clarke stated that the Highland
Park Women's club and the EQUAL
Suffrage League Of Virginia had both
! passed resolutions endorsing the
| moving picture censorship bill. "Ws
tax the tobacco drug, and LIQUOR
merchants. Why should we not tax
! the moving pictures equally as weli?"
1 She related that some OF the movie
scenarios were so Objectionable N4at
| the late Major Werner had hesitated
to read them before a mixed body
that was agltating the matter in this
/ city.
| Mrs. r. II. Michaels approved the
! measure on behalf of the Methodist
/ Women's association for Social serv-
| Ice.
! Mrs. Georgia Nav Jobson and Mrs
| b. y. Valentine both spoke in favor
Of the bill.
Delegate Wright, Of ROCKINGHAM,
offered an amendment to the bill
which would put the censorship into
hcers instead of creating new COM
mission. He offered as his reason
for this that II would be saving to
the state. Drs. Cannon and Chris
tian opposed this, stating 1t would
not be saving in the least, as every
state department Is doing its utmost
now and If this extra, duty was forced
upon any OF them 1t would mean the
addition of extra clerks just the same
rs IL a new commission was institut-
ed"
ut is not question of paying
taxes on the part of the moving pic
. ture men. but thew do not want TO
be censored" concluded DR.. Can
non.
Alleged Potato Thief Arrested.
u Charles Lilly was detained at First