The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-05-28
CENSOR 'CENSES'
NAUGHTY Fill N s.
FOR CH|CACOANS.
Sees All Films Then Deletes
Many thousand Feet Of
Alleged 'Nastiness.'

fBy Associated Press to The Bannerl
CHICAGO, May 27-Ten years of
moving picture censorship in Chicago
have resulted in the elimination of
hundreds Of thousands of feet from
films shown to more than 100000 per-
sons daily, according to Major M. c.
Funkhouser, second deputy superin-
tendent of police, who reviewed the
problems he had encountered as "mor.
al censor" Of the second largest city
in the United States, when he de-
tended the ordinances under which
he operates, from recent attacks.
According to Major Funkhouser, the
board Of twelve censOrs, the members
Of which are selected by civil service,
and which sits in Judgment on the pic
lures, has little or no discretion in
ordering "cut-outs" or refusing to is
sue permits. as they merely adhere to
city ordinances, and the state law
which prohibits hanging scenes. The
ordinances. among other things, pro-
hibit the showing OF pictures immoral,
obscene. or which portray riotOus dis.
orderly or other unlawful scenes which
have tendency to disturb the public
peace.
REJECTS 21e,s5e FEET
Within the last year 1854 motion
pictures were inspected by the censor
and his aides and out of this number
only l53 were rejected in their entire.
ty, Major Funkhouser asserted. The
average film is approximately 1000
feet In length and the total number
of feet rejected by the censor last
year was 216,556.
The cost Of maintaining the censor
ing department is more than paid for
by the permits issued to the produc.
ers, which cost $1OO each. Last year
2S,6S7 permits were issued. The
twelve censors draw salaries ranging
from $3.50 to sl35 a month.
THE trouble with the motion pic.
ture producers OF today is that from
20 to 40 percent of the pictures pro-
duced deal with seq. the eternal tri.
angle, affinity. and white slave prob.
lens. Major Funkhouser declared
"As approximately 80 percent of the
motion picture audiences are eompos.
ed OF women and children, especially
children. In theaters. outside of the
downtown district, and as children of.
ten Obtain their ideas of morality from
the pictures, close guard is neces.
sary to see that the pictures do not
convey erroneous ideas"
PRODUCERS SUE
Within year the city was made de-
fendant In twelve suits by motion pic.
ture concerns, Major Funkhouser said.
The courts. bOth state and federal,
have declared the city ordinances con.
stitutional, and out Of seven cases
tried. the city has won six. The sew.
enth was lost on a technicality, the
moral censor explained. Five suits
are pending.
Two kinds of permits are granted
the producers, one being called the
white" permit, and the other the
pink or adult permit. The latter.
Major Funkhouser explained was for
adults only. In these pictures, some
sex problems and scenes are permit.
ted, he said.
Ihe number of films received week.
~ for inspection runs from two hun.
dred to two hundred and fifty, and the
moral censors are given three days TO
pass on picture. and issue a permit
regular motion picture theater is
established in one OF the larger rooms
OF the city hall, where three screens
ana three motion picture machines en-.
able more than one picture to be run
at the same time. AS a rule, two or
more OF the censors staff sit and mass
Judgment on one picture.
THE city Of Chicago is the only citv
IN the country which has civil ser
vice censor board" Major Funkhous
or said. Ohio, Kansas and Pennsvl
vania however. have state censorsb;r
boards"
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