Evening journal., 1919-11-22
MJVIE CENS0RS
in THE JlKE CLASS
Split in Pennsylvania Board
Revealed In Letter to
London Daily Mail
NOVELIST COMPLAINS
OF FILM CUTTING

PHILADELPHIA. Nov. 22-Just what
Is offensive TO good taste Or public
morals In the wonderful system OF
Mother Nature by which the human
species Is reproduced?
In what way could the picture Of
spindle-leggcd calf dining al frescO un-
dermlne the purity OF mind OF child
hOOd3
These aud few similar questions are
suggested by a controversy which has
broken out in The Pennsylvania Board
.Of Censors OF Motion Pictures. lndlcat-
ing That The board OF three ia divided
SO widely on the question Of proper
censorship that the chairman, Harry
l.. knapp, Of this city. virtually has
ceased viewing important pictures.
Ellis p. Oberholizcr. OF this city, and
Mrs. +. C.. Niyer, OF Charleroi. are the
other members Of the board They vote
together on every difference with Mr..
Knapp. who thus feels that his useful
ness is at an end. 10 Is said he has re-
ported the facts TO Governor Sproul.
with the statement that unless cond-
tions in the board can be changed he
must resign.
Mr. 0berhaltzer and Mrs. Niver were
appointed 10 the board when II was
FIRST created in t9ii They. with J.
Louis Breitinger, the FIRST chairman.
drafted set OF regulations for The
movies" which created a storm OF mer-
rment throughout the country. Among
their rules was one limiting the length
of a kiss 20 three feet iof illml and an
other barred anything suggesting a
prenatal condition.
The differences In the board. which
have been acute for some time, have
come 90 light as the result of plant
from W. 3. Trites. an author. formerly
Of this city but who has lived for sew
eral years In England. lie sharply ridl-
cules The Pennsylvania board In a let
ter TO the London Daily Mail. Mr.. Trtcs
married Miss Estelle Klauder, whose
brother and sister live In Bala. He has
written several novels. His letter TO
the Daily Mail follows:
81 am an American novelist, and like
my betlcrs-Nlr. Wells and Mr. Maxwell
among them know what Il Is 70 be
censored; but liberal are the book CEN
sors OF Britain beside the fllm censors
Of my native land
81 sold a tllm scenario hst spring 10
Los Angeles frn: the nlm was duly
made. and the other day I got the
Pennsylvania censors' report on It..
Reel &. Part D. ] read Eliminate
scene OF young husband and wife buy
ing cradle, as this suggests prenatal
condition
with an asionished oath turned TO
the next page.
"'Reel 2. Part C. Eliminate pocket
picking scene. as the modus operandi Of
criminals which might incite 90 evil
action IS no. approved
~ didn't see how my fllm could be
produced without that pocket-picklng
scene. Howcyer-and ] read on:
Reel 3, Part =. Cut out scene OF
calf feeding from mother
u no a cigarette. This scene, too.
was rather crucial. And then another
pronunclamento caught my eye:
"'Beel 3, Part b. The murder must
be eliminated as unduly narrowing
scenes. such as shO0tlngs. stabbings,
lynchngs and the Ike. are forbidden
"I thought 10 myself that 70 was
good thing ! had been paid for my fllm
scenario In advance
Reel 3. Part q. Eliminate scene OF
young bride making baby linen
And then, foaming at the mouth,
fell heavily and read no more.
"All this. Of course, seems like bur
lesQue. 70 must especially seem like
burlesque TO those who have beheld
the rather outrageous films which now
and then come over from America Yet
il Is the truth. the Gospel truth. about
the film cens0rs Of Pennsylvania. The I
censors Of the other States are less 7.
severe Many States, indeed, get along
without any cens0rs at all.
But Pennsylvania
III was Pennsylvania, by the way, !
ihat limited The length Of The fllm kiss .
10 seven feet
"'Reel ,. Part B. Eliminate eight /
and a half yards OF the kiss, as this .
suggests "-
The Trltcs letter was called TO the 4
attraction Of Mr.. Knapp. lie said:
81 don't balme Mr. Tritcs. The other .
two members OF the board, Mrs. Nlver .
and Mr. OberhOltZer. are absolutely /
In their decisions.
while cannot call 10 mind the par
icular picture that Mr. TRIES men
lions. these two are continually max
ing such cuts in films.
"The elimination Of the scene sf
Young husband and wife buying a era
dc because % suggests prenatal c0ndl-
ion or cutting out the scene Of a calf
eedlng from its mother are fair exam
lies Of the rid'culously prudish stands
AIKEN by the other two board mem-
)ers.
As a matter Of fact. I have stopped
iicwing and passing judgment upon
eaiure pictures. What Is the use?
There are only three on the board
.f ttsIfch 1 am ,aa o. frr,.n No. NitoV