Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1919-02-06
ORIA L
CENSORSHIP OF MOVIES.

The Aberdeen News of yesterday contains the appended editor
il discussion Of the suggestion that a municipal censorship OF the
movies be established in its city.
We know nothing concerning the merits Of the controversy III
Aberdeen, and We do not wish 10 be understood as participating
therein, but tile points raised by our contemporary with reference
TO the modern trend in no inconsiderabie proportion of Our so-caILed
literature as worthy the thoughtful consideration Of the public not
only IN Aberdeen but throughout the country:
4sThere are admittedly some moving picture films that are not
precisely suitable for persons of tender years to view. Tns IS not
because the Aberdeen theaters las the News understands 1t, cater TO
tastes that are fond of such pictures, but because the films are sent
Them from headquarters, The worst pictures shown III Aberdeen(
hawayer ae1 y M means ~ bad as many that are shown. without in
reference, in the larger cities.
There may be reason for the establishment Of a local censor
ship Of moving picture theaters. The News IS not prepared 10 say.
One of the. cergymen most enthusiastic IN tins advocacy OF such a
movement admits that he has not personally seen any OF the pictures
But that is neither here nor there. 4 a censorship is needed, it should
lie established. But if it is established, it seems to the Nws that ii
should not be confined solely TO the theaters.
..Bogs ran away from home and sought adventure IN other ways
long before the moving picture was invented. All the misdeeds Of
boys-and Of girls-eannot be attributed to the moving picture, The
proposed local censorship board, ift is formed should 90 farther
than the moving picture. 1t should have power over newspapers
which print advertisements of medicines protesting to cure unmen-
tionable diseases. And power over newspapers which publish adyer
.iseinents Of matrimonial agencies-two. classes OF advertisements
sepntable newspapers all over the country rejected from their col
umnsy years ago and which no daily paper in South Dakota, with one
exception, now accepts.
land then-if the censorship committee will glance through the
current magazines, it will and that three-fomths OF the magazines
deal with some sort Of a triangular, love affair in which one OF more
Of The persons involved are married. Why not extend theeeensofshnp
to Tie newspapers and the magazines that are leading the youth Of
the land astray, instead OF combining. II to the moving picture the
alters solelyg
eth. censorship board, ii il is formed, should he given power
broad enough to cope with the other evils mentioned and be made
up 81 men with sufficient nerve and hoidnsss to perform all the duties
entrusted to i. else 1T will he Oh little aceount-a nash III te pan
And if the members of the board Of censorship perform their
duties properly BY witnessing all the twenty-four different moving
picture shows giyen III aberdeen weekly seing through al the he-
lion offered iii the magazines on sale at the news stands and then
carefully scan II advertising columns 81 The newspapers, they will
be kept fairly well occupied