Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-03-21
Bill Offered in Wisconsin Assem-
bly, Provides For State Cen
sorShip Board.
TO Be NAMED BY GOVERNOR
Object Is to Eliminate sacreIigious
Obscene, Indecent or Immoral Pic
lures Such as Tend to Cor
rupt Morals.

stereOpticOn views or slides and plan
ming for examination and approval by
a state board of censorship, bill has
been introduced IN the Wisconsin state
legislature by Assemblyman George
Oakes of st. Croix county which will
interest the proprietors Of all motion
| picture houses.
The bill creates a committee COM
Of Wisconsin. well qualified by educar
ton and experience to act as censors
under this act" These members shall
be appointed by the governor for q
term of three years. The board shall
| be known as the wisconsin state
board Of censors.'' The bill then pro-
vides that the board "shall examine or
supervise the examination of all films.
reels or views to be exhibited in Wis
c0nsin, and shall approve such films,
Ireels or views which are moral and
proper, and shall disapprove such as
are sacreligious, obscene, indecent or
immoral, or such as tend, in the judg-
ment of the board, to debase or cor
L upt morals
The board is directed to keep rec
ord Of all examinations made Of films
and report in writing annually to the
governor, giving statement showing
all prosecutions for violations of the
act. The members Of the Board shall
receive an annual salary Of $1,000
each. Rooms shall be provided in the
state capitol for the board. For the
examination of each film the bill pro-
vides that fee shall be charged of So
for 1,20O lineal feet of film, and 81 for
each duplicate or print thereof. All
fees received shall be paid into the
state treasury. The members Of the
board and their employees are direct
ed and empowered to make inspections
Of moving picture houses to ascertain
whether the films used are in compli-
ance with the statutes.
Any person who shall violate any of
the provisions of the measure shall
pay fine of not less than $50 or more
than $50 for the first offense. If any
person shall fail to exhibit on the
screen the approved seal" as issued
by the board he shall be subjected to
a fine of not less than $40 or more
than 500 The provisions of this meas.
ure are not to apply to exhibitions OF
or use of films, reels or views for pure
ly educational, charitable, fraternal or
religious purposes, by any religious as
ISOLATION, fraternal society, library,
museum, public school or private
school Of learning. If the measure
passes it is to take effect Immediately.
There is every Indication that the
Wisconsin legislature will pass the
proposed amendment to the state con-
stitution which will give the people
power to initiate laws. Before such
an amendment can be incorporated In
to constitution It must pass two sue
cessive sessions Of the legislature and
then be approved by the people.
The assembly committee on judici-
airy. reported for death the Initiative
and referendum resolution. BY vote
of AZ to 81, the assembly overturned
the committee report and advanced
the resolution on a second vote, so to
%.
The assembly has concurred in the
Kuckuk resolution for dairy sessions
Of the legislature. 1t killed the Sewers
bill providing for the payment of
wages in cash. 1t passed the Coe bill
giving the state, tax commission power
to order the assessment of property !;
the Cakes bill for a police pension
fund in cities of the fourth class, and
the Buckley, bin prohibiting the desc
Grafton or improper use of the Ameri-
can flag.
Representatives of the federal rail-
road commission addressed the SEN
ate, sitting as a committee Of the
whole, in opposition to the Wilcox
grade separation bill, which provides
that in grade separation cases where
the highway or street at the place of
the crossing by the railroad was in
use when the railroad crossed it, no
part Of the cost or expense shall be
paid by the municipality.
Senator Wilcox argued that the bill
presented the same principle as the
compensation act and that it was
framed in the interest Of sound public
policy. He said that the railroads
should be treated as fairly and justly
as other citizens, but he contended
that the measure was in perfect har-
mony with legislation in Wisconsin ex-
tending over a period Of years on the
question of safety to life and limb