River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-03-20
BILL To CENSOR
MOVING PICTURES
Measure introduced in House by
Rep. George Cakes.
PROVIDES BOARD OF THREE
Members Of Body Would Be Appointed
by Governor for Term of Three
Years and Would Examine
and Pass on All Films.


Madison.-A new measure providing
for the regulation Of moving picture
films, stereopticon views or slides anu
providing for q method Of examination
and approval was offered in the lower
house by Assemblyman George Oakes
of st. CrOix county.
The bill would create a committee
composed Of three residents ana clti-
zens of Wisconsin, "wel qualified by
education and experience to act as cen
sOrs under this act" These mem
bers shall be appointed by the governor
for a 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
Sl1neryfse the examination of all MINIS,
reels or views TO be exhibited IN WIS
consin, and\shall approve such films,
reels or views which are moral and
proper, and shall disapprove sucn as
are sacreligious, obscene, indecent or
immoral or such as tend, in the judg-
ment of the board, to debase or cor
rupt morals"
The board is directed to keep rec
ord Of all examinations made Of films
and report in writing annually TO the
governor, giving a statement showing
all prosecutions for violations of the
act. The members Of the board shall
receive an annual salary of $2,oOO
each. Rooms shall be provided in the
state capitol for the board. For the
examination Of each film the bill pro-
vides that a fee shall be charged OF -
for 1900 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 cOmpll-
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
person shall fail to exhibit on the
screen the approval seal" as issued
by the board he shall be subjected to
q fine of not less than $40 or more
than $40. The provisions of this meas
ure are not to apply to exhibitions OF
or use OF films, reels or views for pure
" 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
into the constitution it must pass two
successive 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 90 to
20.
The assembly has cOncurred in the
Kuckuk resolution for daily 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 bill prohibiting the desc
Grafton or improper use Of the Ameri-
can flag.
Representative 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 Oh the