New-York tribune., 1919-04-10
Mrs. O'Grady
Opens War on
Immoral Films
Deputy Police Commissioner
Aroused by ''Movies''
Shown to Children of the
Poor Throughout City

A police 'clean-up' crusade to put a
stop to the exhibition in this city of
motion pictures said to be immoral and
suggestive was announced last night
by Mrs. Ellen A. O'Grady, Deputy Po-
lice Commissioner.
Mrs. O'Grady spent yesterday after
noon going from one "movie" show to
another, mostly in the poorer sections
of the city. After returning to Police
Headquarters she said she would send
out corps of women detectives to such
places as she had visited, with instruc
tions to bring the proprietors into
court
Mrs. OGrady said the undesirable
pictures were being shown in large
numbers in all parts of the city, and
that their influence counteracted the
good work by schools, churches and
courts.
"The clergy, educators, judges and
welfare workers. of all kinds might as
we'll lock up the churches, shut the
books, close the courts, if they are
going to permit the filthy motion pic
lures being shown in New York and
throughout the country to continue.
Poison" Fed to Children
"You who read this article just take
walk now. Don't wait until they
change the films. Go TO all parts of the
city, especially the poorer section, and
see the poison that is being fed to our
children. Read the haring announce
ments that excite the worst passions of
human nature. Talk about American
lzation! While Americans have been
asleep the fiends that run these places
have done the damage. And we are
supposed to have q board of censors.
with headquarters at 70 Fifth Avenue.
High soundinh, isn't it, as are the
names of these who constitute the
board?
"Juvenile delinquency has increased
IN the past eight or nine years, and
know it is owing to those pictures. /
am in a position to know, as have the
confidence Of the young people who
fall into our hands.
Children Influenced Wrongly
"The following is conversation
which | had recently with two little
girls of fourteen years, children of for
eigners, who were brought into my
Office
"'What is the matter with you
girls?' asked. What do you intend to
make Of yourselves?
"TheIr answer was, we want to be
American girls, like in the moving
pictures, have a good time, automobiles
and nice clothes.'
"Imagine the kind Of Americanization
these children have ha6.
Would Pass Slacer Bill
"The motion picture producers,
am sure, will say to you, How about
your cabarets and dance nails p know
some Of those are bad and we are
doing our best to get rid Of them.
However, the children who are my
chief concern do not go to these
cabarets and dance halls, but they do
go to the movies.
The license commissioner is kept
busy trying to close those places. but
the licensee rushes to court and gets
an injunction TO restrain him from
interfering, and by the time the case
is 10 be heard in court the undesirable
picture is being shown somewhere
else
"A bill has been introduced in Al
osny. by Assemblyman John w. Slacer
OF OF Erie County, seeking to authorize
the state Board Of Regents to appoint
board OF ccnsOrs for motion pictures.
ana giving them the power to prohibit
the exhibition of films found to be
sacrii,egious, obscene, indecent or i'm
moral. or found to debase or corrupt
morals. and ! wish that the good peo-
PIE mentioned at the beginning of this
articic would get together to support
tnis In. nlli and see that we get our very
best citizens on the board .