The sun., 1919-06-08
BY LUCIEN CLEVES.

HERE are advocates OF the NOV
ing pictures who view with
disfavor the present efforts to
establish in New York city censor of
the cinemas submitted to the public
here. These admirers of the photo
craphic stage do not believe that de-
liberatey salacious moving pictures
are manufactured or put before the
puohc. The best censor of all they find
TO he that attitude of the public mind
which keeps the paying public away
from pictures deliberately intended to
attract through improperly of subject
or grossness of treatment. 1t does not
pay the producers to put such Cinemas
on the market. even If they could bring
themselves to do it. Financial loss
would follow such an experiment even
If loss OF repute did not. After ali, the
taste of the public in rejecting these
pictures established after all the best
censorship the public guardians of
morals could desire. 1t is not TO be de-
med that occasionally a picture gross
in intent and execution does find its
way before the audiences that frequent
the smaller movie shops. But it is
rarely retained for more than a few
hours on view: the manager is almost
certain TO be harassed by the police;
ard after all. even on such small
scale, il is dubious if the enterprise is
worth the difficulties that surround it..
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The opinions of all the great direc-
tors and producers are strongly
against the picture that would require
censorship. They believe in purity.
They pay thousands of dollars every
year for purity. They have young
girls for their heroines or those that
look as if butter would not melt in
their mouths. If they be more than
nineteen, they must not look IL. Even
Tie vamp is a thing of the past. Act
Iosses on the screen are admired just
in the degree that they resemble Mary
Picllford in her girlish cuteness. No
mature-for that means experienced
beauties need apply. Only the smiling
face of sweet sixteen screens" as the
phrase has il, to the satisfaction OF
directors and producers. The result OF
this rule alone is to insure cinemas
which practically make a censorship
Useless
D. W. Griffith, most famous OF di
rectors. who has just met With an
other triumph in Broken Blossoms
s the Conan Theatre, has put this
situation wildly into words in his ca
pianation 10 THE SUN reporter Other
PRODUCERS gave such genuine evidence
that ii is not to be doubted that they
see no profit in manufacturing pic
lures that make the need OF a censor
ship felt.
David Wark Griffith made this
statement regarding the cleanliness
OF Lis motion pictures:
II hope I have never produced what
You describe as a 'salacious' motion
picture, for | know no reason why
Should.
The subject does not interest me
personally. 1t would be offensive Il
produce. And I doubt very definitely
whether ii would be in the least profit
able to present TO the American public
Many persons. perhaps, find 1t diff
cult or impossible TO discriminate
between themes of Arm, elemental ORR
Gin and those of superficial nastiness
Individual minds often provide q
strange focus, seeing in the tlmid AM
iGealizing embrace of modest lovers ar
orgy Of furious desire.
But the American public is univer'
sally recognized as being exceptionally
clean minded. After all. father anC
mother are the censors Of motor
pictures. and always will be. Even 4
some unfortunate minds should at
tempt TO capitalize weakness In
humanity by making such pictures, thu
very ones they would attract woult
he the first 10 warn their families