The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-12-21
|uuy MOVIES SHOULD
NOT Be CENSORED
,or WINNING ESSAY OF A
PRIZE I,soN BOY IN CONTEST
D ar THE PICTURE NEWS.

D nF THE PICTURE NEWS.
r.,,ov;ng is the essay which was
ro 1od the capital prize in the re-
F"@'1( ontest conducted by the South
'D' picture News, of Atlanta, Ga,
err .o-ooeration with Mr.. w. A. Mitch
" ,onaper of the Palace Theatre in
f. D The subject was, "Why Mo
a"2 pictures Should Not Be Censor
w. " and the winner was Croswell
D o. Of Dawson, who competed with
Contestants throughout Georgia.
MI Miss Gladys Holland was awarded
local Judges the prize of IS free
D,ats and Miss Eva Smith the prize
rCN 81 +;ckets. which were offered by
4 o. - Mitchell of the Palace thea
u9' Croswell Brirn's Essay.
Tho d;snuted question arising in the
Is world today is the question OF
nla,osorsbip. Why should we as state
EI ".o censorship? Have not the Ma
. ;al Board of Review proven worthy
|of their Office?
Censorship has been the one big
.ord in our nation for the last decade.
W. W. fact This nation has had too much
ln,sorship of late. Let it get back on
~ feet free from bonds and draw
bocks OF any kind. That is the hun
gering cry of everyone.
# can clearly be seen that censor
chin would be drawback to our
NOV world and our local theatres.
Some one may say: How can this
5e3" This may be an explanation:
with the opinion of a triangular crew
of censors how can every one be
oeased with the pictures that pass?
Every one cannot be pleased but the
majority can, and the majority rules.
The opinion of three or few, referr-
mo TO a board of censorS. 1t is clearly
seen that no small group is capable
OF Judging for the whole.
Does not the state law give us the
freedom of the press? Also our federal
constitution gives that right. A movie
mans honor lies in his theatre. He
could not show a degrading picture,
which would tend to lower morals OF
bows and girls. No decent man will
buy indecency. 1t can't be sold. No
indecent man can progress in the
of theatre. Any officer
Of the law can stop the showing OF an
indecent picture.
The public cannot be fooled. The
public is the fairest critic that can
be had. Take the analysis OF public
opinion and shade it with any CEN
sorship boards opinion, and the pub
lies will win out every time. Stating
clear facts, do not our censors, in ev-
crything, judge according to public
opinion and estimations?
Public opinion may be wrong, but
ten to one it rights itself. So does ev-
,rything go wrong and things might
not be so easily righted as this.
In everything tastes differ. In NOV
ng pictures this is SO, as much as to
astes in a man choosing clothes; ev-
Try man does not have the same taste
or the kind of clothes; nor has he for
a book or a picture.
This is what keeps the people as a
whole in balance. The business world
and in everything is thus,
in the church, in the newspapers and
in our every day life. So why should
there be set up an official censorship
because in taste. To try to satisfy all
by satisfying one would spoil the
whole; that we all know.
Organizations OF moving picture
men and fraternal cooperation spell
he whole thing Through this we
lave undaunted way of pleasing every
)ne, as each man or manager sees mt,
with the right sort of pictures.
Official censorship of any kind is
not needed and never will be as long
rs the public opinion is as clean and
As unspeakably right as it is at pres
mt. Why pick the movie as the start
or censoring? Other things just as
if not more SO, need it just
Is bad.
Again the movie has come under
he critics lash as a school for crime,
md creating in the adventurous boys
mind the desire for crime. This cannot
'e, for the complete downfall OF the
riminal and the futility of his fieeting
are laid bare. No moral can
zee the contrasting roles without the
lcSlre OF being the hero or the amb1-
IONS arising and beating. on his every
1dc to do noble things.
No matter what his prediction tor
rme may be, the spectator at the
movies see one thing with unfailing
good things triumphant
The corner gang is the true school
or IaWlessness. The corner gang per
Qrms no good or wholesome office.
Here we have the triumph of evil. This
the place to begin our censorship
nd elimination The moving picture
5 a result, a record, either real or
ctional, of things and deeds accom-
lished.
Those who have the safety of socie-
y truly at heart will seek elsewhere
or crime. 1t is not found upon the
Green, but lurking in the shadows out
ide.