The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-15
Far Worse Than Drinking
Forbidden Booze or Betting
on the Horse Races.
DOOMED TO GO THIS YEAR
Three Other 1921 Reforms
Slated for U. S., Canada,
Mexico and China.
Special Despatch to TIE NEW YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau
Nas IA

w
The Rev. Or. Wilbur f. Crafts. super
intendent of the International Reform
Bureau. Inc, Is going forth to reform
that unguided portion of American youth
which is tempted after seeing movie to
go out and shoot up town or rob a
bank those persons in the United
States, Canada and Mexico who persist
in long distance betting on the races :;
those who are thirsty enough to drink
liquor that is taken out of bonded ware
houses and those in China who take
morphia IL they are able to get It,
DR.. Crafts said so to-day at the head
quarters of the International helUrin
Bureau, Inc, building set comfortably
near the Capitol, away from the infiu-
ences Of vice. Anybody who has any
other idea about what the international
Reform Bureau, Inc, is trying to do mas
II entirely wrong. There Is no move
ment on foot, the Rev. DR.. Crafts
averred, to close up movies on Sunday
or any other day, except so far as the
District of Columbia is concerned. There
the blue law" Sunday closing is to
stop. at least for the present.
The hands of the International Re-
form Bureau, Inc, are full with its et-
fort to put through during the present
year the specific corrections as they APP
ply TO the United States, Canada, Mex
leo and China. The blue laws Of the
District of Columbia is side line en-
ttrely.
The four reforms that constitute the
years programme are:
1. Federal censorship for the movies.
2. The prevention of the smuggling OF
morphine from America into China.
8. The interstate and international
transmission of bets between Canada
and Mexico and the several States as
applied to the races.
4. The removal of the whiskey stock
OF the country from something like 400
bonded warehouses and its deposit in
about six bonded warehouses. where 1t is
less likely to be stolen.
Soaring above all the other great
issues is that Of the movies in America,
in the mind of the Rev. DR.. Crafts. The
worst feature of the silver screen is the
kissing. kissing by vampires, unholy.
unwholesome kissing that can be traced
10 much of the laxity in the morals of
those who go to the movies. To those
who sit in the dark and watch vamp
kiss somebody important out Of million
or so there Is the greatest peril. The
time was when the evil was not so great,
but now the thing is different. rhe
rough element that used to hang out in
the barroom is going to the movies and
there. inspired by the willy vamps, makes
prey of unsuspecting women of tender
age. Statistics of everything bad that
has happened as a direct result are in
the course OF preparation.
There are two kinds OF kisses, the
Rev. DR.. Crafts has decided after con-
siderable study. First, there is the
sacred kiss. which is far too sacred TO
be portrayed on the screen. Then there
is the infamous kiss. which is far too
infamous to be pictured. Those are the
III Gun fNf H., e
that should be ruled out of the reel.
Our idea is to have the motion pic
lures regulated just like the banks and
the railroads." the reformer explained.
1--WE want to have a board of censorship
that will correspond to the United States
Supreme Court. 1 believe there should
be membership of at least seven, men
of the highest character, men who could
command a salary of $4,000 a year
would then have boards of deputies in
various cities and make 1t possible for
appeals TO be taken to the higher au-
thority. State censorship of the movies
has proved inadequate
Most motion pictures are improper.
The evils are twofold. They depict
crime, a thing responsible for many rob
berries and murders and they play up
their sex appeal, which has It's evils
among those of more mature age.
1.-THE vampires should be excluded A
great war should be waged against their
Infamous kissing. 1 refer to the sort Of
kissing that typihes the complete sur
render of one soul to another"
do you ever go to the movies?" DR.
Crafts was asked.
Yes" he replied. Quite a lot"
How much?"
Enough" he replied. ito know how
bad they are"
In the opinion OF DR.. Crafts, the peo-
pie OF the United States are not vet
ready for the application Of the blue
laws" or Sunday closing. The Interna-
tional Reform Bureau is not making any
campaign Of this sort at this time, he
said, except to give Its Endorsement to a
bill in Congress looking to the Sunday
closing Of theatres in the District Of CO.
lumbia.