New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
Motion Picture Sholys
attacked BY. DIR. Crafts

FROM The 7riouns's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Dec 13.-In a state
ment issued tonight Dr.. Wilbur F.
Crafts, of the International Referee
bureau, replying to criticisms of him
self and the blue law movement by
William A. Brady, president Of the Ma
llonai Association Of the Motion Pic
lure Industry, and also to pronounce
mcnts OF the Jewish Sabbath Alliance
OF America, scores some of the motion
pictures now being exhibited in this
country in severe terms
After explaining his attitude toward
Jews and Catholics and insisting he
IS not prejudced against them, DR..
traits has this to say on the moving
picture business:
IF impure pictures are allowed to
predominatc movies will get the same
reputation as the saloon and the same
cycionic destruction by n wrathfu ma
ton. We desire to eliminate the ele-
ments that promote juvenile crime and
adultery and to encourage and increase
what is beautiful and useful in this
great invention"
AS to his position regarding Jews
and Catholics. DR.. Crafts in part saws:
In the first place it should be said
that the title Of Jew batter or Catholic
natter does not in the least belong to me
or TO the international Reform Bureau
AS to the Catholics we have two Of the
most eminent Of their leaders on our
aoVisory board Father George Zurcher,
president of the Catholic Priests Pro-
hibition League, and P. Fl. Callahan
I louisville, leader of Catholic war
work And we have many times had
the cooperation Of Cardinal Gibbons.
Archbishop Keane, Archbishop Ireland
and of many priests and aymen.
AS to the Jews: We have on one Of
the commissions Of the bureau six
rabols' among the most eminent in the
country, and have had the thanks of
me president of the progressive branch
or the Jews for the benefits conferred
by my Bibleselections on that race.
and the commendation of one IF ~
most eminent of the conservative Lead
crs; err Professor Max Margolis, for the
Old Testament readings we circulate.
i nave often said that if had not
peen porn Yankee, my second choice
would be to be born Scotchman. and
my third choice to be born Jew. as
'hese are. IN my opinion. the three
greatest races in the world mentally.
ana must on that account maintain the
oomlnance OF religion in their lives or
1t Will be bad for the world in each
case N"
II have before me q letter dated
Decsember I 8. 1920, from the Jewish
Sa03rt ia ~, th u Alliance of America, signed
oy William Rosenberg, executive sec
RETRY, in which he sa s.:
face I'VE .ba+ fully i realze !. and appreciate the
OF America and other lands who OBJ
serve the Sabbath enjoned by their
faith and act in accordance with the
real precepts of Christianity. who are
the fairest and justest in their atti-
iude toward the Hebrew people.
I'VE condemn anti-Semitc persecu-
ton and anti-Jewish propaganda. but
we also appeal to our Hebrew fellow
citizens who have been treated so fairly
IN the United States not to develop
prejudice among those now most free
OF it, the faithful observers of the
CHRISTIAN Sunday, by joining the or
canned propaganda of theatrical in
terests to commercialize the dav whose
sacred observance the Jewish Sabbath
Alliance admits to have prompted JUS
tlce and kindness to the race it REPRE-
Sents"