Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-09-19
MOVE MAD MOVIE
MEN, WOMEN FROM
WORLD OF MOVIES

Los ANGELESs Aal., sept. lJ.-DeloTe
congregations which taxed the capacity
Of their churches three of the most in
fluential cIergymen In Los Angeles hurled
thunderous demands from their pulpits
Sunday night that Hollywood's great film
colony must eliminate its black sheep"
get rid Of the booze" and turn over
new leaf" by refusing to tolerate
longer those with lax morals.
In a number Of other southern Cali
fornia churches references also were
made, either before or during the even
ing sermons, TO the San Francisco party
given by Fatty" Arbuckle, which re-
suited in the death Of Virginia Rape,
llm actress.
In the principal discourses on the sub
iect the pastors took occasion to warn
the public not to misjudge all persons
in the film world because of the short
comings OF some of their number.
The Rev. Herbert Booth Smith, pastor
Of Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, third
largest Presbyterian church in the United
States IN point OF membership, laid stress
on this point when he said:
Christian discrimination will not place
all motion picture people in the same
class, even il the worst possible indict-
ment IS made. The Scripture says:
"'One~ star dinereth from another
star and this is true OF all kinds Of
stars"
Referring to the Arbuckls case, Rev.
Smith said:
1.-THE disapproval Of the film people
has been expressed as strongly In this
case as In the case Of the notorious Clara
Smith Hamon pictures and for this,
much thanks"
The Rev. DR. Willsie Martin. pastor of
the First Methodist Episcopal church of
Hollywood, located In the heart Of the
studio district, awakened tremendous in
terest when he exclaimed in great fervor:
1T is sQuarely UP to us here in Los
Angeles to face our jungle and drive 1t
out"
Tho Rev. ]. whitcomb Brougher.
pastor of the Temple BAPTIST Church,
housing one of the largest congregations
in the Far West, said:
"The hour has come when decent men
and women in the movie BUSINESS must
take a positive stand against the rough
necks In the profession" OF the Ar
buckle affair In San Francisco, DR.. Mar
tin said:
THAT revolving party, with its obscene
imagination and atmosphere and occur
rencesis not American, 1t is Babylonian
1t belongs to the era Of Caligula, the de-
PRAYED, and Nero, the pervert. Even if
there had been no death, it is the sort of
party that makes every true American
hang his head with shame and disgrace.
1t was not brilliant. 1t was not art. 1t
was sheer animalism. Only when men
become animals, they go farther than
animals ever 60.
81 am not~here to anathematize motion
picture folk. am not here to say that
the actors in this sordid tragedy repre-
sent the feeling or life Of q majority of
the movie world, but for the sake of the
profession and its future, the movie
world can not afford to be silent on this
occurrence
"Of all the groups In Los Angeles It
ought to be the 11Est to go over the top
in demanding that justice, swift and sure.
be melted out to the offenders and to
condemn the sort Of life that made the
party possible.
"All the film world that stands for
decency must say that any sort of life
like that win never be tolerated in Holly
wood. Its duty Is to cast out the jungle
men in the business. Los Angeles is not
worse than other places. Just now she
has her shame We propose by the help
Of God and the effort of gentlemen to
drive out the jungle elements and restore
her to her rightful position"
DR.. Brougher laid particular emphasis
on the part that liquor played in the faal
San Francisco party. OF Arbuckle, DR..
Brougher said that despite This genius
for making a big section Of the world
laugh, he did not have the sef-control
and manly character that would enable
him to utilize these talents for the high
est good OF humanity. He was not quail
ifed, mentally Or morally, to make the
proper uga of money mr. fqmAo
In demanding a moral touse clean
ing" Or. Brougher asserted the moving
picture business Is too great and impor-
tant an industry to have Its service to
mankind ruined By booze and rough
neekaW