The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-09-30
MILLER DENOUNCES
18TH AMENDMENT;;I IS
FOR ENFORCEMENT
Governor Cheered Heartily
for Wet Law Criticism at
Movie Banquet.
OPPOSES CENSORSHIPS
OPPOSES CENsORSHIPs
Tells 800 Diners at Pennsyl-
vania Hotel Film Regu-
lation Only Is Sought.
GIVES ENRIGHT REBUKEI
Joseph Levenson, Chairman of
Of State Film Board, Honor
Guest at Big Feast.

IoF. nathan u. Miller, in speech
delivered to more than 800 diners
who filled the grand ballroom OF the
pennsylvania Hotel last night, re-
pudiated the notion that the regula-
ton OF motion pictures is the enter
Ing wedge for the curtailment by
government of the personal liberty
Of the citizen.
The Governor declared also that
he had never been friendly to the
Eighteenth Amendment, and his
statement was greeted with long sus-
tanned cheering and applause. But
he followed that declaration with an
appeal for the observance Of all laws,
popular and unpopular, and warned
his hearers that there never was a
time or place where respect for the
law was a more vital necessity than
In New York city in the present mo-
ment OF unemployment and unrest.
The Governor was the principal
speaker at dinner rendered by his
friends to Joseph Levenson, chair
man of the Motion Picture Commits
sion by the Governors appointment
and Republican leader of the Second
Assembly district.
Many Societies Represented.
Organizations informally repre-
sented in the tribute included the
James G. Blaine Club. National Re-
publican Club. Grand Street Boys
Association. Young Mems Hebrew
Association, New York County Re-
publican Committee, Beth Israel
Hospital and various fraternal or
CARNATIONS.
Gov. Miller, after praising the chief
guest of the evening, expressed his
pleasure at the greeting accorded him,
and said:
1T indicates to me that you do not
all share the view which seems to be
entertained by some people In this
town that I am engaged in an effort
to deprive you of all your innocent
pleasures" He continued:
Il want to take occasion to say that
I do not believe in censorship And |
want to say also that this is not a
censorship board and that the act
creating 1t was not a censorship act in
the strict sense of. that term. 1t did
create a regulatory body. but it set
up in the act itself the standards by
which they must act, and those stand
ards, in plain words, were the stand
ards Of decency. morality and respect
for law.
~Or course, In their work, they have
to exercise Judgment. and so under
took to- select a commission of people
who would exercise judgment and COM
mon sense. Now, while I say that the
act was not a censorship act In the
strict sense OF the term. I would &c
further and say that even as regu-
latory act I would not have favored
II except for conceded evil which
had grown TO such proportions that II
needed regulation.
Not An Invasion Of Liberty.
1--WE hear a good deal about liberty.
liberty Of the press. Of speech and as
semblage, and Some have suggested that
this act Is the first step toward the In
vasion of such liberty. But 1t Is not:
and there is vast difference too be-
tween liberty AND license. 1t was con-
coded by all who had studied the subject
indeed, II was admitted by the leaders
In the business itself-that an evil had
grown TO such proportions that the men
in the business could not regulate It. and
that something needed to be done. The
representatives Of that business. in fact.
appealed for help. and for that reason
a law was passed. 1t is now in opera
ton and I am quite willing TO leave as
the test OF that law it's operation.
I'VE hear a great deal nowadays
about interference with personal liberty.
do not favor and think II Is ,un-Amer-
lean for Government to undertake 10
regulate the lives and the personal hab-
its OF its citizens. Such attempts always
meet with resentment and that resent
ment always breeds disrespect for the
law itself. But when we have laws 1.
Is neither for the Individual citizen nor
for those charged with responsibility for
the execution OF the law to choose wha,
laws viii be obeyed or enforced. II does
not cure one evil to commit greater
evil
Referring to a published report re-
garding what Police Commissioner En-
right was said to have told a Bronx
Grand Jury when questioned on enforce
ment methods here Gov. Miller said:
II noticed tho other day that an Off
cial OF your town said-I think he tes-
titled before a Grand Jury--that l had
induced him to violate tho Fourth
Amendment in order to enforce the
Eighteenth. do not know whether you
know what the Fourth Amendment to
tho Constitution was. the amendment
protecting tho citizen from unreasonable
search and seizure. Well. have as
Continued on Fifteenth Page.
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