Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-18

by the efforts Of the ministers and
the women in some of the towns.
managers of movie" theatres have
been stopped from showing question
able films In one case which she
cited the manager of the theatre had
| ia first refused the request. saying
that he had paid 5000 for the Aim,
and that if 1t was not shown he would
lose that money. But he recognized
the influence which the ladies had
and did not show the film.
One plan for bringing the best pic
lures to the cities and for shutting
out the profit seeking managers,
which was referred to by the speak
er, was that which has been adopted
| in Pennington, Conn, this being
community moving picture enter
prise. The speaker told how this can
be started. in any town.
| The State law against the sale or
display of pictures which tend to cor
rupt morals was read by Mrs. Thomp-
SON. who pointed out that the penal
| ty for the offense includes a Jail sen
tence as well as the payment of a
fine. with this law behind us why
do we sit in our rocking chairs and
rock ?" she asked. And she brought
before the convention the matter of
having this law printed in the annual
year book.
The president, Mrs, Brewster had
appointed Mrs. George Hunt of Port
land and Mrs. Walter Gilbert of Cal
ais to act in conjunction with the
other committees for all of the New
England states on the censorship of
tho movies"
Mrs. Hunt told Of conference she
had had with Miss Amy Woods, who
| had made study of the matter and
of the answers Miss Woods had Civ
en- to her questions. She had asked
Miss Woods If she felt that the infiu-
ence of the moving pictures as a
| whole was good or bad, and Miss
Woods had replied that she felt it
was bad, that IS per cent. of the films
were made in California, that the ,ex
hibitors had to agree one year ahead
regarding the films they would show,
and that they could judge them only
by their titles. The speaker stated
that people insist on pure food laws,
, etc, and should also insist that the
moving pictures be clean. And she
referred to the state censorship of
movies, which is carried out in
Pennsylvania.
Legislative Committee Report
The report of Mrs. Charles 2.
Barnes of Houtlon, chairman of the
| Legislative committee, was read by
Mrs. Harry Thompson of Augusta and
was accepted. The report told of the
progress of the bills in Congress
which the women have been working
for, especially the Smith-Towner bill
providing for national encouragement
Of education, the Shepherd Towner
maternity bill, the National Park bill,
etc. And in Maine, the committee has
been busy in the interests of such
bills as the Mt. Katahdin National
Park bill, the Public Health bill and
the University of Maine appropriation
bill.
| Mrs. Nellie S. Jack of Portland
asked if the women would enodrse
the move for the State to give finan-
cial assistance to the University of
Maine. She spoke in behalf of this
move and presented a resolution that
the Federation of Women's Clubs
endorse the work of the University of
Maine and ask that the State give it
] financial assistance to carry on it,:
4 work Question was asked if this
would in any way conflict with the
budget system, and Mrs. Jack re-
piled that her purpose in presenting
the resolution was simply a move to
get the women to endorse the Univer-
sity.
Resolutions Adopted
The report of the committee on re-
solutions was then presented by the
chairman. Mrs. Jack of Portland.
that these resolutions be adopted col
flectively, but after lively discussion
it was voted that they be considered
one by one, which was done. The
following resolutions were adopted by
the convention:
| EDUCATION
| Whereas. we believe that education
4 is matter Of nation wide concern
| and Importance and that the nation
as whole should participate in the
encouragement of education progress
and the financing of the same and
| Whereas, we believe that the Smith
Towner bill now pending before Con-
gress, as reported favorably by the
committee on education in Congress,
seeks to provide for national encour-
agement of education and properly
conserves the rights Of the States and
the communities in the conduct and
control OF the schools, and
| Whereas, we Believe that Maine will
receive substantial benefit therefrom.
Be it resolved that the Maine Fed
! GRAFTON of Women's Clubs heartily
endorses. and urges that our repre-
sentatiyes in Congress lend their ac-
tive support in bringing about the
passage of the Smith Towner Bill
WATER POWERS