The Washington times., 1921-02-25

A split in the Takoma Park Citi-
xens' Association impended today
when j. Bond Smith, WashinGtou
attorney, rendered his resignation ~
chairman of the Legislative commit
tee following the action Of the asso-
cation In fsvor;ng censorship OF mo-
ton pictures ana Sunday closing.
BRAND AN UN-AMERICAN.
Branding the action of the associa.
tion a. '.un-Americsn" and destined
to prove suppressive and stagnsting
In its effect. Mr.. Smith detailed In .
letter TO President JssSo c. suter his
reasons for asking to be relieved from
further association With the iegtsisr
tive committee
There is no more reason for cen
sorship Of motion pictures than for
any other form Of entertainment IN
the District OF Columbia" MT. Smith
wrote.
His Views are those Of . score OF
organizations In the District repre-
ssnting thousands OF persons who
seek innocent amusement recreation
and entertainment at the movies The
Central Labor Union. the City EN-
ployes' Union and half . dozen citi-
sens'. associations have moved to pre-
vent further censorship of the movies
here
MEANS NARROW JUDGMENT.
Censorship 10 essentially un-
American, necessarily suppressive
and stagnating In Its effect upon
whatever form of expression against
which II may be directed" said Mr..
Smith, "and in the present case is
wholly unnecessary. 1t involves the
substitution OF the narrow arbitrary
Judgment of the few for the broad
sound Judgment of the rank and file
OF our citien1y who arc patrons OF
motion pictures. The production Of
motion pictures is subject to precise
~ tho same conditions as the production
Of plays on the spoken stage. or any
other form OF art, including painting.
sculpture, and literature. Unworthy
motion pictures may be exhibited
just as unworthy plays may be pro-
duced, and unworthy paintings.
sculpture or literature may appear.
"The remedy does not lie in sub
hitting the whole art to censorship.
but In punishment Of the individual
responsible for the offense. II i'm
moral or obscene motion pictures are
exhibited In Warrington the existing
statutes and police regulations are
without the necessity OF sppointing
censors to determine what pictures.
in their opinion. II IL proper for tho
public to see
RAPs SUNDAY CLOSING.
Tho associations action in IA
voring Sunday legislation is equally.
II not more, un-American than its
stand on censorship. and comes with
peculiarly bad form from an asso-
c.ation claiming to represent the
sentiment OF the community. large
portion Of whose best citizens are
members Of the Seventh Day Ad-
ventist Church. which denomination
observes Saturday instead Of Sum
day. While am not q member Of
that denomination, i Join with II
In denouncing any form of Sunday
legislation. and an attempt to unite
church and State. and therefore
fundamentally opposed to the prin-
ciple of liberty upon which America
was founded"
II have reason to believe" Mr..
Smith concluded. 'that the foregoing
views represent the sentiment Of
many members of our association.
who were not present at the last
meeting, and from which I was uu-
ayoidAbly absent. Under the cir
curnstances. i must request that you
relieve me of the chairmanship Of
the committee on legislation OF the
association" a