The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1921-03-23
CENSORING THE MOVIES

CENSORlNG The MOVIES
A question that is agitating mil
ions OF minds in the United States
shall the motion picture shows be
censored and certain classes of shows
'orbidden the screen?' The move
nent is being strongly advocated by
one class, who seldom patronize the
shows, and as strongly opposed by
another class that does little else but
patronize them. Between these two
classes is the great middle class
comprising probably more than both
the others, who want clean shows but
are not shocked with what shocks the
class that is clamoring the loudest
for their suppression or deletion.
The makers of films and the man
ayers of picture houses have it in
their own power to prevent radical
censorship laws. They need not go
as far as the fanatics go, but they
must not go beyond the line of decency.
Just as the saloons brought prohibit
ton because of the dives kept by
criminals in the saloon business, will
the picture makers and exhibitors who
20 beyond he line of decency bring
down upon their heads the wrath OF
an outraged public, if they are not
careful, and the entire motion picture
world will suffer
Decent people do not favor the
showing of risque sex pictures, or
brutal criminal scenes. A certain ele-
ment delights in these, just as q GER
tain element of both men and women
delight in sitting in a court room all
day and hearing the most disgusting
scandals aired, but the great mass OF
the American people are decent and
detest such things. There is not
large enough percentage of the low
intellects to keep the motion picture |
business alive if it caters to that class
any more than there were enough |
patrons of the dives 20 keep the en-
tire saloon business going.
Clara Smith Hamon, who was the
mistress of Jake l.. Hamon, Okla
homa millionaire oil man and repub-
lican national committeeman, and who
shot and killed her paramount and has
just been acquitted of murder, has
Joined the Christian church, been bap
tized and signed two years con-
tract to 'enter the movies" That is
the weak point in many motion pic
ture magnate's work. He falls for
such things as Clara Smith Hamon
and tries to flaunt her and her crimes
ind wantonness in the face of decent
people. And there is where the line
must be drawn.
The people do not care 20 see Clar1
Smith Hamon pictured on the screen {
they will resent it. To make hero
ne of such a strumpet (and every !,
screen is a hero or heroine to the {
-oung patrons of motion picture Y
hows) is little short of crime. 1t is
slap in The face of decent people !
'neY VIII resent IL. HeSe plctui -, n
re doomed to failure because the p
reat majority of the American peo- .
lie do not care to make heroine OF
woman of Clara Smith lannon's "
ype. The American people have Il
-ithin their power to kill such shows O
hen those pictures are released
e opine that interest in this woman =,
no occupied the center of the II,
age" in a murder trial for short re
me, will have waned and people ~
i'll refuse to pay money to see it. =,
'e feel confident the film would re- =,
1--WE a cold reception in Moscow and IL,
any decent community.
"a "a "a
A dispatch from Yakima says sheep ~
tearing is in full swing there and Ia
,wners experience no difficulty in he
curing shearers at the new rate Of su
u cents a head We are not sur ~
ised. An ordinary shearer will co
ear 100 a day by hand and 200 to ur
0 day with the machine 1t ought ~
It to be difficult 70 get men to worf -
r $3.50 to $3.50 per day in these lv
I'd times. ha
ia
9. M-Jacob Busher to Genesee u