Pueblo chieftain., 1921-02-08
LINDSEY TALKS ON
SUNDAY CLOSING Law;
LATER APOLOGIES

Denver, Feb. 7.-Charges that Judge
Ben B. Lindsey Of the juvenile court
had insulted the city's clergymen in a
defense Of the Sunday movies in an ad-
dress before them and a statement
from one of the ministers that the
judge ought to go to Jail, on a recent
contempt charge, abruptly ended a
meeting Monday Of the Denver Minis
terial alliance and resulted in a public
apology Monday night by Judge Lind
sey.
The meeting was called for the dis
cussion Of movie censorship and repeal
of the Sunday closing law for theaters
and other amusements. Several the
atrical managers had preceded Judge
Lindsey.
You men talk about an existing
board of censorship in the state and
city" the judge said. well. I've done
things. l made clean pictures possible
and l resent and am against obscene
pictures and indecency.
'All of you voted for Philip Van Cse
trecently elected district attorney. He
was going to enforce the Sunday laws.
WeN, I've got something before the
state legislature right now. Is the re-
ligion of Christ gone or do you need a
policeman to enforce it?" the judge
concluded.
Judge. would you say that IL Il child
spent two hours in a picture show on
Sunday that he would not be tempted
to crime before entering the show or
, after it was over?" a clergyman asked.
Il have been on the bench for
twenty one years-twenty-on years,
yes. sir" replied Judge Lindsey, "and
I am here today to tell you ministers
that never have had half a dozen boys
come before me for delinquency caused
directly or indirectly from motion pic
lures. have had twice that many
cases of children who have been at
tending church and Sunday school just
before they committed their offenses.
have known of the most heinous form
of offenses to be committed right on
the church floor"
Chairman L. C. Hills sprang to his
feet. We have given you the
and you have insulted US. You were
not invited here to insult the minis
try he said.
Rev. Robert T. Caldwell. pastor of
the Montview Presbyterian church
rose. III there is "a newspaper repor-
ter present, " he said, II want to go
on record as saying that Philip Van
Cisc was absolutely right when he
said Judge Lindsey ought to go to
Jail" Some ono moved to adjourn
and the meeting ended. In his state
ment Monday night Judge Lindsey
said that it was never my intention
to say there was more crime found in
the churches than in the movies II
said in discussion upon state censor
ship that I was against it because of
its tyrannics and dangers and that /
believed 1t was at great IL not
greater evil than the one we are try
ing to remedy-the Sunday moving
picture theaters. ] said IL the people
want them In the cities they ought to
i have them.'
| II was then asked n question. I was
very limited in both my discussion and
answer since tho watch was being kept
on me. What tried to say was that
in my twenty years OF experience in
| the juvenile court / did not recall a
half dozen cases OF crime among chill
drcn that could be directly traced to
I then said that had known of cases
right in the church or Sunday school
where certain evil happened. for OK
ample that boys had robbed the col
lection box . I was doing my
best to make the point that there was
difference of opinion as to the best
way to fight evil and that we find evil
everywhere. But I did not mean to
say thing that I never dreamed or
crime found in the churches than in
the movies. II the remarks of my
remarks was to justify such n con-
clusion 1t was not intended and I
apologize to the chairman II such had
been tho effect. I believe the whole
thing is a result of misunderstanding
that grew out of n rather heated dis
cusslon over censorship and closing
In which I had only few minutes
and no opportunity TO make myself
perfectly clear"