The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-02-17
Asks Managers to Have
"CIean" Shows Weekly

Continued from Page Onc)
education problems of life and
therefore was vital.
There are all sides of the question
to be discussed he declared. 1--WE
are not here to condemn without a
hearing OF to praise without discrim-
ination. | am much interested in the
statement from NJ. Wilson of the
Vergennes Industrial school that
many children coming into that in
stitution are influenced by motion
pictures. Ii we arc producing Grim
irlls by the showing of certain pic
lures then it is a very serious Quea-
ton to II nix about
Rev. Nj. Richards then called up
on those in the audience TO eXprA s
their personal views on the subject.
1t was rather slow work getting the
audience started but just so soon as
one started the ball rolling opinions
were being voiced in quick succession.
Strong talks, covering all phases CT
the question. were given
Mrs. W. p. Smith, N opening
the discussion, quoted certain 1e4-
tire manager in the ate, who made
the remark that 60 per cent of his
pictures were clean and educational
andt that 30 per ctnt were poor. He
was asked: Suppose candy shop
sold GO per cert pure candy and 30
per cent poisonous. What stand
would YOU take in case like that!
she asked.
Mrs. W. T. Blodgett read an article
published in the January number of
"Worlls Work, which declared that
one of the evils in the motion picturcs
is the catering to and developing of
salacious and vicious tastes. The
article goes on to say that unfair
and false advertising is one Of the
attendant evils. In part the article
saws:
"The power Of the motion picture
for evil is much greater than book
dealing with the same subject. For
instance: an assault on woman is
q vastly different thing when read on
I cold page than when seen in eXa;g-
geratel form on the screen. To des-
cr.be the cracking of a safe in print
doesn't compare in realistic harm
with the same in picture. Many
persons who clnnot read understand
pictures.
"Childrcn like the Slap d. n and
because they are large patrons. many
wild and woody pictures are present
ed, which arc distinctly injurious to
minds in the formulativc stage of
growth.
'In motion pictures very little ac-
count is taken of the larger interests
of society. We regulate drink, drIgs,
motor cars, etc But here is some
thing far more dangerous than they.
There must be legal penalty for OBJ
scene pictures. Special agent are
needed to watch the movies for they
may be among the most dangerous
influences in modern life"
In answering question put by
Mrs. George I. Cheney, Rev. Mr..
Richards declared that censorship
was not national. He said that many
producers of the worst films refuse to
submit their productions for censor
ship Those who oppose this state
censorship bill, he said, do so on the
theory that many people will be APP
appointed to the board who are
biased, prejudiced or are in the bust
ness for the money there is in it.
They will be ineffective or lay the
wrong emphasis along some lines, the
opponents say "They also say II
will give too much power TO regulate
the morals of the people" Mr.. Rich
ards continued. "There is a good deal
to be said along that line"
Charles Steele, in prefacing his
talk, declared he was not well enough
acquainted with local movies to be
any great Judge Of their character.
when | go to the movies" he said,
at is to see something special that
am interested in. | believe we have
both good and bad pictures at both
houses" Mr.. Steele scored the SEN