The New York herald., 1921-04-06
Noted Producers Pledge
Elimination of Promoters
OF Vicious Films.
OPPOSE STATE ACTION
Brady, Griffith, Beach and
Morey Plead for Free
Expression.
WOMEN SUPPORT BILL
Attack Unscrupulous Produc-
ers as Aiding Juvenile
Delinquency.
WOMEN SUPPORT BILL
Special Despatch to THE NEw YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Alhnny. AnriI 5.

Special Despatch to THE NEw YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Albany, ADrii 5.
All star casts fought for and against
State censorship of motion pictures for
five hours to-day in the Senate cham
Der. Producers and writers told the
Legislative Finance Committee that
censorship meant strangulation, while
those who are assailing film produc-
tions denounced pictures as the great
est menace to the morals of the nation.
William A. Brady, speaking for the
motion picture producers of America.
pledged the committee that the in
moter of Objectionable films. Give
them one years time, Mr. Brady said,
and the producers would agree to clean
the business without State interfer-
ence.
The hearing was on the Lusk-Clayton
bill. which provides for censorship
commission Of three with power to pass
on all films shown in this State and
imposing a tax on films. The producers
gave little attention to the tax.
Covers Entire Country.
81 am ready to go before Gov. Miller
and the Legislative leaders together
with ten men who with me will repre-
sent the leading producers and enter
into a hidebound agreement that we will
have this entire situation disposed of
within a year." Mr.. Brady said. I'VE
will do it by pledging ourselves not to
allow our pictures to be shown In thea
tres where Objectionable pictures are
being exhibited. We can close these
theatres if necessary and IL this plan
does not work out ] will be here next
year and talk against the producers.
The advantage Of this proposition Is
that it does not apply to New York State
alone. but to the entire country-it will
be a clean sweep from coast to coast
Rex Beach. president of the Authors
League of America said that motion
picture production is an art which cam
not be gauged by any set OF rules
state motion picture censorship he
said las here proposed means strangu-
lation. 1t is advocated by two groups
those who are accentuated by narrow
minded bigotry and rnose who beieve
movies are the cause of crimes"
ID. w. Griffith said that the motion
picture art. with but very few excep-
tions, Is as clean as any expression OIL
art He said:
censorship started in Germany and
then moved on to Russia. Are We 10
adopt something which found its origin
ana stronghold in such countries? sup
pose they had repressed the class cs OF
literature the way they now try TO re-
press movies. Wnere would our IL
braries Of to-day be? Their shelves
would bs half empty"
Refers to Divorce Case.
r. A. Moray. chairman of the legisla-
tive committee of the National Board
Of Review, said that subjects equally
bad as some Of these rourd In films were
read by children in newspapers, He re-
ferred TO the Stillman divorce case. anc
said that the public printing of sordid
details in sucn cases is as bad as any
expression on the screen.
Hugh Frayne. representing Samuel
Gompers ano labor, spoke against the
bill, as did Mayor James Garfield o.
Poughkeepse.
Motion picture producers are defiline
American wontanhood," Mrs. Clarence
Waterman said. She Is one of the lead
ers of the movement for censorship
There are about fifty feet of morals &c
5000 feet of immortality in films. Sixty
per cent. OF the producers want sugges-
tive films. They want the money ano
do not care who Is hurt"
Mrs. Ellen O'Grady. formerly Deputy
Police Commissioner, made strong
plea for censorship. The industry has
passed into the hands of unscrupulous
men. she charged, and added that in her
opinion great part of Juvenile delin-
quency Is due to motion pictures.
Alexander /. Rorke, Assistant District
Attorney of New York, said II Is unfair
TO call bgots all WHO favor censorship
Clergymen representing many demom-
nations favored the bill
The belief here is that the bill will
pass.
ASSEMBLY DEFEA