The Washington times., 1921-02-26


patron saint sacrinced his life on the
bsttienelds of France.
"As proven red-blooded Americans.
we stand for freedom os speech. free
dom of press, and freedom OF screen.
and are always ready and willing to
defend the Constitution OF the United
States and, II necessary, give our
lives that the principles for which
our (orefathers fought and died al
ways will be adhered to-" The reso-
luton was sent by William II. Frank
lin, commander of the post.
Notice also was sent the District
Commissioners by the Washington
Secular League that II would be rep
resented at the hearing on Monday.
The league is opposed to any enort
to close the moving picture theaters
on Sunday, or to otherwise censor the
flms shown on the Sabbath.
The letter of the league to the Com
missioners says in part that: The
matter OF a "moral" censorship OF mo-
ton pictures In Washington AT this
time has been brought forward ana
preesed upon the consideration OF your
honorable board by the most promi-
nent and active representative OF this
Sunday "blue law" element which mas
proclaimed that the motion picture
theater Is a competitor which the
church cannot meet on equal terms
without legal discrimination and
when the people are left free to de-
termine TO which they shall go, and
which. therefore. desires to compel
the closing of motion picture thea
tersJ on Sunday in the interest OF
church attendance and the religious
obseryances of the day.
"The alleged immortality of the mo-
ton picture theaters was harped on
In the interest of this Sunday 'blue
laws project, and among the preten-
sions by which ii was sought to- ne
put forward in other than It's reai
character was the claim that its pur-
pose was to protect the publ,
morals.
CONCENTRATES ON MOVIES.
"Now that that scheme Of 'protec-
ton of the public morals by direct
suppression on Sunday Of this COM
petitor, which, 1t is proclaimed, the
churches are unable to compete with
on terms OF equality before the law
and of freedom of choice on the part
of the people, has been foiled for the
time being by an overwhelming DEM
onstration of popular opposition the
Sunday blue law element Is strik-
ing at this Sunday competitor by con-
centrating upon its alleged immor-
ality' and by seeking to subject 1t
to moral censorship satisfactory 10
this element.
"The attempt is being made to rep
resent the motion picture theater as
q moral plague worse than the saloon
as was done at the hearing accorded
by your honorable board on January
1S, and these Sunday blue law re-
formers want 1t reformed to their
standard of morality the principal
tenet of which is the closed, religious
Sunday, and no doubt their campaign
now against the alleged immortality
of the motion picture theaters has
that original purpose of suppression
on Sunday as it's object
at would appear that the moral
onslaught is designed to frighten the
motion picture theaters into accept
ance of Sunday closing. The leader
of this onslaught declared before
your honorable board on January is
that we hope we can save the
movies and implied that he was not
altogether sure that the element he
represented would not have to pass a
death sentence on the movies.
DEFEND SUNDAY FILMS.
I'VE are decidedly opposed to hav-
ing the recreation and entertainment
of the people Of the District of Co
lumbia subjected to such moral
regulators, or to having the standard
of public morality on any day of the
week dictated by such an element as
that which Is pressing moral CEN
sorship of motion pictures at this
time, an element which seeks to in
ject its religious, theological moral
ity' into the law and affairs of the
whole people, and whose ideal Of
society is not the American ideal of
democracy.
1--WE are Of the opinion that the
motion picture Is analogous to the
press, and that the principles on
which the press is regulated should
govern the regulation of the motion
pictures.