The New York herald., 1921-12-26
Law Against Unpatriotic
Pictures Also Will
Be Urged.
BETTER CONDITIONS SEEN
Joseph Levenson Says Some
Producers Fail to Keep Prom
ise to Cooperate.

The State Motion Picture Commits
sion, in the report which 1t must sub
NIT by January Is to the Governor In
accordance with the law, is planning
to request the State Government for
a broadening of its scope. This de-
velopment, according to Joseph Leven-
son of the censorship commission. who
spoke in the absence Of Chairman
George Cobb, will comprise requests
for an increase In the appropriation
for next year, an enlargement of the
clerical force of the Office. and for the
addition of a clause clearly bringing
unpatriotic films within the ban OF
the commission.
These recommendations, while they
have not been formulated by the COM
mission, probably would be discussed.
the Commissioner said, when the COM
mission starts to consider ITS report,
which Is expected to be this week.
The Commissioner would not state
whether the hoard might ask to have
the present appropriation of $4,000
doubled. or just what proportion of
increase might be stipulated.
"When we began frnctioning on Au-
gust L." he said. I'VE were face TO face
naturally, with new conditions, and we
had an appropriation which was con-
sidered sufficient for those conditions.
Since then we have gathered some data
from our own experience and those of
other States which we shall probably
present to the Governor.
Two Deputies mt Work.
Moreover, we shall probably take up
the matter OF the organization Of the
commission. and the question whether
any further deputy commissioners are
needed to review films. At present we
have a woman deputy in New York and
. man deputy in Albany.
1T is likely we shall consider n re-
quest for the addition of a clause to the
present law expressly forbidding un.
banned as the statute stands at present
prohibiting any film that would tend to
incite to crime
ITO their credit, be 1t said, no manu-.
facturer has produced while We were In
office any picture that could be called
unpatriotic. There have been sporadic
complaints about couple OF the ole
films. issued before we took office, tc
which we gave a permit without review
as the law prescribes. Though we could
review such pictures and revoke the per-
NIT. we have not thought to do so. mas
much az the complaints were very scat
tering and were not numerous enough tc
indicate a general dissatisfaction.
"A number Of the producers promised
when we went into Office to cooperate
and advise with us during the makins
OF pictures, but so far only two or three
OF them have kept their promise How.
ever. we feel that they have become
much more careful in producing thei1
films. Even the current news makers
are more on their guard, since all theil
subjects now come before US for review
and we have eliminated one or two al.
ready. We do not expect to ask for anJ
increase In the penalty for violation o.
the law, as the present punishment
carrying with It the revocation OF {:
permit and the loss Of thousands Of dol
lars in the picture, has been found dras
tic enough.
Better Pictures Since the Law.
"The opponents Of the legislation hav,
charged that so-called censorship woult
throttle genius and interfere. with tn,
aesthetic on the screen. The best answe,
is that never in the history OF the indus
try have so many wonderful pictures
been produced and presented 10 the pub
lie as have been since the law went int,
effect in this State.
Another objection raised has bee,
that in I ng to protect the interests o.
the children the york of the produces
would be leveled to the intelligence OF
the child The opponents of the legisla
ton have never realized their obliga
ton to the childhood of the State. Th,
State, almost since its beginning, hai
provided the child with free instruction
and has required that the teacher pas.
rigorous examination. so as TO make sur,
that such teacher Is morally and mental
ly equipped TO safeguard the interest o
the child. Yet until this law was en-.
acted the motion picture, a great dea
more influential than the school as a,
educational factor. has been permitted
to affect the lives of our children with
out single regulation provided by law.
'One or the arguments advanced be
fore the bill was enacted was that so.
called censorship would increase the cos
of production, resulting in an advance O
prices by all the 'theaters. Expcrienc,
shows since the law has been In force
however. that prices az theaters hav
been reduced. and conditions are nov
such that even the high grade house
on the leading thoroughfares OF big citiel
are likely to reduce their admission
charges"