Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-06-03
AFTERNOON SESSION

There was large attendance of
the members at the afternoon session
in the Senate Chamber. which was
called to, order at $50 by the newly
elected president, Mrs. Frederick p.
Abbott Addresses of especial interest
and filled with VALUABLE suggestions
for the activity of the assosciation
were given by Miss Amy Woods, sec
rotary Of the Massachusetts state COM
mittee on motion pictures who spoke
on Better Films" and DR.. Augustus
Q. Thomas, State superintendent of
schools, who pointed out how the Pa
rentTeacher Associations can aid ma
tcrially the work of education PRAYER
was offered by Rev. John Graham IF
kittery Point at the opening of the
session.
Address on "Better Films"
The moving picture industry is the
greatest industry in the United States
today with the exception of two, and.
like the beef and steel trusts, has a
great hold on the invested interests
Miss Woods stated in opening her adj
dress. The industry has grown up in
a short space of time. 1t has opened
the world to better things, and women
who are kept by their work at home
are able to see the whole world spread
before them.
However, like art and books it has
gone through the period of money
making and these possibilities have
been used for evil. The speaker told
of the fight that has been going in
Massachusetts for state censorship
and of the signing of the bill by the
governor, and she stated that it was
a great fight by the forces of good in
the legislature backed by the forces
of good in the state to say that
Massachusetts, shall have a demo-
cratic form of government and not
be governed by individuals for the
most part out of the state. She
stated that there is the power of
referendum and the movie interests
are guaranteeing a hard fight, but
she has no fear now for the people
OF Massachusetts are united on the
matter.
The great majority of the films are
made in California, and an exhibitor
has to contract for an entire list of
films, his only alternative being to
put film on the shelf and not show
it, by which, of course, he loses his
profits. The exhibitors for the most
part prefer to show good films, she
stated.
On the question of national CEN
sorship, Miss Woods stated that this
is not feasible until the states take
up censorship and enforce it. Local
censorship does not last well and is
not fair to the exhibitors. If the
committee says that the exhibitor
should take off a certain film, that
exhibitor is the loser. In Worces-
ter Mass, they have the best local
censorship of movies. The exhibit
tors often do not see the films, con-
tracing for them only by their
titles.
The states of Pennsylvania, Mary
land and Ohio now have state GEN.
sorship. and it is in force in every
proyince in Canada. Miss Woods
smoke Of the good Of state censorship
and stated her opinion that gradual
w state after state will get 1t until
the producers in California wake up
to the fact that the public does not
want the films which for large
part they are sending out.
The speaker told of the activity OF
Mr. BRADY. president of the produc-
ers association, against state censor
ship. and how at the meeting OF the
National Congress of Mothers at
washington, a group of women were
called together and they voted
against state censorship. That night
the press said that that nationai or
manhattan had voted against state