The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-02-17

sational serial and the "dime novel;
sort Of pictures, saying they were Il
deadly menace to society. He spoke
only kind words for both Mr. Graves
and Nj Gibson. He declared his be-
lief that both of these men were
anxious to give The people the
pictures they wanted and that if they
We're assured the public wanted only
absolutely clean pictures they would
see that they got them.
Mr. Steele recalled the fact that
Lyman L. Howe few years ago
brought his educational moving pic
lures to ST. Johnsbury and played 20
crowded houses each time. He
thought this was Il substantial algu-
ment in favor of clean and educa-
tional films, adding that it showed
people will attend clean shows if they
are rood enough the same as they do
the bad ones eve have laws to pro-
hibit foul pictures, Mr. Steele said,
Gas well As laws prohibiting all 9th
or forms OF vice. If these laws were
enforced obscene pictures would
cease to be shown"
The speaker did not believe that the
present censorship bill was the proper
way of getting at the root Of the evil.
4 betteI enforcement of the laws,
rather than more laws, would be the
proper thing, Mr.. Steele continued
Our theatres are as good if not bet
ter than the average, he said.
Rev. Mr.. Richards questioned the
forcefulness OF the present laws
against foul pictures. Who would
hail the theatre man into court and
prosecute him" Mr.. Richards asked
at would be hard to find a citizen
who would do such thing.
Mrs. Cheney suggested that we rec
ommend to the managers of the
theatres the picture we desired.
THAT is, she said ''let us praise his
pictures when they are good and on
the other hand when they are poor
speak TO him in the same way
Miss Dorothy Walter expressed the
opinion that misleading titles 90 a
long way toward maxine pictures
bad She cited an in.tancc Of when
she attended a show at theatre ut
the time "Sex" was being exhibited
She said the manager stopped her
before she took her seat and held
FIVE minute conversation with her, OK
planning what the picture was and
giving it clean bill of health She
said She believed Sir Graves was
under the impression that She was
there for censorship purposes.
Mrs. Stanley Steward, in straight
TO the point talk upheld the moving
picture, in general, laying emphasis
on the fact that here is strong
moral to practically every film eX-
hibted. Mrs. Steward said she had
made study of motion pictures and
had read what Thomas Edison had
TO say regarding the fact that the.
American people are not thinking
hard enough and that the moving
pictures were teaching the people to
think harder. A great many people,
Mrs. Steward said, go to the moving
pictures with the idea Of writing
something better than what they see,
improving upon that certain picture.
Everyone is thinking hard a. they
follow the picture, she added.
Mrs. Steward declared that there
should be law prohibiting children
under u certain age from attending
the pictures because in he. opinion
they were injurious to children Of
tender age. Her belief was that Il
child should be put to bed at night
where he belonged and that thee
should be special shows for the young
boys and Girls.
Mrs. Steward admitted that much
of the delinquency of young children
is due to moving pictures II would
send the parents into the juvenile
courts rather than the children, she
said.
"What is the keynote Of the
movies!" Mrs. Steward asked
"Why do children and adults 90 to
the movies" at is the mystery of
the thing that draws them she
answered.
"Why don't the parents explain
this mystery to their childrcn,' she
asked. "That is the mistake parents
make, they don't tell to their child