New-York tribune., 1922-01-17
CensOrs Seek
Power to Bar
Seditious Film,
State Board, in First Re.
port, Also Asks II New
inspectors at $500 to
Stamp Out Other Abuses
Find Industry Reforming
Cut AZ Scenes During Year,
35 as Indecent, ST Crime
lnciting and 81 Immoral

ALBANY, Jan. 16.-The frs, annual
report to the Legislature the State Mo-
ton Picture Commission submitted to.
day asserts that the commissions CEN
sorshlp has had an uplifting tendency
on motion pictures. and asks the law
makers to grant it broader powers. in
Guiding the right TO define what is un-
patriotic and scditous and to prevent
the exhibition Of films deemed to be
either. The commission also asks n
larger appropriation to employ more
aids TO enforce the law thoroughlv.
Othor amendments sought by the com
mission are:
The right to charge producers Of
aims which are exempt from payment
OF fee price sufficient to reimburse
the state for the permit or license
leader
Defining clearly what constitutes
educational. scicntiiic religious and
charitable films. which arc exempt from
payment of fees.
Authorizing the commission to re
tam the entirc fee paid by the exhib-
ltor of condemned film.
f0rcc OF inspectors Asked
The commission declares that mo-
ton picture producers and exhibitors
are as class willing to co-operate
with the commission in its work and
that many Of the violations a.,ai 9st
the screen censorship act have b bscn
gu" to ignorance of the Law. Among
wlllfnl violations illegal transfer ol
seals to escape payment OF fees oc-
cuplcs prominent place. In order "a
stop this practice the commission asks
authorization to appoint a force of in
spcctors. Tentative appropriation re
quests submitted to the Legislature by
the commission contain provisions for
the appointment of twelve inspectors
at $500 a year
Since its creation on August | the
commission has examined $3.50 reels
o. film. The reviews resulted in the
elimination of AT scenes and o68
tltlcs. Ir eighty-fvc instances the
c!lmlnatlons were made because p'or-
tons of the films we're "indeccnt'; 3;
thirty-tive because they were ''in-
human sixty zone because they were
"lmmoral' or tending to corrupt
morals,' and ffty-four because they
tended to "incite to crime"
Comedies Found Cleaner
Comedies are "cleaner" than dramas
according TO the records Of the com
mission. which show that cighty-onc of
the latter were cut as against forty
three comedies. Only twenty comedy
dramas felt the bite of the ccnsors
scissors.
In discussing its accomplishments
during the first five months Of its OK
lstcncc, the commission says:
Since the organization OF the com
mission there has been a material i'm
provement in the films presented for
examination and license. While lead
crs in the industry are coming to rec
ognizc that merit in pictures brings
IS reward, there are a few pro ducers
who evidently desire to cater to the
lower instincts of the human race and
present unclcxn. immoral and salaciouS
films. Yet we are glad to report that
this number is in the great minority
The class OF producers last referred
to fail to recognize the responsibility
which they owe society and arc only
actuated by greed.
I'VE feel that great results already
have been accomplished by the commits
sion 1t may be due partially to a de.
termination on the part Of the pro
duccrs 10 eliminate abuses which have
crept into the industry and also par
tally due 10 the Tact that the commits
sion had bcen created and has under
taken the important duties assigned tc
it. Tho mere fact of the existence OF
the commission, with the powers which
it possesses, has had a very salutary
effect, and producers, as fast as The
standards required by the commi sion
could be accurately gauged. have il
many instances deletcd their films tC
correspond herewith.
Honest Differences
There does exist, however, and al
ways will, a disagreement among GER
tain producers as to such elemental
considerations as to what is decent OF
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