Evening star., 1922-01-18
Movies, Politics and Will Hays.

Ine IGIlTeNenI Ol AlSAa sAtS
Postmaster Generalship will be a dis
appointment to the country. the press
believes. In the short time since he
took charge Of tho post ONCE he hAs
made great progress In rehabilitanne
the service and In restoring popular
confidence, and commendation Of his
work Is generous. Because OF the un'
usual organizing ability he has shown'
it is regarded as inevitable that private
enterprise should claim him. But IN
editorial opinion there is still wide
public interest attached to the private
work in which he u to engage ~ d.
rect,ng head Of the motion picture In
dustry. For It win furnish bread Held
for = much-needed public service, which
at the same time ID not without pons''
Ths moving picture business, says the
Indianapolis Star (independeat repaon-
canl, as one Of the most important t.c-
tors in prese1t-day life and one OF the
fastest growing Of all industries, anu
anything touching i rs an institution 10 y
81 ,ntsse's s. to II tss sns sSstry has been
subjected to much criticism ana un,
fsyoraole comment" and the Poru1nd
lMe.l Press Herald (independsnO be-
iieyee that "the men who have fortunes
invested in 1t wish to regain the cona'
dence Of the public they nave oeen los
will HAYS can," the Portland paper
asserts, and the Indianapolis paper
agrees. adding that sorry as the pubic
IL to lose his services - caolnet ON.
cer. .the movie field OF activity onefs
opportunity for service .s.erp 20 sns peeps :
The extent OF this field is suggested by
thS statemeut OF The Boston HerAd
Gndependent republican, that "the
screen is a universal me0ium OF asnubes
ment today, and it tends to become
great factor in the determination OF me
opinions of the people ana a Vaiuaoie
educational agency
But granting the need OF super
vision and direction of the movies IN
the public interest, there 10 stu the
interesting question IN rt,o'sr,S, she SS''o En-.
mind Why ;ae Afys fsoris n
dependent) thinks. movie producers
hays a theory on which they are maxi
ing the tender" and that theory, ac-
coraine to the Spokane Spokesman
Review indenendent-republican) Is
''to head of csnsSIsniPfb s.t,Sn,. Pfba waterbury
fconn.S Republican (republican) dnds.
that "ths influence that the motion
picture industry is able to exert upon
the pubiio should have It's po1iti4e!
reactions and oeeause ot Aom tae
'industry 'Ys preparing TOR heAvy bas.
flas in The political aroma" Producers,
indeed, ..have reason 70 expect re-
prissis," the Hartford Times demo
cratic) says. "because Of the use to
which the screen has been put In
noiitical campaigns in the past"
Pictures have in the last few years
heAn Unanswered to serve this and
that candidacy Of special interest,
the Pittsburgh Press (independent)
sSrsss. AZ ana since they ~prosally rank
only. second to the newspapers as
moiders Of social ideals and public
opinion 1t is natural to expect, rs the
Hartford Times says further, that
representative in Congress ana the
IL esiriHtures may consider It ea3eNt %
bar ali political propaganda from the
Aims than to rest content with sttu-
alton that may be helpful to them to-
day but deadly to them tomorrow"
But exclusion of political propa-
sanda, Of course. is not all Of the CEN
sorship story-its larger side lies In
the supervision Of films from the So
cial and moral standpoint. Such regu-
lation Of the movies "is q moral. not q
political ISSUE" the Brooklyn Eagle
(independent-democ holds, "but
1t may become . political issue y