Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-24
FATTY" Arbuckle's Next Trial.

With the final verdict of acquittal
in the Arbuckle case American news
paper opinion on the whole has little
quarrel. Although there is. of course.
some dissent, the general feeling Is
expressed by the New Haven Journal
Courier, when 1t says that 1.-The state
has had every instrumentality to
convict placed at its disposal, but
has been unable to prove its case"
and, after hearing the evidence
through three trials. the mature
Judgment" of the people of Cali
fornia comedies with that of the jury
which represented them. 1t must be
remembered, the Baltimore sun
points out. that Arbuckle was not
on trial for immortality, but for
manslaughter." and since the evil
justify" the latter charge. faith in
our native institutions" the st. Paul
Dispatch holds, demands that the
American public accept the judy
ment"
But while the verdict closes the
issue as between Roscoe ArLuckle.
American citizen. and the state Of
California, 1t by no means ends the
case of Fatty Arbuckle. movie actor,
and the American public. And 1t is
the outcome of the trial OF this case
that the papers are interested IN
chiefly.
while. in the opinion Of the De-
catur Review, lit isn't worth while
to debate the question" of Arbuckle's
return to the screen and to popu-
larity, because the facts will be es-
tablished 'long before we could hope
70 finish the everla sting debate: that
discussion. nevertheless. is well un-
der way in editorial columns BY
order of Director General Hays, Ar
buckle films slated for immediate
release are withheld, but the New
York World quotes producer as
Hays request does not mean that Ar
buckle would have to retire as mo-
ton picture star"
Why. indeed. he should retire. is
a question to the Waterbury Re-
publican, which feels that sense of
refusing to accept Arbuckle again as
an actor. for, after all. he has been
found innocent of the charge brought
against him. and so far as records
show" the Rockford UlL) Republican
adds mo financiers. lawyers. doc
players or bootblacks have been de-
prived Of opportunity to earn a Nv
ing in the line Of their skill because
of infractions of the moral and not
the criminal CODE" The public which
sets itself up as Arbuckle's judge. In
Post-Crescent, should do q good deal
Of social housekeeping on its own
part" for 1t cannot consistently
ostracize him or his pictures without
lifting its skirts from. other filth in
the movie world"
singled out as representative Of the
debauchery and filth" of the people
who comprise that movie world"
the Wilkes-Barre Record believes that
people as a whole should, and will,
make Arbuckle the medium through
ing for that kind Of conduct" The
Grand Rapids Press. which proposes
to boycott Arbuckle pictures to the
extent of declining to allow them
advertising space or news MENTION,
issues a challenge. for IF we must
life by main strength, let's get about
it," since, as the New Bedford Stand
ard says, "this proposal to capitalize
infamy proves the hopelessness of
expecting the movie interests to In
stitute voluntarily a moral house.
fafs Of tbe sa1odn the New
York Tribune declares that if pic
lures ARE not kept clean they will
be suppressed" because they have
come to be the chief amusement OF
How win Hays or any one else
can elevate the movies by the ere.
instatement of Arbuckle is more than
the average American citizen" or
the Pittsburgh Press "can figure
out"
test of American
morals" the Fort Wayne Journal
Gazette holds, but the very making
Of such a test doesn't pay any
compliment to the public" the Mil
waukee Journal replies, and the
whole matter i'm Difference to the
public's sense Of decency. instead Of
making a test to see If it has such