Evening star., 1922-05-14
Government as Good as People
Make 1t, Says Mr.. Marshall
1922-PART 2.

tality came from the use Of Gig
arettes by parents.
On the third morning my dele
gate entered the hall where cpl
lepsy was being considered. The
grim visaged enemy of the Gig
arctic was there. With figures
she proved that epilepsy was not
an inherited disease. but the re-
suit of excessive cigarette smok-
ing. Still again, he met her at the
tuberculosis section, and there he
learned that tuberculosis was not
hereditary, but >superfnduced by
the use of cigarettes.
Ny friend concluded his recital
by saying that he took a Camel"
and hurried back to Indianapolis
to assure me that the apple story
was all wrong and that Eve be-
yond doubt had tempted Adam
with box Of cigarettes.
This is not a made-up story. al
though the humor of what ac-
tually took place may have been
enhanced. 1t illustrates how one
may trace evil always back to a
source which he does not like,
whether the evil and the source
ever met or not.
Now that Will H. Hays is remov-
ing Objectionable features from
the movies, 1t perhaps is super
fiuous to suggest that these OBJ
jectionable features do not at all
find their origin in the sources
where they are commonly thought
idea that the movie business.
sunken into the mire and filth of
life. can take hold of the straps
of its boots and elevate itself to
the mountains of intellectual mo-
rality, educational advantage and
clean amusement.
have an idea that what ails
the business in its relation to the
morals Of the world is not to be
found in the studio. the scenario,
the artists, actors or owners. If
and not shift responsibility or
seek sources of wrongdoing in per-
sons or the ways of life that we
do not like, we must admit that
we as patrons have something to
do with whatever the evil is. By
refusing to go to picture shows
that are immoral and vicious we
can lessen patronage. If We can
get 1t into our heads that by the
dians of our children and will
exercise that authority by keep.
ing them away from those produc-
tions which tend to lessen the
moral concepts of life and lower
intellectual attainments, we can
still more reduce the box Office.
Just as soon as the box office
reveals that a film is producing
no profit, the producer, scenario
orfiSf and actor will faka
good care that others of like
character are not attempted. The
whole atmosphere of the industry
may thereby be changed.
The complaint about the movie
is much like the complaint about
the newspaper. Everywhere you
hear men complaining of what
they say is the harmful publicity
given to crime and moral delin-
quency. Yet. these men must have
perused the particulars to be as
able as they are to condemn the
newspapers for printing them. The
immoral movie exists only because
it draws. Crime details are pub
lished only because the public
READS them. All MOVIES Will De
good when patrons demand it. Par
ticulars of crime will disappear
from newspapers when readers
demand something else.
When ! was governor, 1t was not
needful for me to read the sport
ing columns in order to ascertain
whether there had been any near
violations of the laws of the state.
A kind-hearted clergyman never
failed to inform me of all events
which smacked of violations. A
fistic bout or horse race never
missed his attention. He always
knew to a certainty whether any
gambling had been permitted. My
only objection to him was that
after reading the news. he always
insisted that I act officially on his
information.
Reformation. l sometimes think,
is being sought in the wrong way.
Education, amusement and the
press are as high as the average
Of the intelligence and desire of a
people, II not higher.
Copyright. 1922. By Thomas R. Marshall.