The Chicago whip. (Chicago, Ill.) 1919-19??, 1922-03-04
DIXON, Up IN
ARMS, PANS
CENSORS

NlOlt lllJ 1ldilslldll. NlllNH Nd9
screened under the name OF The
Birth OF a Nation is writing another
book, which holds up to ridicule the
18th, l4th and 18th amendments to the
constitution. He IS fighting to save
his new book from the same tate his
last one suffered.
Mr. Dixon made the fiat declaration
that the board OF censors was par
tisan Republican body, each OF the
three members having been appointed
Tor faithful service to the party, and
that such a board could not be lair
or reasonable with the work OF an
author, if he happened TO be Dem
ocrat.
Dixon Demands Test
The ccnsors denied political bias.
Dixon repeated the accusation and
challenged Joseph Lcvcnson, secretary
OF the board, To an immediate test
Facing the censor, Mr.. Dixon de
clared. II have on my desk the ma
terial for a new historical novel; which
am AFRAID to write because ! know
this board OF political censors will re-
iuse 1t hearing.
Nonsense" shouted Levcnson,
What Is it,"
1t i. a story OF the dark period Of
reconstruction. It cost me twenty
years OF research to dig out the facts
III my possession Il would require
another whole year OF strenuous work
to complete my preparation and write
the story. ! dare not undertake il
, now Tor fear OF my masters who have
been clothed with omnipotent legal
power to suppress it,
Levcnson interrupted with laugh
aud demanded the story.
Tho author continued. y would
incidentally give IN this book the au-
thenficatcd facts that the thirteenth
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments
to the Constitution OF the United
States were passed By force | would
describe the disgraceful scorn which
made possible the pa, sage OF these
amendments
lie paused suddenly and faced Mr.
Icvenson Would YOU allow such a
book 10 be passed tor the screen
asked Mr. Dixon.
Without moments hesitation, Sec
rotary Lcvcnson leaped 10 his ieet and
houtcd: No. ! would not allow it
70 such view ot American history
tan be brought to the people with my
consent
Assume Autocratic Power
Exactly" the author replied. YOU
were appointed under the prctext oil
preserving the morals OF children.
You have already assumed the imperial
autocratic power TO decide all ques-
tons OF opinion, OF religion, OF his
tory. OF philosophy. and however
great your qualifications for such an
office may be, every author in Amer
iea believes that Almighty God has
never vet made a man big enough,
wise enough, sane enough 10 be
clothed with the autocratic power to
put his hand on the throat OF a Gre
alive thinker and say, You shall think
as I think or not think at all. You
shall speak as | tell YOU to speak or
not speak at all This sort OF thing
belongs to the dark ages, not the
twentieth century
Chairman Cobb Of the Motion Pic
ture Commission attempted to smooth
over Secretary Levenson's break By
saying. III the authors viii only bring
their manuscripts 10 us in advance,
we will try our best to tell them how
to avoid any conflict with the board. -
In other words" Mr. Dixon shouted,
} If we will come to our master like
good obedient little boys you will tell
MS in advance what we can say and
what we cannot say. Tor which kind
invitations the authors OF America
thank you
Barred in Kansas
Before submitting to such tyran-
l ]
prefer 10 Join a revolution that viii
restore the liberty, Tor which our
fathers fought and died You clam
mat your task j., to make pictures
bigger and better. | deny that any
board OF censOrs has ever accom-
pished this result
The Birth OF a Nation wa, and
still remains the biggest and best pic
turc ever produced. There were three
boards OF censors in operation when
- It was brought out in l9l5. Did thcy
welcome Mr. Grithths masterpiece
which IN a day lifted the motion pie
mre from the realm OF crude expert
Inent to the plane OF great creative
art They welcomed him--yes with
an AK The Pennsylvania Board OF
Censors turned it down and refused
10 pass II until the title was changed
from The Clausman' to The Birth OF
a Nation, and eight big scenes had
been cut out The Ohio Board OF
Censors said. You cannot teach that
wee OF history in Ohio at all, aud il
was not until a new administration
came into power that the picture was
seen in Ohio three years later. The
Kansa, Board OF Ccnsors have never
allowed The Birth OF Nation to be
seen in the State OF Kansas. Censor
ship means poorer pictures.
IT throttlcs the authoE and reduces
his work to the level of kindcrgar-
ten and the asylum for imbccics, de.
fcctives and subnormals. Unless cen
sorship is curbed freedom OF speech
will be denied the authors of America
and at the same time great art and
industry will be wantonly destroyed u