The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-04-27

months have been clean pictures. /
know the American public, know that
its manhood and womanhood is sound
and, of course. it will support the clean
est pictures. And the American public
Is the real censor for us, just as it is
for you.
1.-The people Of this country are against
censorship fundamentally-aga the
censorship of the press, of pulpit and OF
pictures. Just as certainly is this coun-
try against wrongdoing. and the demand
for censorship will fail when the reason
for the demand is removed. AS we move
toward the contamination Of the objects
OF this association. just in like degree
will recede the demand which seems
more or less prevalent for censorship.
The problem of censorship with which
we are now faced was faced by you and
fought out and settled-settled right
here In New York, by the way. so far
as American law Is concerned--in one of
those prolonged and bitter contests for
the unrestricted freedom of intelligence
more than two centuries ago.
Those in the industry do not under
estimate the responsibility nor would We
shirk 1t. / promise that this agency for
the distribution Of information and
thought, this agency for the amusement
OF the millions and for the inevitable
incubation of standards of taste in art
and conduct promise that this agency
shall measure up to its opportunity and
its responsibility.
Il would repeat that the motion pic
ture industry accepts the challenge in
the demand Of the American public for
higher quality OF art and interest In
its entertainment.
The industry accepts the challenge
in the demand of the American youth
that its pictures shall give to them the
right kind of entertainment and instruc-
ton.
I'VE accept the challenge In the
righteous demand of the American
mother that the entertainment and
amusement Of that youth be worthy of
their value as the most potent factor
In the country's future.
I'VE accept our full responsibility. Tt
Is a service, a service which commands
the very best from all and I have great
faith In its fulfillment.v
Mr. Brisbane started out by calling
attention to the real economy the Har-
ding Administration has brought about
despite the hugely increased costs of
Government. He said he had just re-
ceived his information on the subject
from Representative Madden, who sat
beside him.
I'm 1919" he said. "tha expenses OF the
United States Government were $19 000.-
100000; In 1920 they were 80. SOC. 000. 600: in
1921 they were s4,334, 600. 900, and for this
year the figure will be about $4,000. OO0, 900.
And this Is cut of $340, 900 below ap-
country living within its means. and
that is most encouraging. think"
Brisbane Tribufe IN Hayr
Speaking of Mr. Hays, the motion
picture industry and censorship, Mr..
Brisbane said: "Mr Hays. very young
Postmaster-General and Republican
chairman, is chosen to umpire moving
pictures. a very young and important
Industry.
"As Postmaster Mr.. Hays dealt with
the entire population. In his present
work he deals also with the entire popu-
lation. The world will see in Mr.. Hays
a sort Of young Milton. As Milton
fought successfully to raise the standard
OF literature and to crush stupid, med
dlesome censorship, so will Hays, sup
pose. work to raise the standard Of
moving picture teaching and suppress,
by making 1t unnecessary and by maxi
ing 1t ridiculous. meddlesome censorship
that would diminish the teaching power
OF the screen to-day, as the censorship
would have harmed the power of the
printing press when Milton wrote his
'Areopagetica.' They say the printing
speech-that is to say, the speech that
enables one man to speak instantaneous
ly to hundreds OF millions.
Speech did not really exist until the
printing press came. And eyesight, the
use OF vision mhich tells the story by
the brain, did not exist until the instan-
taneous moving picture was created. Z
''Ruskin, who labored so painfully to
give with his drawings slight idea of
the beauties of Venice, hailed Daguerre.
the, inventor Of photography, as the
great educator OF the human race.
THE moving picture is the super
educator. 1t Is Daguerre. Harvesting
the power OF the sun, plus motion. With
the moving picture you may In an hour
learn more Of the present and past than
you could learn otherwise in months.
And the teaching that would have been
painful without 1t, and the knowledge
that would have been slowly absorbed,
are now made a delight and quickly
absorbed.
Moving picture men that do their
work we'll and coonscientiously-as an
overwhelming majority do, taking
pride in their PROGRESSION and in their
product-may ba called the newest,
most effective world teachers. And I'm
that great gathering of teachers Hays
Is to be the principal, the superin-
tendent. or IL you like. the Commits
sioner of Public Education. Much pow
er and usefulness to him.
Must Protect Free Speech.
Mr. Brisbane said that one OF the i'm
portant things the world must watch
over and protect is freedom of speech.
II do not mean simply freedom TO
utter words--words that just occur to
you. ! mean the utterance of thoughts
that come to you and which you de-
sire to set forth In speech and in print.
And there is but little difference in the
motion picture. Censorship always mem
aces new ideas. such Is the educational
power Of the motion picture that dare
say that In half an hour ! can show
at least half the men here things they
do not understand clearly about the
history OF man, let's say. from the be-
to Genoa"
Then Mr.. Brisbane cited examples of
He told of the censor who
ruled the word 'wanton' out OF a
movie caption and was not moved when
he was shown the word three times in
the Bible-the volume he claimed guided
L.. L..