The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-01
REFORMERSG|VE
MOVIE COLONY
BILL Of MORALS
Los Angeles Authorities Say Ma
jority Of Hollywood People
Are Law Abiding.
International News Service.

was arrested and tried recently at
San Francisco on a granddaughter
charge growing out Of the death
of Virginia Rape, following a gay
hotel party given by the rotund
comedian, the allegation was made
that the Los Angeles film colony
had been the scene Of many orgies
far worse than Arbuckle's enter
tainment.
PuIpits Demanded Reforms.
From some of the most influential
pulpits of the CITY of the Angeles
were hurled demands that Holly
wood, that section of the city which
contains most of the large motion
picture studios IN southern Califor-
MIA, clean house quickly and make a
good job Of It,"
And now. with four months having
elapsed since the pastors shouted
their warnings to audiences OF mil.
lions Of persons who read them In all
sections of the country. the question
naturally arises: Was Hollywood
really bad. and II so, has 1t cleaned
up?"
As an answer the international
News Service records observations
from four sources and from men who
stand high in their respective fields
OF endeavor. In epitomized form these
findings are:
I. John H. Pelletier. executive sec.
rotary of the Morals Efficiency Asso-
citation of Los Angeles: Eighty per
cent of the residents Of the Holly.
wood film colony are as substantial
people as can be found anywhere.
Some OF the balance lead indifferent
lives and by their loose conduct bring
reproach on their righteous brothers
and sisters"
Public Give Approval.
2. Capt. George X. Home, of the
Los Angeles police department:
fornia people deriving their livelr
hood from the motion picture indus
try are clean and upright citizens"
3. The Rev. Neal Dodd, rector Of
st. Mary's Of the Angels tEpiscopal)
Church, located in the heart Of the
film colony: "A constant association
with all sorts Of movie folk has led
me to believe they compare favorably
with any profession on earth"
4. De Witt Jennings, chairman Of
the Los Angeles governing board Of
the Actors Equity Association: Yes.
there are some black sheep in the
UlONlcS. buI very
small, considering that from zoe, 1000
are said to depend In Aome way. in
whole or in part, on the motion pic
ture industry for their livelihood"
Conditions Closely Studied.
Mr.. Pelletier, who, before he be-
came identified with the Morals Eff
ficiency Association, an organization
ait,ta naA hx, n.thItr- nj
tied citizens of LDos Angeles. was su-
pervisor OF the United States hygiene
board. has made an exhaustive study
Of the Hollywood sseial conditions.
Some time ago." said Pelletier, In
an interview, IT discovered that there
was a pronounced traffic in drugs in
the Hollywood colony. I learned that
there was a trafficker who visited
Los Angeles every two months,
through Los Angeles harbor, and
who brought large quantities Of hero
In and cocaine, much Of which was
destined to be sold in the movie col
ony. l broke up this ring by obtain
ing l12 bottles of cocaine and heroin
from this man, myself. to be used as
evidence.
End Put to Rum Running.
II also discovered that liquor des-
tined for the Hollywood colony was
being struggled into southern Cali
fornia through the activities Of two
lesser officers of the United States
navy. As in the case of the drug
ring. prompt action by the authori-
ties put an end to the rum running
by the naval officers.
Information has come to my Of
flee Of orgies held in the Hollywood
colony from time to time. Unfortu-
nately. the tips on these affairs
were invariably too late for raids.
have been told that at some Of these
affairs, where drug addicts have
gathered, hypodermic needles. to-
gether with heroin and cocaine, have
been passed about on trays. 1t was
in the same manner as in the pre-.
prohibition period, when wines,
liquors or beer were passed about.
THE public believes that the ma
jority Of the movie people are every
thin that is had. whereas the fact is
that less than 20 per cent of the film
colony are involved in immoralities,
and II is that less than 20 per cent
that have given the entire industry
this bad reputation"
Capt. George K. Home, Of the
Hollywood police district, does not
agree with Mr.. Pelletier's figures in
regard to the Substantial" and I'm
different people Of the film colony.
Bad Name From Few.
my district Is one Of the quietest
and most decorous in the entire ma
tion," said Captain Home.
with but one or two exceptions,
my men have never had a cali from
the homes of any Of the more promi-
nent men and women on the screen.
/, These calls were only such as might
come from the homes Of honest work.
ingmen in a manufacturing district.
Taken as a whole, the people in
the Hollywood film world are up-
right, law-abiding residents. They
own mile after mile Of the best
homes. They have bank accounts.
They have AL credit. Hollywood 10 a
section Of well-conducted households.
well'patronized churches and model
schools.