Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-03-17
-
EDITORIAL
WEED OUT THE BAD ONES.

WEED OUT THE BAD ONES.
MUCH is being said these days
avs about corruption in the motion
picture world. Some of it is justi-
fled; much of it unjustificd. The
fact is that the motion picture indus
try, which has grown to gigantic pro-
portions because of its popular APP
peal, embraces within its ranks, just
as great city, bad people as well
as good. But the bad are far in the
minority, and the good, suffering for
the acts of the bad, are making
supreme effort to free themselves
and their business from the smirches
that have been put upon them.
The trouble largely lies with a
handful of hired reformers, the kind
that lose interest in alleged uplift
when the pay stops-have been
spreading creed of hatred and cruel
misrepresentation when they should
have been offering counsel and
Christian coincidence.
We believe, with most sober mind
ed people, that the searchlight of in.
telligent public opinion should be
turned upon the motion picture in
dustry at this time and that those
in it who conduct themselves in
manner calculated to offend the
sense of propriety and decency Of the
American people be driven to the
four corners of the earth But we
have no patience with the clamor
set up in too many quarters for the
blood of the entire industry, with
millions upon millions of dollars of
invested capital and employing hun
dreds of thousands of people, en-
bracing some of Americas best wo-
manhood and manhood, individuals
who would be leaders of thought in
any community in which they may
reside, Just because a pitiful handful
of misguided individuals have gone
astray
The motion picture business is di-
Vided. into three classes: Producers,
distributors and theater owners. They
are not bad nor vicious; on the con-
trary they constitute, as a whole.
good citizenship.
A few years ago, many readers
will recall, a famous New England
minister mistreated member of his
congregation, finally murdered her
In secret, and the next day occupied
ms pulpit and preached a sermon, as
was his custom. This conduct of his,
which outraged at the time the whole
country, did not constitute iustifica-
ton for an attack either upon the
church, the clergy or organized
Christianity. Other equally heinous
offenses have been committed by
ministers of the gospel.
a few years ago, also, a mayor of
Charlottesville, Va, the university
town of the Old Dominion, cruelty
murdered his wife and shocked the
state and country. But his misdeed
did not constitute grounds for at
lacking or condemning the MAYORS of
the country in general.
IN bike comparison we might men,
Lion that the sordid developments in
the Stillman case in New York in
voiving the head of enc of the
worlds greatest banks, should not re-
fleet upon the character, morality or
standing of bankers or banks in gem
eral, although it is not altogether an
isolated case.
The vicefpresident and general
manager oftthe biggest interest in the
South, controlling hundreds of the
alters, is Georgia country boy, born
on farms in Meriwether county,
graduated from Georgia Tech, an ac-
tive participant in both civic and
church affairs, and what might be
termed good and useful citizen.
There are hundreds of similar in
stances in tAe-safee groups in the. in
dustry
There exist no better women to-
dag, in or out of the church, those
who know them personally say, than
Norma Talmadge, Madge Kennedy
and scores of others whose names
and faces are familiar to sdevotees
of the screen. Why, therefore, con-