The Washington times., 1922-07-06
Pictures Are =
Asset for Community
Education, Say Clergy

anent corrective that we seek. Sex
education II too generally q half
apologetic and uncertain approach
to the unmentionable.. This is be-
cause IL 10 mainly negative. 1t
needs to be spiritualized by the IN
PRODUCTION of definite motive
the culture of love. As this motive
becomes more dominent In AL edu-
cation II will aid In overcoming the
evils Of eroticism and sensuality.
The prevalence Of the bal pic
ture Ia due to the prevalence OF
bad taste and low morals. such
pictures are q crime against art
Az well az against morals. Dr..
what IL truly artistic Ii not
likely to be condemned az immoral.
save by extremists. This 10 illus
trated by the fact. for example.
that no one thinks Of draping he
nude figures in the. Metropolitan
Museum OF Art, The development
Of artistic appreciation IL primarily
the business Of the schools On the
moral side the efforts Of the schools
are supplemented by the church.
A wholesome attitude toward
life. and a sense Of proportion as
to it's values will render uncouth-
ness disgusting. wanton violence
intolerable, ard lewdness and sex
ual promiscuity repulsive. There IL
no quick route to this attainment.
but there Is no shorter path to
higher place Of social living. The
moving picture screen reflects the
prevailing social ideals and its
standards will be raised permanent
ly only as there Is progress In the
life Of the whole community.
THE immediate duty Of the
churches, considered locally, would
seem to be to secure an inteln-
gent study on the part Of their
members of the problems set forth
in these pages with view to de-
ternining what method Of social
control Is best. But without ref
erence TO legislative proposals
there Is a local task for every
community that has q picture the
ter. In nearly every parish and
congregation there are men and
women we'll qualified to study the
motion picture situation In :he
local community. The method
pursued in gathering information
for the present study Ia commend
ed to any community seeking light
on the motion picture problem.
wherever possible an inter
church committee should be Sc
lected. This committee should
not only report on conditions,
but should wrestle with the prob
lem Of standards and seek to de-
velop a policy which the com
nunity may be urged to adop..
when the facts are in hand
and a judgment az 10 standards
has been formed, 10 is necessary
to determine a policy. No single
right procedure can be prescribed.
but there II one that may safely
be pronounced always wrong.
That Is. to launch Immediately =
crusade against the picture ex-
hibitors. They are q part OF
big system for which they are
only partly responsible. They
are also members OF til, com
munity. They may actunily share,
privately, the opinions OF the
IN yestigatibg con'nitte"
In any case they Will respond
fort toward community better
ment that takes them In than
toward one that is avowe'ily hos.
tile. Comrulsion should he 4
last resort.
"All efforts should be positive
and constructive. Emphasis
should be placed on the encour-
agement of the good rather than
' the suppression OF the evil. And
the motion picture screen should
be thought OF and talked Of not
as troublesome problem. but
as one OF the chief assets of the
community for education { and
betterment."