The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-23
National Motion Picture Mentor
Passed Thru Topeka.
Protests From WOmen's Clubs
and Ministers of No Avail.
NO EXPLANATIONS MADE
Perfectly Content With De-
cisiOn to Let ArbuckIe Return.
Motion Pictures Are Getting
Better, Says the Big Boss.

The.protests of women's clubs, min
isteriA associations and other organ
tizations; the banning of Roscoe Ar
buckle films by mayors and censor
boards, spell nothing in the life OF
Will H. Hays. national motion picture
mentor, so far as persuading him to
change his decision to allow Fatty
Arbuckle to enter the moving picture
field again, is concerned.
Hays passed thru Topeka Friday
night on the Santa Fe California
Limited. He was easily accessible to
interviewers. In his pocket was
sheaf of copies of the statement which
he made and which was published
early week from Los Angeles
Every man in the right way and
at the proper time is entitled to his
chance to make good. 1t is apparent
that Roscoe Arbuckle's conduct since
his trouble merits that chance. So far
as 1 am concerned, there will be no
suggestion now that he should not
have his opportunity to go to work in
his profession In our effort to de-
velop a complete cooperation and con-
fidence within the industry I hope We
can start the New Year with no yester-
Gays. Live and let live is not enough,
We will try to live and help live"
Hays Has No More Explanations.
81 stand on that, absolutely" he
said. Il have nothing to add to IL,
and no explanations to make ] am
perfectly content" Hays had no hard
words for the people who are criticiz-
ing him and protesting against his
permission to Arbuckle to take up the
films again. He wouldn't even dis
cuss their attitude. 1t was obvious
that he had been questioned about the
protests again and again, and that
he proposed to. stand pat on his orig
inal declaration. There was weari-
ness-even boredom--in his talk of IL.
This doesn't mean that the pic
lures Arbuckle made before the trou-
BILE are to be released. 1t simply
means that he has a chance to go
back into his profession and make
good if he cam" said the dictator Of
the screen.
There was a glow of enthusiasm 81
the rather lackadaisivai and ennuied
manner of Hays. when he spoke of his
job and of the pictures in general.
Has Big Job.
''It is job as big as all the tomor-
rows-there is no end to its possibili-
ties" he declared. THE pictures are
getting better and better. There Is Il
fine crop of pictures in the studios
now ready for releases in the spring.
Bettering Pictures at Source.
There is but one place and one
place only where the evils can be
eliminated and the good and great
advantages of motion pictures re-
tained. and that is at the point where
and when the~p.ctures are made. And
1t can be done then and there, make
no mistake about that. There is no
zone of twilight in the matter: Right
is right and wrong is wrong and men
know right from wrong. The correc-
tions can be made, real evil can and
must be kept out, the highest stan
dards of art, taste and morals can be
achieved and it is primarily the duty
CT the producers to 90 it
He turned abruptly to the window
of his stateroom and peered out 81
the platform. so this Is Kansas?" he
said. Great is Kansas"