The New York herald., 1922-01-17
Unpatriotic and Vicious
Films to Be Suppressed
Under New Law.
LICENSE JUGGLING SEEN
Commission Charges Trickery
by Small Minority Of New
York Producers.

Special Dispatch to THE New Yosx HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Albany, JAM I6
Attempts of some moving picture
producers to evade the law led the
Motion Picture Commission to the
conclusion that the law must be
strengthened to compel strict obser-
vance and be so amended that un-
patriotic and seditious features may
be cut out.
In its first report to the Governor
on the results of its work, the new
commission states that most of the
reputable producers have shown will
ingness to conform to the law and
eliminate vicious and obscene pictures,
but some have tried by trickery to
exhibit Objectionable films. To reach
TIE minority the commission asks for
the creation of a better inspection
force. The report states
'If the statute is to be made effective
and the screen purged of Objectionable
films. there must be provided a system
L,
in the State Unless the theaters are
inspected, there is no manner of de-
terininirig whether films are being ex-
hibited without license.
UphoIds the Majority.
There has been desire on the part
of the producers as q class and particu-
larly the exhibitors to cooperate with
the commission. There are some willful
violations of the law and certain ex-
changes, undoubtedly I'm connivance with
some of the producers, have undertaken
to escape the payment of the fee which
the law prescribes by the transferring
Of seals in the interchanging of the
serial numbers. and also by exhibiting
pictures for which neither a license nor
a permit has been issued.
I'VE feel that the trade has now had
sufficient time to comply with the statute
and that the same should be vigorously
enforced. 1t will. however be necessary
10 provide adequate inspection in order
to accomplish this result.
"There is no method of determining
whether the films exhibited have been
-da1etad as directed by, the commission
unless an actual inspection is had OF the
films as exhibited. A suggestion has
been made that each theater be re-
quired to report daily whether the films
exhibited contain proper identification
matter. This system has been tried IN
other states and found to be or no Value
for the reason that the eXhibitor is ue-
nandent upon the producer for his prod
net and he declines to become an IN
former against the producer or the eX-
change and also very properly dechnes
to admit that he has violated tne Ia"
himself.
fy1cr
been undertaken in other States and mas
nroved unsatisfactory. The Pennsyl-
vania State Board OF Censors, which mas
been in existence since 1914, has tried
all methods of inspection and has come
to the conclusion that the only satis-
factory way is to have the State DIVIDED
into districts and a number OF inspectors
assigned.
.'1rhe law requires the producer to
prepare the film for the serial number
and exhibit il in connection with the
seal for the license or permit. The COM
mission is satisfied that some OF the ex-
changes and exhibitors nave adopteo
the practice of removing the license or
nerrnit numbers from the films upon
which they were intended to be used and
using them on other films and we are
also satisfied that numbers have been
exhibited upon films other than those
for which they were issued. These vio-
lations have led us to the conclusion
that the serial number should be made
a part Of the Identification matter fur
nished by the State.
Tell of Great Results.
1--WE feel that great results have al
ready been accomplished by the commits
sion. IL may be partly due TO n deter
mination on the part of the producers to
eliminate abuses which have crept into
the industry and also to the fact that
the commission has been created and
has undertaken the important duties as
signed to IL.
"While the regulation OF any industry
Is distasteful 20 those who are engaged
In IL, yet the motion picture exerts such
a potent influence upon such vast
rumber OF people OF all ages. education
and attainment that the necessity for
some control over the production and ex-
hibition of pictures has become apparent
to every thoughtful person
The commission has issued 6,ie4 per-
mits ard reviewed LAO films since II
began work last August. the report
states. Only five films have been con-
Gemned in their entirety and n court
review in a litigation regarding one OF