New-York tribune., 1922-01-29
Paul Bern, Who Likes Censors,
Disapproves of Censorship p
He Also Paints Future of Motion Pictures if
They Continue To Be Subjected to
This Surveillance
BY Harriette Underhill

BY Harriette Underhill
Paul Bern. scerario editor for Gold
~yn, says that he loves censors, but
bates censorship. In half OF this we
agree with him. We 90 not know any
cersors-we know only their work.
Mr.. Bern has some very interesting
:hirSs to say regarding these unpopu-
lar people AID their work:
THE time is the summer Of 1921, and
the place TIE public rooms Of tho mag
nihccrt Beverly Hills Hotel. Los An
. celes. Here met the men who make
PICTURES and the men and women who,
tse estimation Of tho makers, de-
sIoy them. And who are thcy-these
censors. Fierce, bitter, narrow pco-
ple. seeking vielously to destroy prop
-'ty and sin. Not a. all. A gathering
= quiet, normal. self respecting people
and. in addition, modest, kindly and
charitable.
"somo OF the censors don't even be-
''cve Ia censorship! All of them seem
hcs!tant to destroy something which
others have built up at tho e1pense Of
money and brains.
How, then. Is It possible FOR xreup
of people like thl, to work 20 dlss,-
troosly in putting Up restrictions which
'ccn to mako impossible pictures that
deal with life IN any Of its dramatic
manifestations? The explanation that
presented itself TO ME Is that the Vi
ciousress lies not - much in tho pic
'urcs tLat arc made or the people vho
SIT IN judgment on them, but in censor
ship itself. which presupposes that ali
motives arc rotten, that all observed
actions induce imitativcness in the be-
holder, that crime IL to be avoided only
By ignoring its existence ard that the
fifty million years Of existence. Of
lighting and struggln. have left no
impress on cur minds and hearts c1-
cept the homilics OF tho Rollo books.
Three subjects como to tho attention
on reading recent letter by C. T.
Yearsley.
IS censorship cxtrsvagant, And tho
Anewcr that rings loud is Yea r,-
ample 10. /: A certain picture w.
forbidden because it containsd nocL
marriage. although this resulted IN
'he death Of the man who had BETRAYED
ouS Vhen, by means Of titles, tho mock
marriage had been transferred to
relationship CT tho same kind between
the hcroirc's mother and the villain's
'a'ner. the censors permitted it to
:. pass, oven though It was the villain.
ard not his father. who was killed ,or
the betrayal Here, indeed, was the
s'n OF the father visited on the cliIdI
is censorship Injurious. Echo an
s"ers Yes several timca Wo make
picture, that hurt morality much moro
than IL we did not have consor.hjp.
II changes Camille so that it /, rot
recognilabic~ Gentlemen and Lady
, Nensors: You saw Camille in your
3. Youth, your parents raw It: and vet
- hey grew up TO be respectable citizens.
s'lr tho film production tho whole rur-
pose ard intent Of TIC story was lost.
hecauss uc never lncv the remarkable
transformation N this woman through
.ae power OF lorv.
rs consorchip futile. Read tho an.
'r"r for Yourself. The u,.n vino wants
to be indecent suhstitutcs for frank
7ess and honesty IL. Suhtcrfuce Of
'muc, the nromise OF tho illicit, th.
threat c.f'norccncy, tNe tsn.slisa,,on
- rieseducs'. our cle-er director
>uops how 10 set hy tho cen.or. hut
Wv. 10 Amcrican ,pnr.li,r, Th. 1e.r
-~'nd si''rs ia Infinitely more dsns.rou.
: 'Aah the katelaisiar cbucllo -t'an the
AuNoor-ry Or thc Restoration.
ybc audiences in i certain Sou.hern
's1e arc not supposed to haow thas
children can bc born out OF wcdlccs.
'niottuns.eiy, certain ciasac story
IN being transferred to the screen
could not change this bssic plot by
necessity. But the loca, exhibitor hor-
rowcd carriage scene from another
picture ard inserted 1t wacre II did
;he most good. This way it passed the
oersora. Md II fool tbs audience:
Not for a minute. II caused them to
laugh. ard It made an indecent Joke
cut Of what was originally a serious,
tragic and beautiful occurrence.
What can be done about 1t? Moth
Ing. Censorship IS thc will not ncces-
saruy o. tho majority or the people,
but rather OF tho majority OF organized
opiniop clubs, churches. etc. Tner
have made their voices heard. In MY
opinion, ro.hing Will change tho de-
sire so- censorship. II VIII grow IN
this country, ysar By ycsr, ua.il some
time the hu Industry viii breaA under
IL or the people Will arise in wrath and
smash It. For the coming OF that Gay.
let ~ pray!"