The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-04

1 iety in the film center is a combin-
alton of much money and little
character; and secondly, that the
remedy may be Will Hays.
The Lafayette Journal Courier is
Z of the opinion that "Mr. Hays is not
leaving the office of postmaster
general any too soon if his services
! as chief salvager of the movie in
dustry are to be eff active" and the
2 Oregon Journal (PortlandD be-
lieves that If MIR. Hays can clean
up Hollywood he will be worth
many times his salary" for the
movie industry "is very largely
q what its managing men and own
ers back east see fit to make it"
"Will Hays is recently reported as
Z having said that when he comes
into command Of the picture show
business he will remove Hollywood
to Long Island, and he would plant
a community church in the middle
of the settlement" comments the
Fremont (Neb.) Tribune, and adds
that he will be justified in taking
some drastic measures to institute
d idulCCll IclOIh III lAS 1llS VI INC
movie colony"
The plain truth is that the
; American people are paying too
much for what they receive" is the
conclusion of the Lincoln Star aft
er commenting upon the conflicting
phenomena of numerous so-called
stars" who receive from fifty thou
sand to a quarter of a million a
tale. fearful lest imported films
drive them into bankruptcy" The
Topeka Capital agrees with Louis
Joseph Vance and most people that
the secret of Hollywood 'degeneracy
is in the luxuriance of the dollar
crop"
1T used to be said" continues
this paper. that the uses of an aris-
tocracy consist in example, the fix
ing of Standards" but ito excel IN
vulgarity is a worthy contemporary
ambition" The fundamental trouble
in Hollywood, in the opinion of the
Geneva Times, seems to be a lack
Of intelligence and common sense,
We need not apply the test Of
character, which is the highest; in
telligence alone should save any
calling or any colony from such ex
cesses as these of Hollywood. :"
quite in contrast to the Main
Street state of mind is the Holly
wood pSychos," says the Minneapo-
lis Journal, which believes that the
Hollywood way of life endangers
the moving picture industry and
art in this country" since its 'shal-
lowness and wilfulness" offend the
moral sense of the right-thinking
average American
Not Hurting Movies
OF contrary mind is the Wheel
ing News, which declines to be-
lieve that the scandals that have
been uncovered recently" will
cripple the movies in the slightest
degree" but that men and women
who transgress law and decency
will disappear from the movies be-
cause eventually promoters will
md that people do not want to see
them" But the Philadelphia Pub
q lie Ledger feels that the chasm be-
tween real and stage life is so wide
that the two kinds of life don't
speak each others language, even il
Representatives of both attend the
same church, and the Saginaw
News Courier believes that what
ever else is said of the moving pic
ture business it never yet has been
accused of too strict adherence to
the conventions common to ordin-
airy life" and that actors, producers,
directors and writer's all acquire
the oblique viewpoint of life. :.
Mr.. Hays has certainly taken on
some job"
The Atlanta Constitution thinks
fairness demands that public con-
aemnation of the motion picture IN
dustry in its entirety, as result of
recent exposures of deleterious con-
dltions within it, be held in abey
ance al least pending the outcome
OF drastic reform measures the ag-
gressive application Of which has
been promised"