Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-09-18
STATE CENSORs INSPECT
100 MILES OF PICTURES
Nearly 1000 Permits Issued
for Continued Exhibition
in Virginia.
SAYS WORK HAS HARDLY BEGUN
In Order to Fnmiiinriyc Themselves
Thoroughly with Ito Task, board
Rns Sat Together Through Prnc-
ticnlly All Screenings.

During the month OF August the
inclined to view with len!ency the
failure of certain motion-picture ex-
hibtors to display tho State ap-
proral seal as required by law. SO
great was the number OF applioa-
tons for permits and licenses that
the Office OF tho board was almost
swamped. and great difficulty WAS
experienced In keeping apace with
the heavy volume of business. Con-
ditions have changed, however, and
the time has come when failure to
observe the provisions OF the new
statute will result in prosecution of
those who offend.
Whit the Inv Provides.
The law provides that 1t shall
be unlawful to exhibit or to sell
lease or lend for exhibition at any
place of amusement for pay or In
connection with any business" any
motion picture film or reel for which
no permit or license has been issued.
And II further provides that such
him or reel shall contain for eXhi-
hilton upon the screen Identification
matter in the substance, style and
length which the board shall pre-
scribe" This identification matter
comes Immediately nfter the title Of
the picture. Besides carrying the
state approval seal and tho serial
number of the picture, 1t contains
either the words Permit issued By
| the Virginia State Board Of Cen
sors," or Licensed by the Virginia
Board of Ccnsors"
In no case should tho State ap-
prevail seal he detached from the
| picture Gy exhibitors. In order to
s..lr T. oct,
| eXplanations-or more probably.
! prosccutiou-all thCatcr managers
| should carefully examine their films
| before displaying them. To mako
assurance doubly sure. they should
| decline to lease from any exchange,
distributor or producer any picture
! for which a permit or license has
not been procured.
The permits are issued for pictures
used in Virginia before August l..
the date when the now law became
effective: the licenses for new pic
lures never before exhibited In this
Commonwealth. The old or used
| films were not examined by the
board. but every picture released
since August l and offered for ex-
hihition In this state has been
screened at headquarters In Rich
mond.
Seen $50 Miles of Pictures.
The three censors. Evan II. Chess
| terman. Mrs. Emma Speed Sampson
| and r. c. L. Moncure, anticipated
! the rush OF business by beginning
| work long before the new law he
| came effective. They actually began
! examining films the latter part or
July. Since then they have seen
nearly $50 miles of motion pictures
And II Is said by wise ones that their
work has hardly begun. UP to this
date nearly 1000 permits have been
| issued for the continued exhibition
OF old or used" films. while 1877 now
| subjects have been screened.
| In order to familiarize themselves
| thoroughly with their work, tho
three censors thus far have sat to-
rether during the screening of prac-
tically all the new pictures. though
II will he impracticnble for them to
do this later when tho volume OF
business increases. The examine
tions usually go on from In the
! morning until in the afternoon,
with but an hours interval for
lunch.
1t is the opinion OF the board that
the moral tone. as well as tho artis-
tic beauty of films has greatly in
crenscd in recent months, but II is
still necessary TO make many climi-
nations. No film as yet has been re-
jcct"1 as n whole.