Evening star., 1923-01-18
SCATH|NG REBUKE
i GIVEN WILL HAYS
Movies Control Him and Not
He the Movies, Says Head
of Civic League.
NATIONAL CENSORS URGED
Group Holding Monopoly Need
Federal Control, Like Meat In
dustry, Declares Speaker.
NATIONAL CENSORS URGED

A scathing rebuke and indictment was
given viii Hays, arbiter of the moving
picture industry, for his complete sub
jugation oy group of four or five men
In control, who themselves need censor
ing for the subtle influence of vice they
are spreading through the country il
the movies" by speakers at conference
held today at the New York Avenue
Presbyterian Church by the churches
or the United States and moral welfare
organizations on the federal control of
motion pictures.
Movies can be either blessing or
curse to mankind" Canon William
>. Chase, president of the New York
civic League of the Protestant Epis-
copal Church, said in his address.
nut since state control. censorship
and Will Hays, in the role Of director,
have been unable to restrain the sea
of immoral influences that are de-
grading the public, actors, writer's
and producers. there is nothing that
can save America from this curse but
national control
Will Hays Impotent.
''Will Hays had the confidence of
the public, and it seemed as though
his character would insure some bet
terment, but when he removed the
ban on Roscoe Arbuckle a wave of
indignation spread over the country
and every one realized that the in
dustry controls him and not he the
industry. In all likelihood he will
resign from his position now that he
realizes his impotency to do anything
good for the screen, or else he him
self must realize the need for fed
eral control
state censors are liable to graft.
corruption and control and are in
adequate and futile. When bad pic
lures are outlawed by courts, appeals
are made to higher courts and this
but advertises them so that every
one has a chance to see them before
they are taken off. The political
danger Of this powerful group of
producers is SO great in its monopoly
that the freedom of the screen is so
could restore it by creating a ma
tional commission TO control it in a
like manner to the way the meat
packing industry is controlled"
San Francisco Scored.
IF the screen dictators can rule
Mr.. Hays, then no one else could
deal out justice in the position" Rev.
Clarneca T. Wilson of this city, gen
aral secretary Of the Board of Public
Church, said in d scathing repuke OF
the whole industry, for Hays was a
fine man, of moral uprightness and a
splendid record, but when he rein
stated Arbuckle confidence in him
was lost and he showed by his hy-
pocrisy that he was completely con-
trolled by his bosses. True Arbuckle
was acquitted, but it was in San
Francisco, viii, 4 is a combination of
Sodom. Gomarrah and hell. where
such an acquittal is disgrace"
Federal control is absolutely vital,
because 1t is the only thing that can
surb the rottenness of the industry at
the root" said Rey. Wilson. state
control is ineffective, because OF cor
rupt politics State cenSorS have turn
ed down good pictures because a
bribe was lacking, and thousands of
immoral and degrading ones get by.
Legislation has been passed, backed
by all the leading civic organizations
of states and then vetoed by the gov
ernors, even such as Gov. Whitman of