Evening star., 1924-05-18
An Experiment in Public Relations
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

pass unnotfced. The committee MEM
bers Offer their crtdctsms, always OF
a constructive sort, to their secretary.
who reports them to MI. Hays. who
producers. And they are accepted.
too. it is asserted. for the producers
know that these men and women are
truly representative OF the American
public.
Frequently suggestions made in
this way have led to changes in in
dividual films before they were gen.
orally circulated for exhibition pur-
poses. At times, too. even before the
photographing OF certain film dramas,
mittee members and asked for aid
and advice.
These volunteer film observers are
not censors They have no authority
shalt notr Neither are they super
inteuectuals nor condescending high
brows. They are average men and
women, knowing the likes and dis
likes OF their fellows.
Another Committee Function.
Another function OF the committee
on public relations is this: It keeps
In touch with tho great number Of
better film clubs and similar or
ganizations which exist throughout
tho country for the purpose OF en-
couraging the development Of motion
pictures. It gives these small groups
its best advice and the benefit of its
experience In the larger 6eld.
Also the committee, through its
local organizations, arranges special
Saturday morning movie programs
for children. Parents are thus As
, sured that their children, when they
go to these performances. will witness
| nothing that they should not see.
OF course, it is accepted by every
body that there are pictures which
| children should not see, Just as there
| are stage dramas they should not
witness and books they should not
read The idea Is to have at least
one program a week that is arranged
primarily for the youngster1-not
goody-goody little things that used
| to be inflicted upon children--but real
| dramas, minus the elements that
might be injurious to the adolescent
| mind
In organizing the committee on
public relations Will Hays had in
mind the fact that the motion picture
| Is and always must be the servant of
| the PUBLIC 1t 10 the principal amuSe-
ment of the great majority of the
people and the sole amusement of
millions and millions. The people
have q right to demand that pictures
shall be clean and of the highest
possible standards Of art entertain
ment The Hays experiment is held
to be IN honest, thoughtful effort at
cooperation in establishing and
maintaining those standards.
| THE committee is q splendid body
OF men and women representing some
100000 Americans of all kinds, u
says Mr. Hays. ut provides for us
. typical cross-section Of real Ameri-
can life, and Of the needs as we'll ae
the wants Of the public.
I'VE are striving to satisfy those
needs. The public can be OF great
help in q very simple and definite
way-by supporting the good pictures
and making that support felt at the
box Office, thus encouraging the pro-
ducers to make moro Of them and the
exhibitors to show more Of them"
! Conversely. the public by withhold
ing its patronage can discourage
producers who turn out poor pic
| lures or had pictures. It Is estimate ed
that about $4,000, 900 men, women and
| children look upon the screen weekly
and II they make their likes and dis
likes known emphat1cally It is altoEeth-
er nkeiy that some attention win be
paid to them