The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-02-05
HAYS MAKING SUNSHINE
Washington POSI-

! There are few who would ven
ture to contest Will H. Hays
knowledge Of the American pub
| lie, His memorable career as ma
| tiOnal chairman during a period
when his fellow countrymen were
obliged to turn away from proph-
ecy and get down TO the very reali-
| ties, the why and the wherefore of
their existence, gave him unprece-
denteG opportunity to observe
them.
He stood, for four years, at the
very center OF a web which
stretched to the utmost corners of
the United States, and he became
the spirit of coordination between
AN forces, truly all things to all
Americans.
1T was but natural, therefore,
that when great recreational in
stitution found that its mission
was in danger of being thwarted
through lack of a controlling.
modifying influence, it should
turn, for solution of its Difficult
ties, to the one man who seemed
most likely to understand them.
Hence in the enlightenment
which sometimes follows despair
the great moving picture magnates
voluntarily came together and
formed the Moving Picture Pro
ducers and Distributors of Amer
lea, Incorporated, and placed their
| fate in the hands OF Mr.. Hays.
| They have had little reason, in the
three years which have since en-
sued, to regret their decision.
The task whith deyoived upon
Mr. Hays made Hercules expert;
ment with the Augean stables seem
like the merest pastime. From
their earliest days, the movies
were accorded special license in
plot and atmosphere partly, no
doubt, because of their novelty
which made the public forget the
tests which it customarily applies
to The legitimate stage. Moreover,
the pictures, of people and sur
rOundings given so much more
wildly than the footlights can ever
hope to reflect. made ii easy for
| producers to create another world,
which, so far as complete divorce
from reality was concerned, they
did to the queens taste. The
commonest sort of restraint was
pitched overheard and audiences
the world over revelled in surrep-
tious glimpses of the forbidden.
With the increase of efficiency
| in production and the rapid ac-
emulation of profits, prO.Icers
| we're able to hire extraordinary
talent for their pictures, give them
undreamed of lavishness OF scene
and leave nothing worth thinking
Of to the imagination OF their audi
ences. A decade or so of this soon
resolved industry into a feverish
competition in suggestiveness to
tickle the fancy of public which
it could not afford to have jaded.
II the awful vividness of "fhe
Vampire" became softeneL i'm time
into a less bald presentation of
vice, it was only because directors
learned the secret contained in
every art that the half-revealed is
| much less concealed than with no
| draperies whatever. The movies,
! consequently, became adept in lib
Grating the primitive, with tech
nical control over snbconscious-
ness which seemed to land Freud
among the major prophets.
Mr.. Hays's announced resolve
was to bring this movie world
back to decency. He believed that
the American public was not a
breeding-grOund for sex-neurOses,
that its fundamental delight as a
youthful people. was in healthy
combat real adventure and joyous
romance.
To this end he bent his vast en-
ergies for analysis and persuasion.
In the course Of three years Ihe has
called the self-indulgent march OF
both producer and audience to an
abrupt halt, and has set their feet
firmly in the narrow, dry path
which winds upward to art and
education.
AS an impressive testimonial to
this checkup just made among
$500 exhibitors shows that the rs
plays leading in popularity are all
OF the sort which the youngest
mothers son might, attend with
pleasure and profit. But that
much remains still to be done is
revealed by the success of other
pictures not 50 commendabl Bile.
Plots can not always be of treas
ure trove or historic lOre. RO-
nance has got to have it's in
nings. This is where the movies
still fall down. Every boy and
girl knows there is difference in
the two sexes which can not be
covered by luxurious display nor
impossible acts of herOism. 1t can
be both met and explained by the
simple eXpedient of fun-making
and whOlehearted laughter such as
Booth Harrington has ,offered to
his countrymen.
If there is a great deal yet to be
done in this phase. which Mr.. Hays
frankly warns his producers, it
seems to us that it might be ac..
complished by tlfverting some of
the enormous revenue which the
movies Of today produce, toward
the maintenance and equipment Of
literary staffs," trained to read
and recommend. There is a deal
of good stuff in every language.
inlol I'll