We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
54 MOTION PICTURE COMMISSION. strongly, and that is this: Think of what the motion pictures have (jone—the good they have done. Do not fasten your vision on the few negligible instances. It is human nature, perhaps, to do it; but also remember the motion picture, like the magic key, has unlocked the treasure house of the world's literature. Mr. Fess. Notv, this committee, if it acted favorably on this bill, would act purely because it would think it would increase the good you have done rather than decrease it. Mr. Bush. I do not see how it could. Mr. Powers. Your position is that no five members of this com- mission can regulate the taste and the desire of the entire American public ? Mr. Bush. Exactly. That is summing it up. In other words, if five gentlemen are censoring us, who will censor the five gentlemen ? Mr. Towner. You spoke a few moments ago about the condition with regard to the moving pictures being satisfactory to you. Now, do you mean to the film manufacturers? Mr. Bush. No; I mean to myself, as a plain, average American citizen. Mr. Towner. Now, while that might be true, what do you say of this movement, which is nation-wide for censorship ? Mr. Bush. I can say a good deal about it. Mr. Tow^NER. Now, if there is no foundation for it, if there are no films that are exercising a deleterious influence, how do you account for the strong feeling in this movement for legislation ? Mr. Bush. I will tell you, in the first place, you are assuming a state of affairs which does not exist. You say that there is a nation- wide movement. Now, I deny that. I will tell you why I deny it. There are 48 States in this Union. We have had moving pictures for the last six or seven years, as a common and popular amusement. If there were a nation-wide demand, more than 2 out of 48 States would have censorships, and I could unfold a tale as to censorship in Ohio that would make it very evident to you that the censorship there did not come in response to a public demand, but merely as a political growth. Mr. Towner. Noav, if you have a tale that you can unfold, I think the committee ought to know it. If these evidences that I spoke of all over the country are not well founded, if thoy are manufactured by some extraneous influences, if they are selfishly political in their origin, then this committee ought to know it. Now, if you have any facts, give them to the committee. Mr. Bush. If the committee desires to be possessed of the facts, and if the chairman requests me, I will impart them to the com- mittee. The Chairman. I think the committee would like to hear them. Mr. Fess. As they sav, over in the House, reserving the right to object, what about'the'others? There are other gentlemen to be heard, and we will have to leave here pretty soon. The Chairman. Well, sir; we are very much obliged to you. Mr. Powers. I would like to have this gentleman submit a com- pilation of the laws of censorship of some of the principal countries of Europe as a part of his remarks, and, if he wants to do it, let him enter into this Ohio situation. The Chairman. I think we would like to have that.