Moving Picture News (Jan-Jun 1913)

"THE CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE ARE COPYRIGHTED" Wyt jWobtng picture MM INCORPORATING Jftotring picture Cales AMERICA'S LEADING CINEMATOGRAPH WEEKLY PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY The CINEMATOGRAPH PUBLISHING COMPANY, 30 West Thirteenth Street, NEW YORK CITY Telephone, 4092 Chelsea ALFRED H. SAUNDERS, Editor (20 years Expert in Cinematography). This newspaper is owned and published by the Cinematograph Publishing Company, a New York corporation. Office and principal place of business No. SO West 13th Street, New York. Alfred H. Saunders, President: John A. Wilkens, Secretary, and W. M. Petingale, Treasurer* The address of the officers is the office of the newspaper. SUBSCRIPTION: $2.00 per year. Postpaid in the United States, Mexico, Hawaii, Porto Rico and the Philippine Islands. ^ggiggpSfrB;; Canada and Foreign Countries: $2.50 per year. All communications should be addressed to The Moving Pictur* News, cl§jSjsS§pE> 30 West Thirteenth Street, New York City. ADVERTISING RATES: $60 per page, $30 J-page, $15 i-page, single colume ^sbebss^ |20) 52 per inch. Discounts, 20% 12; 10% 6; 5% 3 months. Entered as second-class matter in the New York Post Office Volume VII June 7, 1913 Number 23 EX-CATHEDRA A DISGUSTING FILM OXCE more, in the highest interests of Cinematography, I want to revert to my editorial of last week. I feel more than gratified with the results of that editorial. It has certainly shown me that my efforts to eliminate all the films that have a lowering tendency from the market, meets the approval of all right-thinking men and women in the industry. A prominent member of the Exhibitors' League called in to thank me on behalf of the exhibitors of one of the largest states in the Union for voicing their sentiments against "The Wages of Sin." He assured me that, as far as lay in his power, not one single theatre in his state should exhibit that film, even if he had to make a personal campaign to visit every exhibitor. He said, the time is rapidly coming when such effete censor boards as New York possesses must become a thing of the past, and authority must be given to men who can, without fear of losing their emoluments, dare to express their opinions. He said : "I have been anxiously looking through every paper since I have been in New York to ascertain what action the so-called National Censor Board has taken regarding this backward film. What is the Censor Board composed of? Are they jelly fishes, or rubber backbones, or are they afraid of losing their jobs, or a few paltry dollars that they are now raking in, doing little or nothing to uplift the industry? I have searched the columns of the News from cover to cover to find a statement from the National Censorship Board stating that they unqualifiedly condemned the "Wages of Sin" but not a word can I find." I have tried to be just in my criticism of this film, which I understand has been considerably altered since last week by changing the whole of the titles, eliminating the names of the principal characters, and generally making it appear a different film. The onion will not change its perfume, neither can the leopard change his spots, and this film, called by whatever name it may be, or whatever titles or sub-titles may be placed therein, still has the same objections I voiced in my last week's editorial. In further confirmation that my attitude is the correct one I quote herewith three letters. First from the Rev. Canon Wra, Sheafe Chase : "My Dear Mr. Saunders — "It is perfectly splendid of you to act so promptly and efficiently to prevent the Motion Films picturing the gun men who murdered Rosenthal from being exhibited in New York next week. "The parents who are concerned about the mental influences which surround the amusements of their children and care for the souls of our young people, will applaud your courage in this matter. "Those who want to see the motion picture business protected from the disgrace of becoming a rogues gallery will honor you. "It is a shame that there is no New York City or State Censorship board that has authority to suppress evil pictures before they are shown, as in the cities of San Francisco and Chicago, or, as in the States of Ohio and Kansas. "Eventually Congress which passed the pure food law will have to use its Inter-State Commerce authority to enact a law forbidding Inter-State traffic in any motion pictures which gives impure food for the minds and imaginations of the young. "The Nation must protect itself from the germs of crime. "Yours faithfully, "WM. SHEAFE CHASE." The second is from the National Director of the Loyal Order of Moose: "Dear Mr. Saunders — ■ "Your editorial in the Moving Picture News of the May 31st issue, censuring the picture entitled "The Wages of Sin" is to my mind a great achievement in building up the moral character of the Moving Picture Business. "With your kind permission I will send a copy of the Moving Picture News to the Editor of the Call of the Moose, the official organ of the Loyal Order of Moose,