Educational film magazine; (19-)

"Mothers Have a Right to Demand that Every Amusement Center Which Is Open to Children Must Be Clean and Wholesome" By Hilda D. Merriam* THE articles which are now appearing in our magazines concerning the motion-picture situation are certainly very interesting to us women who worked for years trying to get some action that would give us wholesome pictures for our children. Five years ago we could not even get the attention of the producers. Next they laughed at our criticisms. Now the women seem to have their undivided attention. It shows the power of organization. The trouble seems to be now that the producers take the attitude that they are above our common laws: Why should any one dare to censor them? The auto industry is also a new, big industry, but no one says that there should be no tra£Sc laws. All of us realize the necessity because we have daily evidence of the maiming and killing of our citizens. Our children can be injured mentally and morally by improper movies just as much as they are physically by other means but because the effects are not visible directly few pay any heed. If these men could see the mental picture on these little brains caused by the pictures which are supposed to amuse them; if they were obliged to hold a frightened, crying child, and try to make him realize that the story is not true—then perhaps they would think more of the pitiful side. It is not only the unclean pictures to which we object. A great many of these pass over their heads; but there is also so much unnecessary fighting and killing. The situation seems to be the same as it was in drama some twenty-five years ago. Then managers thought a play was not worth while unless there was a great deal of fighting and kill- ing in it and we had such plays as "Ten Nights in a Bar-room," Killing the Golden Goose A new industry of this kind seems to think that it must appeal to our baser passions to be a success. Everybody is attracted because of its newness, and the managers think that the big crowds are evidence that the people want this sort of play. Soon the better element stays home in disgust and only the small minority who wish this type is left. The movie producers ought to realize that they will reach this position if they do not shortly give evidence of heeding their public. Russell Holman, of the Famous Players-Laskey Corp., in a recent issue of The Woman Citizen says that there are pictures suitable for adults which, without being unclean, are unsuitable for children. We agree with this, and we believe that the ideal is movie performances for children. I beg to predict, though, that there will be more adults at the children's performance than at the adults', because most adults love the charming pictures which are made up principally to amuse children. I have watched men at the movies and listened to their remarks on the pictures. They have been disgusted and bored with the sex stuff but laughed heartily at the bears' and children's antics in the other picture. Life is tragic enough without bringing tragedy into our amuse- ment hours. At our Woodlawn Theater in Chicago a children's matinee is I * lo The Woman Citizen. given every Saturday morning with selected pictures. The chil- dren prefer to attend this. It is a model well worth following. In Los Angeles some movie houses have established a children's playroom where parents can leave their children while they attend! the performance. This is another excellent idea. I When the movie producers try to blame the parents for allow- ing their children to attend unwholesome pictures they forget that every community licenses its amusement places, and that the parent has the right to expect any licensed amusement house to be a proper place for children if children are permitted there. Pool rooms are licensed, but with the understanding that minors are not permitted in them. Saloons used to have the same license to operate, but could be prosecuted if minors were found in them. Therefor? mothers have a right to demand that every amusement center which is open to children must be clean and wholesome. The Old Saloon Argument The movie producers are putting up the argument used by the liquor interests when we demanded that public dance-halls be made decent places of amusement for our young people. They said it was the parents' fault—that they should know where their children are and not permit them to attend these places. We say that when the community licenses the dance-halls as amusement centers for our young people that should be a guarantee of wholesome, clean amusement. The same must apply to the movies. If we cannot make our amusement centers clean for our children, why are we not justified in demanding municipal owner- ship of them? Mr. Holman also says that parents should go around to all the movie houses and see the posters in order to know what kind of pictures will be given. Can you imagine mothers trotting about from one theater to another, trying to get an idea from one poster as to what will be shown in a two hours' performance? I took my daughter to see Jack and the Beanstalk. Surely a mother had the right to expect that would be all right. In the main it was a beautiful picture; but the whole picture was spoiled be- cause the giant was shown dragging his wife around the floor by the hair and threatening to kill her with a long knife. It was so gruesome that all the children were hiding their faces and would not look at the picture supposedly made for their amuse- ment. How could a mother tell from the title or from the poster that her child should not see that picture? We have censorship in our public libraries. They decide what we may read. The world would be a miserable place to live in if every one was allowed to go unrestricted through this life. I believe that some of the movie producers are earnest in their desire to clean up the pictures, but they are wrong in feeling that they are above our common laws and regulations. It is quite a step in advance though, when they will admit that there are "questionable scenes and trash exhibited." We women can help a great deal by applauding in some public way the pictures which are truly wholesome, but we must not only condemn, but absolutely prohibit, the unwholesome. U