Motion Picture Commission : hearings before the Committee on Education, House of Representatives, Sixty-third Congress, second session, on bills to establish a Federal Motion Picture Commission (1978)

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234 MOTION PICTURE COMMISSION. act would automatically kill the National Board of Ceusorsblp. This would mean that within the limits of each State there would be no check on unscrup- ulous manufacturers, and anything could be flashed on the screen which often- times too-indulgent police would allow. The stamp of the National Board of Censorship is now universally recognized by civic oflicials throughout the coun- try as determining whether or not a film is suitable for exhibition. " The National Board of Censorship is the best solution of the national problem which has yet been conceived, even though it has many faults. Its members believe that eventually no censorship will be needed, and when that time comes the organization will disband. As it now exists it stands or falLs on its own merits. To destroy it by legislation which would so inadequately provide for doing its work as the Smith-Hughes bill would be inimical to the best interests of the country. Every person interested in any way in motion pictures or in their effect should protest against the enactment of this ill-timed legislation. The National Board has turned chaos into order and to reverse the process is at best an ill-advised procedure." (Thereupon, at 12 o'clock noon, the committee adjourned.) (Hon. Julius Kahn, a Representative from the State of California, submitted the following statement and telegram with the request that they be printed.) Mr. Kahn. I have received a telegram from the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of San Francisco, Cal., of which M. E. Cory is president and R. L. Marks secretary. I know that in San Francisco we have a local board of censors. Every precaution is taken to prevent the exhibition of pictures that would tend to degrade or demoralize the old or young. We have a large number of moving picture establishments which are visited by thousands of our citizens daily. Personally I do not recall a single case where complaint was made in regard to the character of pictures that were shown. I ask leave to have the protest of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of San Francisco considered as a part of these hearings. San Francisco, Cal., May 23, Wl.'f. Hon. Julius Kahn, Washin-oton, D. C: California motion picture exhibitors demand vigorous opposition Smith- Hughes motion picture censorship bill at final hearing Tuesday. California has no State censorship board. Contract statement Interuiitional I^eform Bureau. American-made pictures do not need censoring. Honest performance of duty by customs officials is adequate censorship for foreign pictures. Present-day drama and vaudeville need censoring much more than pictures and we will never submit to any censorship that does not include the stage. Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of San Francisco, M. E. Cory, President. R. L. Marks, Secretary.