Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

1218 * $ * 4* * I Motion Picture News Index to General and DEPARTMENTS Editorial, General News and Features 1217-1230 Exhibitors’ Service Bureau 1231-1241 What the Big Houses Say With the First Run Houses 1243-1246 News from the Chicago Field 1247 News of the Independents 1248-1250 News from the Producers 1251-1259 Studio Notes from the Coast ,....1260 News from the Correspondents 1261 Information on All Releases 1262-64-66-68-70 Action Still of the Week’s Releases... 1263 Late Feature and Short Subject Reviews 1265 Plan Book Reviews 1267-69-71-72-73-74-75-76 New Theatre, Equipment and Construction 1277-1292 GENERAL NEWS AND FEATURES Wm. A. Johnston’s Editorial 1217 Censorship Gets Setback 1218 Pictures and People — A Personal Chat 1219 New York State M. P. T. O. Convention 1220-21-22 First National Week 1223 The Reader His His Say (an open forum for discussicn of topics of the moment) 1225 A Lesson in Service, Well Worth Reading 1227 PRODUCER ANNOUNCEMENTS “ Prisoner of Zenda ” Soon Ready 1251 Paramount’s February 19th Releases 1252 Departmental News Pearl White Signed for Pathe Serials 1253 Educational Pictures Week April 16-23 1253 To Film “The Shaugraun ” 1254 Bull Montana to Star .’ 1256 Goldwyn Buys Stories 1256 PLAN BOOK REVIEWS “The Song of Life’’ (First National) 1267 “A Doll’s House” (United Artists) .1267 “The Broadway Peacock” (Fox) 1269 “ Alf’s Button” (First National) 1269 “The Way of a Maid” (Selznick) 1271 “ Tillie ” (Paramount) 1271 “Crossing Trails” (Associated Photoplays) 1272 “Tracked to Earth” (Universal) 1272 “I Can Explain” (Metro) 1273 “Glass Houses” (Metro) 1273 “A Stage Romance” (Fox) 1274 “Blue Blazes” (Western Pictures) 1274 “ The Beautiful Liar ” (First National) 1275 “Polly of the Follies” (First National) 1275 “The Night Rose” (Goldwyn)... 1276 “ Penrod ” (First National) . 1276 ACCESSORY DEPARTMENT Application of Colored Light in Connection with Music 1277 Competent Engineering Necessary to Insure Safety in Theatre Construction 1278 National Anti-Misframe League Forum 1284 + + + * + + + + Censorship Measure Defeated in Virginia But Mississippi Senate Passes Bill; Odds in House Seem to Favor Censor Board VIRGINIA has again rejected censorship. Following a vigorous attack by Thomas Dixon, the author, on legalized censorship at a hearing before the Senate Committee on General Laws of the Virginia Legislature, on Monday, February 13th, the committee by a vote of six to three decided to table the censorship bill indefinitely. On Wednesday of last week, February 8th, another censorship measure introduced into the Senate of Mississippi was passed by the upper house of that state. The vote stood two to one in favor of the measure. It is now pending before the House where the odds seem to be decidedly in favor of its final passage. At the hearing on Monday in Richmond before the Senate Committee on General Laws of the Virginia Legislature, able arguments against legalized screen control were made by speakers representing the producers, distributors and exhibitors. Thomas Dixon, the author, in a highly dramatic address, pointed out the absurdities of legalized censorship and the inadvisability of inflicting such legislation upon the public and the industry. Chairman Flenning declared the committee had been greatly influenced by Mr. Dixon’s masterly speech. Other speakers were Windham Meridith, representing Jake V eils and other Virginia exhibitors; Mrs. Speed of the National Board of Review; Mrs. Charming Ward, a well-known club woman of Richmond and Mrs. J. E. Krise, Chairman of the Motion Picture Committee of the Parent Teachers Association and Mothers Congress of Virginia. Both Mrs. Ward and Mrs. Krise vigorously opposed the pending measure. The campaign against censorship in Virginia has been directed by Jake Wells and, the Censorship Committee of the National Association. Jack S. Connolly, Washington representative of the National Association, has also aided materially in the campaign. The professional reformers, headed by Dr. Wilbur F. Crafts, have been centering their censorship activities upon Virginia for several weeks. Canon William Sheafe Chase has been stumping the state, and on Saturday, Dr. Crafts and his group appeared before the Senate Committee on General Laws, urged the passage of the censorship bill, and issued a tirade against the motion-picture industry. Following a spirited and acrimonious debate, the Mississippi Senate, on Wednesday, February 8, passed what is believed contains the possibilities of being one of the meanest censorship bills in any state in the union. The vote stood two to cne in favor of the measure, which now goes before the House of Representatives. where the odds seem to be decidedly in favor of its final passage into law. Passage of the censorship law is in , keeping with the regular legislative recommendations of Governor Lee M. Russell, who called for such a measure emphatically in his opening address. The board of censors, as the bill stands as it passed the upper chamber of the legislature, is to consist of three members. 1 One of these is to be a school teacher; another a woman, to be endorsed by the State Federation of Woman’s Clubs; and the third a minister of the Gospel. ■' The school teacher is to be appointed upon the recommendation of the State Superintendent of Education, and the • preacher upon the recommendation of the chief justice of the State Supreme Court. Each member is to be given a salary of $2,400 per year; to be derived from just what source does not seem so far to be quite settled, but presumably from a special license tax levied upon the exhibitors operating in the state, as recommended in the gubernatorial message. One important amendment to the bill was forced on the floor of the Senate. That related to the right of the motion picture people to appeal from the judgment of the censors. It was finally inserted in the bill that where the motion picture interests considered themselves aggrieved they would be allowed to prosecute an appeal from the censorship board, first to the chancery court of HindsCounty and thence, if they wish, to the Supreme Court of the State.