Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1918)

March 2, 1918 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1207 Would Repeal Censorship Laws in Maryland h h Legislative Committees Listen to Arguments oi Speakers for Industry — Outlook Considered Favorable ON THURSDAY, February V at Annapolis, Md., a hearing was given the moving picture exhibitors of Baltimore, officials of the Maryland Exhibitor's League, men nationally prominent in the motion picture industry and others interested in the repeal of the drastic censorship law which has been in effect in Maryland for nearly two years by the judiciary committee of the House and the judicial proceedings committee of the Senate, in joint session. The bill to repeal the censor law of Maryland was introduced in the House by Delegate Delaplaine of Frederick county a short time ago. Much interest was shown by the members of both committees when the forceful arguments relative to the uselessness of censorship were made and many enlightening points were brought forth to aid the cause. The principal speakers from Baltimore at this meeting were President Frank A. Hornig of the Maryland Exhibitors' League, Secretary L. A. De Hoff, General Counsel J. Louis Rome and E. C. Sandell. Delegate Connelly of Baltimore City, chairman of the house committee, presided. Miss Mary Gray Peck, a member of the Motion Picture Commission of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, was the principal speaker. Miss Peck has spent several years in an investigation of the censorship proposition throughout the country and her views on the subject are interesting and enlightening. A woman of unusual intelligence she has delved deep into the intricacies of censorship and the legislative committee listened to her remarks with keenest interest. Miss Peck maintained that there is no way to improve the standards of taste affecting a growing art from without. "Art," she said, "will improve only from within and cannot be bettered by heckling, hampering influences from without." Speaking of the more conspicuous evils of censorship she cited the instance of the refusal of the censor board of Ohio to permit "The Birth of a Nation," probably the most popular picture of the time, to be shown there. With hundreds of thousands of persons interested in this film the people of Ohio had to go out of their state to see it. Miss Peck pointed out that most moving pictures are not bad enough for the so-called "worst" people and not good enough for the so-called "best" people. Between these classes, she said, is the greater class of reasonable people of sound judgment who are moderate in their views and who deplore the attempts of extremists to alter existing conditions to meet their own views. She said that the National Board of Review carefully reviews every picture produced so that films are censored practically before they are out of the hands of the producers, and that when they have met the approval of this organization and are sent out to be exhibited they are under the police powers of the states. Censor boards, said Miss Peck, constitute a third class of censorship which is trying to do what the others cannot do and is an intolerant nuisance both to the motion picture industry and to the people. Much Thought Given to Children's Programs. J. Louis Rome, counsel to the Exhibitors' League of Maryland, introduced W. D. McGuire, of New York, secretary of the National Board of Review, as the first speaker for the moving picture men. Mr. McGuire described the work of the board, which makes a thorough but reasonable and sensible review of the work of the producers. The work of review is divided among committees which order eliminations when they are needed. Appeal may be taken from the decision of the committees to the board of directors of the National Board which meets weekly in New York, but if the board decides that the review committee's ruling is reasonable and proper there is no further appeal, and unless the producer makes the elimination ordered he severs his connection with the National Board. On the committees of the National Board of Review are men and women of prominence who must attend the review sessions regularly or their names are stricken from the rolls and others substituted. , , More than ISO sub-committees of the National Board throughout the country are at work upon special programs of moving pictures for young people. Morning and afternoon performances with programs of this sort have been given in many communities with unusual success. Parents are thus encouraged to feel their own responsibility in this connection and they will see that their children attend the performances which are arranged for them rather than the others which are intended for adult consumption, Mr. McGuire pointed out. He also showed what a great loss would result to the motion picture industry if all performances were based on what is good for a child to see.^ He said that a vast amount of literature would thus be made unavailable for motion picture production and that the public would suffer from this loss. The National Board is taking special steps for the welfare of the soldiers in camps and cantonments by arrangements that preclude the possibility of improper pictures being shown in the houses in or near these places. Mr. McGuire said that the producing companies are always anxious to conform to public opinion and are constantly and consistently responsive to the wishes of the people. At the conclusion of Mr. McGuire's address one of the members of the committee wanted to know if all pictures were reviewed by the National Board. Mr. McGuire explained that all films except those known as educational films were reviewed and of these synopses were furnished the board. Senator Frick asked on what ground the picture men considered abolition of censorship justified and Mr. McGuire replied on the ground that it is an unnecessary duplication of the work of the Board of Review and an unnecessary expense. The question was then raised as to whether exhibitors could appeal from the decision of the Maryland censors, and this was answered by Delegate Bryant, who said that when an elimination was ordered by one member of the board an appeal could be taken to the two other members. The real situation that exists in the Maryland Board of Motion Picture Censors today is this : Mrs. Marguerite E. Harrison is the guiding spirit of the board. William F. Stone, one of the other members appointed by Governor Harrington, is dead, and no successor has been named. Charles E. Harper, president of the board, is not particularly active, hence there can be no appeal to two members of the board from the decisions of one of the others because there are only two members of the board. Frank A. Hornig, president of the Executive League of Maryland, spoke following the address of Mr. McGuire. Mr. Hornig caused the faces of some members of the committee to spread in broad smiles when he told of how a picture called "The Squealer" was passed without elimination by Mrs. Harrison and when returned shortly afterward under a new title, "Double-Crossed," many eliminations were ordered. Hornig Quotes President Wilson. Mr. Hornig cited another instance of the vagaries of censorship in Maryland in regard to Ihe picture "Daughters of Destiny." Eliminations from this film were ordered by Mrs. Harrison, he said, and when he showed it privately to a group of citizens of Baltimore there was not an objection to i* from them. The group included several clergymen. W. H. Baughman, who was one of the group, wrote to Mr. Hornig later to the effect that he saw nothing objectionable in the film, which he declared was tame compared to many shown every day in Baltimore. Mr. Baughman is headmaster at the McDonogh School. Mr. Hornig quoted President Wilson, who went on record two years ago at Shadow Lawn, N. J., as opposed to censorship of motion pictures. Mr. Hornig explained that the cost to the exhibitor of motion pictures at this time is several times as much as it was two years ago and said that censorship was adding to the burdens of the exhibitor who is already paying state and federal taxes and government seating and reel taxes. Censorship, he declared, has driven many of the smaller film exchanges out of business. He denied that the character of moving picture films has improved since the institution of censorship and said that no manager who wanted to stay in the business would put on pictures of a questionable character. Theodore Mitchell, personal representative of D. W. Griffith was the next to speak. Mr. Mitchell brought out the