The Moving picture world (April 1921)

April 2, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 465 Screen Will Solve Own Problems Outside Help Proves Too Unreliable to Be Safe and Helpful "Having gotten back to my office I evolved, out of the experience of thirty-three years as a lawmaker on the outside here at Washington — having seen eighteen laws that I have drawn passed in Congress — a simple plan that I believe is the only way in general that can compel the universal acceptance of these standards, namely, the appointment of a federal Interstate Motion Picture Commission, from which every producer of interstate films will have to get a license, and in that license it could be made a condition precedent that these standards should be adopted by contract with the Government, which adds a very effective penalty for violation in the forfeiture of the license. And the contract would include also an agreement to insist that all who distribute the films of these producers should also contract to follow thess exclusion standards. By that simple plan of combining law and contract every exhibitor in the land could be reached, as well as every producer, and there would be left no competition to drag down those who stood for the best things. "As this whole matter was taken up openly in the conference in New York, with the press represented, and as the whole public is very profoundly interested and many of them are able to make wise suggestions, it seemed to me eminently appropriate that I should take the public into my confidence, and tell them the specific form of law which I should propose asking the producers and the public both to join in perfecting the measure for introduction in the next Congress, where I hope it may be supported by all who have the true interests of the motion picture art and industry at heart, and at the same time the interests of the public. Until such an agreement is made, and such legislation is secured, I could not advise that any State or local effort for the protection of our youth should be in any way slackened, but I believe if this plan were adopted that States and cities would adopt it in place of any censorship plans of their own, and so it would be to the interest at the same time of the motion picture producers and exhibitors who really desire to bring in a new era. as it would be my wish, that we might put it through very promptly and so realize to the credit of all concerned and the good of all, this statesmanlike plan of protecting the foremost American recreation. "For myself, I am so delighted with these standards that I am more than ever persuaded to make their realization the supreme purpose of the remainder of my life. I began to lecture on total abstinence and prohibition fifty-four years ago, and there has probably not been a month in the intervening time in which I have not, by voice or by pen, done something to promote the cause of prohibition, which, so far as legislation is concerned, is now accomplished, and I regard the cleaning of the motion pictures as the natural supplement of that great work because motion pictures, when purged of their confessed faults, free from criminal and vicious tendencies, would, in my opinion, be the best possible substitute for the saloon in which millions have spent their leisure hours, and there are probably tens of thousands still hovering about the speak-easies who will soon be driven from them by the faithful enforcement of law, which we have every reason to expect will soon be achieved. "The Reform Bureau has many reforms in its schedule, and they are all reforms in which I thoroughly believe, but I regard none of them as of such far-reaching importance as the realization of these great standards, and with absolute sincerity, without any shadow of commercial interest, as I put my entire salary into the work in which I am engaged, I shall pursue this object with whoever may stand by, few or many, believing that in any case the majority of the American people will stand for a plan so manifestly wise and just." Jin addition Dr. Crafts wrote at great length criticizing the National Board of Review, and making it evident that he regarded himself as the final judge as to what was best for the moving picture and for the public. Mr. William A. Brady promptly called Dr. Crafts to account and served notice upon him that co-operation was impossible without the keeping of faith. Dr. Crafts then took refuge in the statement that he agreed "only that I would advise under certain circumstances to suspend efforts for Federal censorship, and that I would advise a temporary suspension of the movement for Federal censorship." What the records show and what all present fully understood was that Dr. Crafts while making no effort to interfere with agitation or plans for state censorship would temporarily abandon his Federal censorship program, and although no time was stated it was understood that a reasonable time would be given for the industry to work out its own proposals. The sentiment of the business is for clean pictures, and the industry is committed to a clean picture program. This it will follow out in its own way because it is the right thing to do, but it will have to get along without reformers who are inclined to take matters in their own hands regardless of the spirit of their promises. . . _ '