The Moving picture world (May 1921)

34 .MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 7, 1921 Censorship Compromise Formally Offered Spokesman for Producers to File Brief WILL there be a compromise on the question of censorship in New York State? Will a plan submitted by the heads of com- panies producing approximately 95 per cent, of the pictures today find favor with Governor Miller to the extent that he will adopt it rather than sign the bill which will bring about the appoint- ment of a Board of Censorship in New York State and which will bring about, no doubt, like action on the part of Massachusetts, Connecticut and other states which are anxiously watching the attitude which the Empire State, as a leader, will take in the matter? Will Governor Miller, better acquainted as to just what the bill will, or will not accomplish, through the hearing which was held in Albany, Tuesday, April 26, decide to give the industry the one great chance for which it is now asking in its effort to rid itself of that certain few which have brought the industry itself into dis- credit through the type of pictures which they have produced and marketed? These questions Governor Nathan L. Miller will decide for him- self during the next few days. In view of the fact that he requested Judge Almet F. Jenks, principal speaker for the producers, in op- posing the bill, to file a brief next week, it is reasonable to presume that whatever action Governor Miller takes upon the measure before him, it will be only after most serious consideration and that no board of censors will be hurriedly named. Although Governor Miller had sat and listened to arguments pro and con at four hearings which preceded the one on mo- tion picture censorship last Tuesday, and which ranged all the way from narcotic drug control to horseshoeing, he did not seek for a single moment to hurry either side in the presentation of its arguments. Scheduled to start at 10, the hearing on censorship really got under way at 4 o'clock, and did not conclude until 7 :45. Through the entire hearing Governor Miller evinced the greatest interest, par- ticularly in the methods employed in the distribution of films, asking on more than one occasion if an exhibitor was obliged to show a picture even though he knew it to be unclean, because of the methods employed in booking the films. Without exception, last Tuesday's hear- ing attracted more attention throughout the entire state than any other hearing which has been held since Governor Miller assumed office. All Arrive Early Rather than take any chances in arriv- ing too late, nearly fifty producers and others interested in the outcome of the bill had come to Albany on Monday night in a special car attached to one of the late afternoon trains out of New York. Buf- falo. Syracuse, Utica and other sections of the state sent their representatives, some to appear in favor of the bill, others to vigorously oppose action on the part of the governor, which would result in cen- sorship being established in the state from August 1 on. Without any knowledge as to exactly which of the four or five bills on which hearings were scheduled for the clay would be the first to receive consideration before the governor, the representatives of the various branches of the motion pic- ture interests assembled at the State Cap- itol shortly before 10 o'clock and began to fill the mahogany paneled chamber in which all hearings before the governor are held. Such men as William A. Brady. William Fox, Oscar A. Price, H. D. Con- nick. Gabriel L. Hess and Augustus Thomas were on hand. Charles L. O'Reilly, newly elected president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of New York, was present with other officers of the state association. Called at 4 P. M. The executive chamber and the marble corridors hummed with activity. But the hours dragged by. Hearing after hearing was called and held. At 1:30 o'clock, Governor Miller announced an hour's recess. Shortly before 4 o'clock, the Lusk- Clayton censorship bill was called. A hush settled over the room. Noticing Judge Jenks among those before him, Governor Miller asked if he was to be one of the speakers. The venerable judge re- plied that he would appear in the opposi- tion. The program of speakers had previ- ously been arranged by Paul D. Cravath, Gabriel Hess and H. D. Connick, with William A. Brady doing the introducing so far as the producers were concerned. Cravath Speaks First Mr. Cravath was the first speaker. In a fifteen minutes' speech, during which he directed his every word directly to Gov- ernor Miller, he told of the magnitude which the industry had attained,, saying that one of the concerns represented at the bearing had an investment of over $60,000,000 and that the twenty concerns which were working together for the bet- terment of the pictures, and which were to present a proposition to the governor, had an aggregate investment of over $250,000,000. "I mention this," said Mr. Cravath, "as a means of better indicating their strength and their ability to carry out the program which they have drafted. I shall not take your time to state the fundamental in- herent objections to censorship." "A Thing to B-e Avoided" The governor: "Censorship in itself is to my mind a thing to be avoided unless some greater evil results by its avoid- ance." Continuing, Mr. Cravath said: "I as- sume that you would not favor censor- ship unless you thought the exigency was very great and that censorship was the only effective means of remedying evils which we must agree exist. I am con- vinced that as the industry is now consti- tuted and managed, its leaders, realizing the seriousness of the emergency, are pre- pared to.carry through their own reform and are not only willing but prepared to do it without delay. The program which the producers have drafted will effectively purge the-industry of a certain kind of films and advertising that have brought so much discredit to it and that have been the occasion of the movement which has brought about this bill." Warns of Higher Prices H. D. Connick, chairman of the execu- tive committee of the Famous Players- Lasky Corporation, following Mr. Cra- vath. said that there was a daily attend- ance in the picture theatres of New York State of over 1.500,000, and that approxi- mately $86,000,000 was represented in theatres now in course of construction. In the course of his speech, Mr. Con- nick sounded a word of warning to which the governor paid closest heed. "We are going to raise the price of pic- tures 20 per cent, if this bill goes through," said Mr. Connick. "The way that it has been drawn makes foreign business so difficult that our gross busi- ness will be materially reduced and there will be but one way out of it, and that will be in a 20 per cent, increase for films. "This tax which will be imposed will be a serious proposition. Take our own company, for instance. If tlu's bill is signed and becomes a law, Famous Play- ers will walk over and lay down $75,000 the day this law becomes effective, in pay- ment of a fee for the films which we have