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5418474_2_1_0427.xml
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5418474_2_1_0427.xml
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<bibl><title>Abendpost</title>,
<date when="1914-12-28">Dec. 28, 1914</date>.
<title level="a">Movie Censorship</title></bibl>
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<publicationStmt>
<publisher>The Newberry Library</publisher>
<pubPlace>Chicago, Illinois</pubPlace>
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<addrLine>60 West Walton</addrLine>
<addrLine>Chicago, IL 60610</addrLine>
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<addrLine>http://www.newberry.org</addrLine>
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<idno>5418474_2_1_0427</idno>
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<note>Transcribed from digital images contributed to the Internet
Archive by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.</note>
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<bibl><title>Chicago Foreign Language Press Survey</title>, <date>1936-1941</date>,
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<title>Chicago Foreign Language Press Survey [microform]</title>
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<bibl><title>Abendpost</title>,
<date when="1914-12-28">Dec. 28, 1914</date>.
<title level="a">MOVIE CENSORSHIP</title></bibl>
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<body>
<p>The Morals Squad under the direction of Maj. funkhouser has a sub-department, whose approval is necessary for the display of moving pictures within the city limits. But lovers of forbidden fruit don't have to get discouraged because of that. In our closest neighborhood, Evanston for instance, films can be viewed which on account of their moral indigestibility are partly or entirely banned in Chicago. During lawsuit entered by a film manufacturer, the judge, before rendering a verdict, remarked as follows:</p>
<p>"It seems nearly impossible for me to lay down fixed rules for censoring moving pictures because moral, esthetic, and artistic considerations permit the censor cither to reach lofty heights of idealism or to be guided by cold realism when giving his appraisal."</p>
<p>The large leeway given the local board of Censors explains, even to the less</p>
<p><pb facs="5418474_2_1_0428.jpg" n="2"/>initiated, why their decisions are often so contradictory or, as the Bible says, "wonderful and inscrutable". The most unfortunate phenomenon in this matter is, from the American point of view, that the results of this censorship frequently come in conflict with the liberal views on life of the German-American element, or even tend to hurt their most sacred feelings.</p>
<p>How Sentiments Are Created</p>
<p>Just recently the Abendpost, through a protest, caused the withdrawal of a five-thousand-foot film entitled "The Ordeal," which was banned in New York by court order but had been shown here. The topic of this biased production was the tragic story of a French soldier who, when taken prisoner, refused to reveal the location of his detachment. The German general tried to make him talk by forcing him to witness the execution of his father, mother, sister, and sweetheart, done in neat order. Between these executions <pb facs="5418474_2_1_0429.jpg" n="3"/>the general amused himself by strangling the prisoner a little now and then or by hitting him in the teeth. But for these crimes the beastly Germans are swiftly punished because the comrades of the tortured man are reinforced and, in battle, decisively defeat the perpetrators of those "atrocities". In order to make this melodrama acceptable the producer had added a title at the end which said that the whole thing was "only a dream". This explanation caused uproarious laughter in the New York court, but was considered satisfactory by the Chicago Board of Censors.</p>
<p>Systematic Propaganda</p>
<p>In the meantime it was learned that a systematic procedure had been worked out in England to influence public opinion in the United States, where receptivity for British lies had begun to decline, by displaying moving pictures designed to attack Germany. The Chicago German-American element <pb facs="5418474_2_1_0430.jpg" n="4"/>assumed that the local Board of Censors would take special care to prevent the showing of pictures in which, under a flimsy camouflage, sides are taken for or against any belligerent nation. But in this expectation they have been thoroughly disappointed. We must admit that there exists a sort of pro-British and anti-German attitude in pictorial displays, against which even a strictly and objectively applied censorship cannot do a thing. In this category belong the photographs from the war front as displayed by the Chicago Tribune, showing the devastation of cities, villages, churches, and so on, in Belgium, and women and children fleeing before the approaching German columns. Another example is a newsreel scene in the Pathe' News showing a twelve-year-old girl lying in a hospital with one leg shot off "by a German aviator". There was also another Tribune photo under which it said, "In this river thousands of Germans died like rats." The Censor immediately protested to Major Funkhouser, and a Tribune representative promised to have the infamous comparison removed but, although the protest was also recorded in writing, official permit [for display] was given nevertheless.</p>
<pb facs="5418474_2_1_0431.jpg" n="5"/>
<p>Another movie made in England entitled "England Expects" was objected to by several censors and was submitted to the Central Censorship Board which rejected it. An appeal by the representative of the British producer to Major Funkhouser caused him to view the picture, but he too shared the opinion of the Censorship Board. A few days later, however, the Major viewed the film once more and this time decided that he had made an error previously and gave permission that this vehicle for the promotion of army recruiting in Great Britain could be displayed. At the beginning of the picture there is a contradiction because in the first scene it says "Germany declares war on England," and in the next, "England decides to declare war on Germany". The story tells of a man who, despised by his father, uncle, wife, children, and employees, develops the urge to join the army. Then we see the Union Jack, proudly waving in the breeze. An American movie producer, commenting on this, pointed out that the Censor in Montreal, Canada, recently banned seven movie reels of his, because the Stars and Stripes appeared in them, even though inconspicuously. "Too much American flag," he was told. "We don't allow that in Canada."</p>
<pb facs="5418474_2_1_0432.jpg" n="6"/>
<p>"For Home and Country" was the title of another pro-British picture, telling of many crimes committed by the "enemies of England". To remove all doubt as to who was meant by the "enemy," the audience learns from display posters that Kitchener is Commander-in-chief, that Russia has mobilized, that France is victorious, and that Belgium has been devastated. The "characterizing" of the "enemy" as Germans, by fierce mustaches, uniforms, etc., seems almost superfluous, just like the cartoon of the German Kaiser and his ministers. This reel was originally tested by three censors. when one of them objected to it the secretary of the Board of Censors, Mrs. Slowitzki, countered by saying that "the titles don't say they are Germans," while the last of the trio added that "one could only guess they were Germans for the reason that atrocities of that kind could only be committed by German soldiers". Finally the five-reel movie strip was submitted to the head of the Board of Censors who decided for rejection.</p>
<pb facs="5418474_2_1_0433.jpg" n="7"/>
<p>The Board of Censors has, in other respects also, put itself in opposition to the views held by the majority of Chicago's population and particularly the German-American element. For instance, the Board approved a two-reel picture which assailed the saloon business in a most despicable manner. The story of "Not of the Fold" centers about a victory for the Prohibitionists at a recent election. The "victors" pay a visit to the last saloonkeeper in town whose establishment turns out to be a miserable dive. His grown-up daughter, bedraggled and degenerate-looking, pulls the false hair off one of the "temperance crusaders" and chases the unwanted customers out to the street. The owner continues in business nevertheless and sells whiskey in the guise of tea and lemonade. A young couple enter the place and the proprietor conspires with the young man to make the girl drunk. During an unwatched moment the owner's daughter manages to drag the totally intoxicated girl into her room and lock the door. The young villain is <pb facs="5418474_2_1_0434.jpg" n="8"/>about to depart when the tavernkeeper breaks down the door to his daughter's bedroom, knocks her to the floor, and tosses the intoxicated girl into the arms of the young man. Only the accidental arrival of a preacher saves the unfortunate girl from disgrace. This picture, too, was approved by the Board of Censors although one of them protested against this defamation of a business which was legally recognized by licensing and from which the City derives half of its revenue. "We are not here to protect the saloonkeepers," declared the lady secretary, who was given her job by Major Funkhouser. At the present time not one of the members of the Board of Censors is of German descent.</p>
<p>Harrison Responsible</p>
<p>In view of the above-mentioned facts, the reader can probably form the right opinion about the Board of Censors and also Mayor Harrison, who has appointed the Board members and is responsible for their actions. This is <!-- 5418474_2_1_0435 omitted, duplicate of 5418474_2_1_0436 --> <pb facs="5418474_2_1_0436.jpg" n="9"/>the same Mayor Harrison who never misses a dance to emphasize his "pro-German" attitude on all occasions, fitting or unfitting, and who, with the gracious consent of his wife, will soon try for the sixth time to occupy the office of chief executive of a city whose population is more than twenty percent either German or of German descent.</p>
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