Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 69, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 March 1911 — Theatrical Censors in Kansas Towns [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Theatrical Censors in Kansas Towns

TOPEKA, KAN.—There are 800 organized cities In Kansas, and every one of these cities and towns has a' theatrical censor, especially named to watch the moving picture shows. The legislature has passed a law naming the mayor of each city, or some person appointed by him or by the council or commissioners, a moving “picture censor. The law provides that the showing of any moving or stationary pictures displaying actions which would constitute a crime if actually committed, the infidelity or unfaithfulnes of a husband or wife or suggestive of indecency, is a misdemeanor in ltßelf, and the moving picture show man may be fined from SIOO to SSOO for showing such pictures.

When the bill came up there was a question as to how it should be deter- 1 mined whether or not a picture came under this classification and who was to determine the question. It was suggested that the mayor and two ministers should be a censor boabd in each city, but a number 6f ministers protested that they did not care to attend moving picture shows for any purpose and had no interest In seeing whether or not the pictures were proper. Then a committee of the mayor and one layman and one minister was suggested, but this, too, was unsatisfactory, and it was finally decided that the mayor of each Incorporated city or town should be the censor unless he named another for the work. • The censor’s word Is law. If he says a picture is calculated to be injurious to the morals of the citizens or to offer evil suggestions to children, the pictures must be stopped. It is provided that the moving picture man may collect damages from the film exchange that sent him the pictures if his show Is stopped.