Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 256, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1919 — SENATOR NEGLEY CONDEMNS MEDICAL PICTURES. [ARTICLE]

SENATOR NEGLEY CONDEMNS MEDICAL PICTURES.

Indianapolis, Oet. 20, 1919. Mr. L. H. Hamilton, Editor Rensselaer Republican, Rensselaer, Ind., Dear Mr. Hamilton:— I have just received word that the moving picture called “The End of the Road” is billed to be shown in your city 'on the 24th of this month. I trust that you will excuse I me for calling your attention to this mess of filth that is being hawked under the guise of public morals, and, if you will, I know that the morally inelinedparentS of Indiana will sincerely welcome your assistance in the fight that is now being waged over the state to forever put an end to the menace that is threatened for the youth of our state. A campaign is not only threatened, but is being put into effect, that if carried out as projected can accomplish nothing short of the utter demoralization of America just as the same system sapped the entire sense of morality and sex delicacy from the German nation. None of us deny the existence to some extent of the evil that they are pretending to combat, but with the supreme pig-headedness of the social economist who sees nothing but his objective and cares nothing for that which lies between, these people would wreck the morals of all of the youth of America to get at the limited number of cases that need attention. Even a cursory study of the history of the German nationforthe past three generations should convince any fair minded person of the result of such a system of public propaganda upon any people. Human nature is alike the world over, and the result of making sex subjects and sex discussion as common as the dinner menu in Germany resulted in so totally demoralizing the people that it was possible to develop over night a nation of brutes from a people that had seemed of reasonably normal characteristics. That accounts for the horrible atrocities that they perpetrated in Belgium and France, and

nothing else. It is too well established to be questioned that a danger becomes no longer a danger when it loses its singularity of appearance or conception ; and that we no longer dread the thing that has become one of the common things of our daily existence. Let them go into our public schools with this thing, and with it the filthy suggestive “lectures” that always accompany the pictures, and before the parents in any given school commAity know what has happened there will be developed a condition among the pupils that will be appalling to the old-fashioned parents who still believe in the sex delicacy and moral decency of our forefathers; and the sacredness of the American home. And this picture now in question, and others like it, are only being shown now in the show-houses as a feeler to see if the communities will stand for them. The next step is the public school. And the State Board of Health already has its outfit of pictures purchased—some six or seven in number. And some parties behind the thing have also already —asked-- the State Board _of_

Education to purchase moving picture machines for this purpose, but that has not been done asyet that I know nf —--- —. . _ The “Scarlet . Trail” is mother one of this sort of pictures that was in the state a short time ago; but so far as I can learn it has pne to parts unknown. The last I heard of it was at Anderson, and it ib supposed to have gone to Illinois. I feel assured that if the public authorities of our municipalities knew of. the nature of this filth that is being shown in their midst to the youth of their communities they would drive them of town without further ado. They admit, usually, children over fourteen years of age, both sexes and together, and who will deny that this is the imat the same time the age of most immature discretion? We have seen in the past ten years already the

development of tendencies of our youth in America that has appalled the sane and thinking parents of our country; and we have the suggestive and brutalizing motion pictures alone to- thank for it. " In the name of heaven have we now to stand for it in our public schools where, for certain hours each day we must deliver our children into the.custody of the state? I know of no more sacred trust than that of placing our children in the care of the state, and if it is to be betrayed to the end that their moral being is so endangered as this bids fair to do, then is it not about time that we had a general revolt that will bring some people to Very sincerely yours,

H. E. NEGLEY.