The work of Mr. Hays and his associates in courting cooperation and in
receiving it from so many worthy sources deserves encouragement instead
of criticism. It has been a great success. Any fair investigation of
what the producers are doing under his able management will disclose
an amazing improvement in the short time for its accomplishment. Let’s
work with them and not against them as the very best way to bigger and
better things in the movies.
Especially is this course important when the best minds of this
country--like Professor Ross, who has just addressed you--have warned
us against the dangers of abuses sure and certain to come under
governmental censorship, and who, for many reasons, almost without
exception, firmly oppose it. We have overwhelming proof that the
people of this country do not want any more of such governmental
regulation and that they are opposed to such dangerous powers being
vested in any set of bureaucrats. This is confirmed by the recent vote
in Massachusetts that in their referendum to the people buried the
demand for motion picture censorship with a tidal wave of “noes.” It
was certainly loud enough to be heard all over this country. The vote
was 553,173 against censorship to 208,252 for it--a majority of 344,991
against.