◆ SpookStack

oT ARTHUR GARFIELD HAYS “* Chatman 7 MORRIS L ERNST AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION, 170 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK 1 Weekly Bulletin #1700 : "May 30, 1955 or QHIO ACLU OPPOSES MOVIE PRE-CEN"ORSHIP BrIES 1." : { eer eeenemeennar ee af The Ohio Civil Liberties Union nas lation including precensorship of movies, strongly opposed proposed censorshfp. Morton Icove, Chairman of the OcLU Sensorship Committee, and Rev. Jesse Cavileer’” Cleveland Unitarian minister and O21 member, presented the iCLU views to a State House Judiciary Subcommittee, Citing the Supreme Court's decision in "The Miracle’ case, that movies are a means of Communication and entitl ie First Amendment, Icove maintained that any form of prior censorship of movies is un= constitutional, He also pointed out that the Proposed bills are not constitutional. because the Standards for_censorship-are-vague-and-subjective-in-nature aT - Icove said he would like to have tha Ohio Attorney General give a ruling now the constitutionality of the Proposed laws, He also emphasized that political, social’ and personal prejudices influence censors, and stated that present Ohio penal statu can quickly be invoked to control obscene filns. . _ In addition to three bills on movie precensorship, the CCLU also. opposed a bil extending the present obscenity law, claiming that it goes "beyond legal limits," by. giving such vague definitions of "depraved and immoral" as "dissolute 2" "di egust ing," etc, . - : A letter protesting the bills, from Oscar Steiner, chairman of the OHIO CLU, tas placed in the record, Steiner claimed that the bills are infringements on freedom. of expression and right of free choice, adding that movies are subject to the same standards regarding obscenity as any otaer form of expression and there are state |; lawe providing for criminal Prosecution of offenders, ‘Noting that a vast number of films, as well as bonks, plays, paintings, etc,, are objectionable according to the. standards of some people and vorks of art when judged by others, Steiner claimed that positive determination is virtually impossible without religious, racial and political prejudices and personal predilections. “oy we Steiner also protested the lack of uniform operation of state censorship of movies, because uncensored films are shown on television, Both Steiner and Icové : claimed there is no Proof that certain movies stimulate crime and juvenile delinjue Icove suggested that a study be undertaken by a House c. members of Ohio State University into the subject of J problems euch as the effect of movies, comic books, newspapers and magazines, "The pover to censor," Mr. Icove concluded, "is the Power to regiment, the power. to control thought and to substitute statism fora gove mment of freemen under law. “le feel that mankind's gréatest hope lies in keeping nthe channels tion of idead,n~": vs ° P Despite the ACLU protest, the subcomnittee reported a censorship bill: t ceen approved by the full House Judiciary Committee, However, the proposal is ex~"- pected to meet stiff opposition, In addition to ACLU, movie columnists in the and theatre exhibitors are aroused by the new censorship drive, FR The campaign to enact a new law was undertaken after Ohio courts shaaixialea the long-standing state censorship law on grounds of vagueness, and received impetus We because of public concern over juvenile delinquency and theralleged melatZonship «-; between this evil and films, © Bae t 1958 . Ao JUN 1S8 : . : _ A REGULAR WEEKLY SF"VICE. FURTHER INFORMATION FURNISHED ON REQUE r. ae ao RAT a Se