be a censor. We are not dealing with him. His substitutes are
distinctly lesser folk. They are not even trained for their work
except in the most haphazard manner. Obviously a censor should be the
most profound of psychologists. Instead the important posts in the
agencies of suppression go to the boy who can capture the largest
number of smutty post cards. After he has confiscated a few gross he
is promoted to the task of watching over art. By that time he has been
pretty thoroughly blasted for the sins of the people. An extraordinary
number of things admit of shameful interpretations in his mind.

For instance, the sight of a woman making baby clothes is not
generally considered a vicious spectacle in many communities, but it
may not be shown on the screen in Pennsylvania by order of the state
board of censors. In New York Kipling's Anne of Austria was not
allowed to "take the wage of infamy and eat the bread of shame" in a
screen version of "The Ballad of Fisher's Boarding House." Thereby a
most immoral effect was created. Anne was shown wandering about quite
casually and drinking and conversing with sailors who were perfect
strangers to her, but the censors would not allow any stigma to be
placed upon her conduct. Indeed this decision seems to support the
rather strange theory that deeds don't matter so long as nothing is
said about them.

The New York picture board is peculiarly sensitive to words. Upon one
occasion a picture was submitted with the caption, "The air of the
South Seas breathes an erotic perfume." "Cut out 'erotic,'" came back
the command of the censors.

In Illinois, Charlie Chaplin was not allowed to have a scene in "The
Kid" in which upon being asked the name of the child he shook his head