Justice, Motive
in Mrs. French's Pleas for "Fatty."
Clubwoman States Position
On Actor's Case Fully.
Nation Not Be Hurt.
Mrs. L. Crozier French, member of
the Better Films Committee, who did
(missing)ot concerned in the action of that
committee at its meeting on Friday
when it went on record as opposing
the return of Roscoe (Fatty) Arbuckle to the screen, states that her
position, in the matter more fully
yesterday.
In the report of the action of the
Better Films committee Friday on
the Arbuckle case, which was given
no doubt, by a member of that committee, my position was incorrectly
reported. I made no plea for Ar-
buckle personally, and so stated
most emphatically. Much might be
said in a plea for mercy and Christ-
ian charity for this man, but I
made no such plea. I took a higher
position than that. I urged that the
committee deal justly in the case.
"To me the morals of this nation
will not be affected in the least either by the return or non-return of the
Arbuckle films to the screen. My
plea is for justice, and I can recognize no justice in the resolution passed by the Knoxville Better Films
Committee Friday.
'Briefly, the case is this: Arbuckle
was tried by a jury of his peers
for murder and found not guilty.
I have seen probably every picture
featuring Arbuckle that has been
brought to Knoxville, and found
them free from the low vulgarity
that in the past marred so many
of the farce-comedies. To me the
only point left for the Better Films
Committee to pass judgment on is
the private moral conduct of this
film actor. This I positively refuse
to be drawn into. 'Early in my adult life I resolved
that I would never pass judgement
upon the secret acts of any man or
woman, because of gossip of individuals or the press. The older I
grow, the more am I convinced that
this resolution was a good one. If,
as a member of the Better Film
Committee, it is considered one of
my duties to pass upon the moral
conduct of film actors and actresses.
I will immediately send my resignation to the chairman."
At the meeting referred to above,
a motion was passed to the effect
that the Better Films Committee of
Knoxville go on record as opposing
the return of Arbuckle to the screen,
and that Will H. Hays, director of
the motion picture industry be ad-
vised of the action taken.
Women's Suffrage
