STATE GOVERNMENT. 175
MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF MOTION PICTURE CENSORS.
204 E. Lexington St., Baltimore, Md.
Name. Term Expires. Postoffice.
Chairman:
Charles E. Harper. ............ .1920 ........ ..........Salisbury
Vice-Chairman:
Charles F. Macklin. ........... 1921 ............... .Howard Co.
Secretary:
Miss Marie W. Presstman. .... 1919 ................. .Baltimore
The Board consists of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary
appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Senate, for a term
of three years. The first appointments are made for terms of one, two
and three years and as these terms expire a successor is appointed for a
full term of three years. (Ch. 209, 1916.)
The duties of the Board are to examine all films, reels or views to
be exhibited or used in the State of Maryland; to approve such as are
moral and proper, and to condemn, or eliminate those which, in the
judgment of the Board, tend to debase or corrupt morals.
The Board receives in advance a fee of $2.00 per reel, for each reel
of approximately 1000 feet, submitted for examination, and one dollar
per reel for each duplicate if submitted at the same time. Upon Comple-
tion of the examination the Board issues a certificate stating the result
of the examination, and furnishes an official approval seal which is affixed
to each set of films approved by the Board. A complete record is kept
by the Board of the results of all examinations.
One-half of all fees received by the Board are paid to the State
. Treasurer—the other half, to the extent of $12,000.00, is used to defray
the salaries and expenses of the Board. All fines imposed for the viola-
tion of the Act are paid into the State Treasury.
Any member or employee of the Board has the authority to enter
any place where films are exhibited, and to prevent the exhibition of such
as have not been approved by the Board; or to order any improper posters
or advertising matter to be submitted to the Board for examination.
Persons submitting films to the Board for examination, if dissatisfied
with the result of the first examination may, upon appeal, submit the
same film to the Board for re-examination by two or more members, and
finally to the Baltimore City Court of Baltimore City.
Any person violating the provisions of the Act is subject to a fine
of from $25.00 to $50.00 for the first offense, and from $50.00 to
$100.00 for any subsequent offense. In default of payment of fine and
costs, the defendant shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a period of
from ten to thirty days.
Any person failing to display the approval seal of the Board, may
be fined from $5.00 to $10.00, or in default of payment shall be sentenced
to imprisonment from two to five days.
The provisions of the Act do not apply to any exhibition of films by
religious, charitable or fraternal organizations or by any library, school
or museum, for purely religious, charitable, fraternal or educational
purposes. .
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