The Chinese consul-general C. H. Chu attempted to ban
Le lotus d'or (1919) in San Francisco, CA, where the story was also set.
Clyde Westover argued that his novel was based on first-hand observations of the city's Chinatown district during his tenure as a newspaper reporter. Two weeks later, the Chinese Six Companies, described as the most powerful Asian-American association in the U.S., attempted to obtain a court order to prevent the film from being shown in San Francisco. A private screening was held for the presiding judge, who decided in favor of the defendant, distributor Robertson-Cole Co. The company had two similar victories in Buffalo, NY, and Portland, OR. The Chinese consul-general in New York City was instrumental in banning
Le lotus d'or (1919) in Hartford, CT, and Rochester, NY.
