The morning call., 1891-03-22

considered dangerous by the inspector he
writes with pencil on the margin of the
manuscript his impressions and advice.
Then only does the author appear. He Wis
its the inspector; tries to reason with him.
The inspector makes excuse for the insg-
nlflcant corrections he is forced TO make and
the author announces that he is ready to
modify all that is necessary. All are very
polite until the work of change begins.
Then the insignificant corrections be-
come massacre and the willing to modify
all that is necessary" becomes II shall not
cussloD, many concessions and the restltu-
ton OF many words, the visa is granted.
Sometimes the relations between inspector
and author are not so agreeable and the play
IS not authorized by the censure. Then
there is appeal to the Director of Fine Arts.
who gives his advice; then to the Minister,
who approves the conclusions of the CEN
sure, or authorizes the production of the
play. At the general rehearsal the censure
Is again
CALLED INTO ACTIVITY.
The inspector must see that the interpreta-
ton changes in no way the character of the
play as presented to the censure, and that
the costumes are appropriate. Further, the
DAY OF the first performance the censure
must see that no surprise has been reserved
Tor the public. After the first representa-
ton the ceHsure has no duty except to see
that the text remains always the same.
There is no censure in the provinces, be-
cause a play interdicted in Paris is inter-
dlcted throughout France, and vice versa.
Messrs. Antonin Proust and LIE Senne
have brought proposition before Parlia-
ment requesting that the eensnre be abol-
lshed; the subject is variously discussed, and
while waiting the decision every dramatic
author III France has been asked his opinion
of the cenSure
Jules Claretie, director of the Coincide
Franchise, says: "There are two sides to the
question, the artistic side. that of the au-
thor; the commercial side, that of the di-
rector. 1t would be an ideal censure that re-
spected the liberty of the one and assured
the security of the other"
Henri Meilhac says: 81 believe in main
tanning the censure; it is well to possess a
censure, even If itdoes but little, aud it is
my belief that 1t does not do much"
Jean Richepin writes: Il desire all the
liberty possible in everything, that is to say,
| believe in the abolition of the censure."
Edmond de Goneourt writes at length con-
corning the censure: The censure is only
source of embarrassment for the Govern
ment. The public alone should Judge plays
and the public would be a censeur more in
now call censeurs. Now that there is con-
tict about a certain play (here he refers to
"Ihermldor'), and this conflict has become
a battle, | believe in the intervention of Gov
eIulneD., put 40 not DelleVe IN
IMMEDIATE INTRODUCTION.
prefer suspension and at the end of
eight days (many animosities are Gained in
Paris at the end OF eight days | think there
should he renewal of the play, and only in
case the battle be renewed should the play
be suppressed"
Alexandra Dumas refers to his preface Of
the Dame aux Camelias" for his opinions
of the censure In this preface Dumas
says: The censure has never been able to
prevent or miscOnstrue a work of merits
from Tartutte tn the Marriage de Figa-
TO- from the Marriage de Figaro to
Marion de Lorme,' from Marion de
Lorme' to the Fills de GiDoyer.' The work
the censure. Governments believe they still
need this institution of the middle ages
they consider themselves well shielded be-
hind this barrcade that costs them $4,000
francs and furnishes employment to four or
five persons who do the work as conscien-
tiously as possible. Let us respect this
mania of Governments
Again, Alexandra Dumas says: "Rail
against the censure, but pray God that it
he lett you. Soon as the censure be sup
pressed you will find yourselves under po-
lice jurisdiction. You will pass from the
hands of benevolent administration to
those OF brutal spies, and the day that the
Government needs a theatrical scandal that
day the Government will send to your thea
ter fifty disguised policemen, who will cause
the scandal and you will lose your place as
easily as a cabman loses his cab. What we
all need is absolute liberty, without restric-
tons or surprises that leaves the spectator
right to be censure himself, liberty that
does not place third party between the
producer and consumer of thought"
BARONESS ALTHEA SALVADOR