The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-30

WAR ON Living PICTURES
Lady Henry Somerset Will Make an
Effort to Suppress Them.
ENGLAND OUTDONE, SHE SAYS
Mrs. Grannis Thinks That There Arc
Other Features of Stage Life That Are
More Objectionable Than the Liv'
ing Models in Scant Drapery.
By the United Press.

By the United Press.
New York, Nov 29-Lady Henry
Somerset, who came to this country
from England in August, has gone to
Boston on a visit. Before taking the
train she gave out an interview in
which the announcement Is made that
Miss Frances Il. Willard and the
Women's Christian Temperance union
will soon begin q crusade against the
living pictures.
Lady Somerset was the head Of the
opposition in London to the relicensing
of the Empire Music hall, and she won
her fight, too. The affair of the Empire
was one of the sequences of the cru
sade against living pictures, which
Lady Somerset declared were entirely
evil.
while do not believe in meddling in
the affairs of any but my own country"
said Lady Somerset, II feel sure that
the women here will very soon inau-
gurate reform. The foundations are
now laid for the work Miss Willard
and the Women's Christian union ladies
are very much in earnest in this mat
ter They feel that the living pictures
as exhibited at present at the theaters
OF this city are u terrible menace to
young men and tend to encourage i'm
morality and evil thinking, and are also
an outrage on women. l am told that
the living pictures are worse here than
they are in England, and that is saving
a great deal"
Their Blighting Influence.
II am certain that the mothers Of
New YORK VIII not tolerate these living
pictures when once the matter is pre-
sented to them In all its deplorable and
sinful aspects. That such things are
permitted here is due to the fact that
che women have not been awakened to
the deadly and blighting influence of
thls new departure in our theaters. The
'white-ribbon' women are thoroughly
aroused on the subject, and you will
hear from them very shortly"
what Is to be the plan of crusade
against the living pictures in New
York; was asked.
Il have no idea at present" Lady
Somerset replied, but undoubtedly evil
dence will be collected as to the exhi-
billions now being given"
DO you consider living pictures more
demoralized than the ballet?'
Not more 50 than indecent ballet.
but nothing has, so far as know, been
given that approaches the daring in
dscency of the nude pictures"
Lady Somerset said that she under
stood the crusade to be distinctiyely a
movement by the Women's Christian
Temperance union. Some of the
women belonging to the local branch of
that organization who were seen last
night said they had not been consulted
about the crusade. Mrs. Grannis, who
Is chairman of the committee on social
purity of the Women's Christian Tenn
perance union in this county and also
the president of the Christian league
for the promotion of social purity said
she had not heard of it.
Miss Willard wrote to me some time
ago." she said, asking If something
could not be done to suppress those
pictures in this city. l replied that
some of them without doubt were bad
enough and deserved to be suppressed,
but that there are other things on the
stage and off that are very much worse.
There are dressed women on exhibi-
ton whose motions and suggestive ways
are very much worse than those who
pose," continued Mrs. Grannis. Every
body who shouts 'Shamer doesn't know
what she is talking about"