The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-11-09
MRS. wARREN,s PROFESSION

Bernard Shaw, the EnSllsH pay "IiHHl, "no
s well known as socialist has received mucn
lately because his play, Mrs. War
ems Profession" was suppressed by the New
York police Divergent views of the action taken
by the police are here presented:
Mrs. Warren's profession was described
by Rudyard Kipling as the Oldest IN the
world" It Is profession not commonly
referred to In polite society. When Bernara
Shaw wrote the play in which he described
the possibilities of that profession anG cyni-
cally excused It's practice, he never gave
thought of having his drama presented on
any stage. Manifestly 1t was play Tor the
closet-and dark closet at that. Wnen
Arnold DAILY undertook to produce MRS.
Warrens Profession" he must have been 10
a defiant mood, or he underestimated the
probable strength of the public sentiment
against IT, The play is not only unit TO be
produced in public, but 1t Is one that cannot
be read in mixed company In private. II 10
insincere The author himself cannot enter
tain some Of the sentiments that he proclaims
or defends. Mr.. DAILY has not merely failed
to iustify himself in the production Of this
play, but he suffered seriously In reputation
in attempting to bring 1t out II ne nad
possessed small part Of the critical FACULTY
with which he is credited he would nave
known that such play was not nj Tor puDic
representation, and would not be tolerated
selves. II 1t should be tolerated the man VINO
produced it would suffer inestimably In the
opinion OF decent people. Doubtless Bernard
Shaw's two volumes of plays Pleasant ana
Unpleasant have already been read by q
wide constituency and the advertising wnlcn
they have received through the late eDuiil.
ton in New York will increase the number OF
readers-Chicago Tribune.
Whoever has read Bernard Shaws plays,
Pleasant and Unpleasant on sale TINS long
time at general book stores OF good repute'
will be rather more surprised than the aver
age newspaper reader at the decorous ain
over the alleged indecency OF one OF the I'M
nleasant ones-"Mrs Warrens Profession.
THE decorous din Is easily explained IL Is
not because one Of the characters IL cour'
tesan. as the newspapers have It: courtesan
characters are common In fashionable ORA
matte productions and there Is no din. ~
IL not because her vile business Is exploited
In the play; that also Ii common ana per
miasible In fashionable plays and exploita
ton IL absent from this play It Is not
because OF any pruriency In Shaws play Tor
common as pruriency In on the state. II II
not nresent here The cutlery against the
shaw play springs from no constituencies Al
making prostitution subject Tor the ara
matte stage 1t liz In truth pharisalca
protest against the awful Indictment shav
launches Mt tho Industrial causes and wealthy
nromoters OF prostitution. Prostitution Ia
sset terrible fact. and Shaw recognizes l
as auch In his play Had he done this ari
fully ana stopped there. we should have hear
mo- cutlery But he does not stop there. W
poIntM al the respectable groups who pfoh
hy prostitution and nj those who main'ai
industrial conditions under which Erea
masses of girls In every generation mus
choose between Mrs WArren'a profession an
t.ssfs a fuglsE - HuHftH