The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-05-24

% ,opoan noets differed from ASpaSla
only in that she gave freely what 'he
friend of Pericles was forced by ner
necessities to sell. Still. our knowledge
of Sappho is vague. 1t is possible 'hat
she suffered from the love of SCANDAL
which seems to maintain its Vlgor
through all the ages. We cannot really
saw that she did anything worse than
Mary Goodwin or George Eliot, whose
amiable weaknesses society has almost
consented to forgive
Shall we ever learn to forgive our
Mrs. Warrens? Jesus found no dlfr1-
Guilty in doing so, after they had re-
pented. of course; but in many respects
our moral code is superior to that OF
the Master whom we profess to wor-
shin. He pardoned Sabbath breaking,
for example, and his moral laxity IN
this particular led astray John GAVIN
who used to play at bowls on SUNDAY
afternoon after preaching in the morn
ing. What modern minister would be
so wicked? Would it be best for socie-
ty if we did learn to forgive Mrs. War
rem? The purpose of punishment we
all admit. is to reform the offender.
When the offender is genuinely re-
formed, further penalty savors or VIM
dictiveness rather than justice; still 1t
may be necessary to hold such women
under a perpetual ban, no matter now
excellent their later conduct, as a
warning to the young and possibly to
exhibit our own unbending purity. One
of the principal consola tons of puri-
ial eff
consequences and those of impurity.
Were this contrast made temporary,
were it something that reformation
might obliterate, should we not all
stand in danger of falling? One of the
keenest enjoyments of the saints in
Para disc, we are taught, will be the
spectacle of their unregenerate parents
friends and children in Hades. Those
of us who have resisted temptation
naturally experience the same pleasure
here on earth, though in less degree,
from observing the unhappy lot of
those who have fallen. Hence to in
vite the repentant Mrs. Warren to af-
ternoon tea would not only endanger
our morals, but it would deprive us of
the satisfaction of gazing upon her
hopeless misery. satisfaction which
we have justly earned by our virtue.
It is not difficult for society to for
give certain near relatives of Mrs.
Warren. Many who ply her calling,
whether for profit or diversion, with
discreet observance of conventional
forms, hold an enviable place among
the elect Inueed, Mrs. Warren's pro-
fession would not be possible without
the patronage of certain richly pro-
vided brethren. and one fails to OBJ
serve that the wrath of society against
them is either fierce or persistent. Is
she more guilty than they? 1t is doc
trine Of our law that the accessory is
no less guilty than the principal. Why
do we apply this doctrine TO every
crime except Mrs. Warren's? Shakes
peare makes one of his characters say
that hers is the least of all the deadly
sins; we hold it the worst Of them.
But. after all, it is not the sin that we
abhor so much as the discussion Of it.
In certain creeds it is held to be in
comparably more wicked to utter the
name of the deity than to steal or Kill.
Our mental attitude toward Mrs. War
ren's profession seems somewhat SINH
lar We tolerate it's existence with fair
comfort. We accept it as something
necessary, or at least as something
which is inevitable in civilized society,
and so long as nobody says anything
about it the misery which she endures
and inf1icts does not disturb us. But let
Mr.. Shaw write a play where the sub
ject is openly dealt with and up go
our hands in holy horror. Is there
anything so bad that it must not be
discussed? Is it not the worst of pes
simism to believe that any evil what
ever is irremediable? And if this evil is
not to be perennial curse upon man.
kind it must be discussed. The facts
must become known. Our minds must
meet them candidly and deal with
them seriously. Are we too timid to
face this ancient woe? Are we really
better men and women because we try
so hard to act as if it did not exist?
We go complacently to the theater
virtue display her charms in some flip
pant play: We tolerate triumphant
vice upon the stage We smile at
OOuDle meanings ana suggestive SeSt-
ures. The theater may make Mrs.
Warren's profession attractive; it may
invest her calling with all sorts of de-
lusive charms and we are not shocked
so long as the reality is hidden under
jest and allusion; but let the play
wright set the thing out In its true
character and our virtue instantly
takes arms, not against the evil, but
against the man who describes 1t. Is
this wise? Is it the conduct of earnest
men who wish we'll to their kind. or of
pettish weaklings who believe that ig-
norance is equivalent to salvation? We
have numberless societies for the sup
preston of vice. but not one for the
cure of vice. This is significant. To
suppress is to keep out of sight. to
cover. to hide. To cure requires cour-
age. knowledge, candor. After 1000
years of Christianity we have got no
farther than suppression" in dealing
with vice. Can we ever get any far
Their without more frankness and less
of insincere evasion? Or is it true that
we do not wish to get farther and be-
lieve that all is done which Christiani-