Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-10-26
BRITISH RESENT
CENSORSHIP
Of DRAMA
THEATERG0ERS FURIOUS
AT ALLEGED INJUSTICE


Coarse and immoral Plays
Enjoy Immunity,
Especial Correspondence Morning Journal
London, Oct. 19.-London p~laygoers
are fufiously aroused over the inter-
diction Of Edward Garnett's play.
The Breaking Point and are loudly
demanding that the stage censorship
snail be abolished. Mr.. G~arnetts
play was a delicate handling Of the
social problem, declare his supporters.
which could not offend the mos.
prudish sensihilities. and il was well
calculated to teach a potent moral les
son. While this play is inhibited the
censor is charged with having APPROX
ed plays that are flagrantly and
coarsely immoral. IT is the censor's
policy. declare his critics, that the
public may be permitted to laugh at
immortality, but is not permitted to
take an intelligent interest in NOR
ality.
The censor Of plays. as his official
tltle runs. is supposed To derive his
powers from the throne and there is
no appeal from his decisions. All
plays must be submitted 10 him before
they are presented. He decides that
n play may or that ii may not be pro-
duced, and it is not necessary that he
give any reasons for his decision.
one of the leaders in the move
ment for abolition Of the censorship is
william T.. stead, the famous Journal
list. Undoubtedly" he said I'm q re-
cent interview. the office of censor
of plays, as at present constituted. Is
q ridiculous a~nachronism, and ought
to have been done away with long
ago. So far as / can see. after the
banning of this, play of Mr.. Garnetts,
and the passing OF plays like THE
Spring Chicken and The Giddy
Goat the state Of affairs resolves
Itself into this. A playwright may be
n frank pornographer. He may dab
bic i'm anv muck he likes 81 long as
he muse mucky people, SO long as
he ostentatiouslv disregards the moral
effect of what is presented. and so
long as he doesn't care If its tendency
is TO encourage the brothel as an in
stitution
ION the other hand. directly he be-
gins To write anything whose object
Is to elevate men. TO make them think
so~iorsly Of TIE great qucetions OF sex
i'stead of Just testing about them
then he Is instantly banned as a dis
gusting person. To my mind. q pub
lie officer who admitted a piece like
The Spring Chicken and refuses to
license plays like Mrs. Warren's Pro-
fessilu' and this Of Mr.. Garnctts,
rules himself out Of court as a moral
being capable Of sitting in judgment
upon other peoples morality.
Il need hardly say that ! am wholly
i'm favor Of the abolition of the pres
ent censorship, and | think the best
thing would be hat a memorial
should be signed by representative
people, and sent 10 the prime minister,
He. surely. has power If any one has.
The right arrangement would he. OF
course. that theators and music halls
should be upon the same footing. aud
both under control of the local au-
thority."
Queen Alexandra is not apt to spend
very much Of her time in London, If
one Is to judge from the letters she
has been sending home from he ltz
tie country seat she bought In Den
mark a few miles outside Of the city
of Copeuhagcn. whore II has spent
several weeks with her sister. the
Dowager Empress OF Russia.
The queen writes that for years she !
has not felt so happy nor been able
20 enjoy esuch a perfect rest as during
those weeks. While the two sisters
nrp keeping house together. they live
n veritable simple life. They do their
own gardening and in the afternoon
lake long drives or walks. both carry
ing cameras.
While they have been doing some
entertaining. their parties have neces-
sarily been small. as the main dining
room of the cottage can not hold more
than eighteen people at the most. The
furniture is very simple, and the only
real luxury about the cottage Is an
electric plant which furnished Hight
and power. Queen Alexandra has
herself personally superintended the
installation Of the light, which has
been carried out IN a very artistic
manner.
Queen Alexandra intended to return
to London a week ago, but because OF
the health Of her sister. the empress,
who Is continually IN the verge Of "a
nervous breakdown, she has decided
10 stay In her own hous until just
before the visit OF the German empe-
ror and empress to Windsor. which
win be q solemn and trying function
for all concerned.