The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-12

New York, September 1.-(Speeial.)- The other evening we went to hear d distinguished Jesuit who in the course of a singularly eloquent discourse, deplored the tendency of the stage in portraying so much that is degenerate. While not a direct attack upon any play now be- ing presented in New York it was com mentary upon tendencies of the day both as regards the stage and literature the priest speaking from two points of view, the man who criticises and compares and he who looks deep into the moral ef- fleets of a decade producing books and dramas that he believes pander to a de- prayed taste.
 The following evening we went to a eer- tain play to see if the priest was exag- gerating.
 Those who are conversant with the new plays of new season know that MT. George Arliss, one of the most dis tinguished young actors on the New York stage is appearing in a play by a Hun garian, "The Devil" and all New York goes to the Belasco theater to see him. There were four of us to discuss 1t be- tween acts.
 "lt is getting to be the fashion to un- dress on the stage?" asked one.
 Tt is the most entertaining thing have seen since Bernard Shaw's Man and Superman," remarked another.
 'I agree with the Jesuit" said another.
 And the fourth one waited to write about it. But she remembered the three comments.
 The fact that a respectable member of society after seeing the play should ask if it was the fashion to undress on the stage should probably be explained.
 It is now quite proper to have a scene where a woman removes her bodice and this is the only part of the play that is not-well it was so naturally done that one was interested only to see whether it buttoned down the back and if she could manage without a maid. The bodice part seemed commonplac place-stupid a young Veonese woman making her preparations to sit to a Vionese painter. unhooks her stock and in moment slips off the waist to her gown, and is just about to draw about her shoulders a silk scarf. But some one-the "Devil,'-ap- pears suddeniy-Mr. Arlss, in correct af ternoon dress-in the luxurious studio Of the young painter, an idol of Vionese so- ciety.
 You have dropped something re- marks Mir Arliss, and picks up the bodice, The owner of it responds with the 'Honni soft qui nal y pense' MT. Ar liss will not accept the situation, and created one of his own making.
 T appear at the most inopportune time -I come from no where-I am here,' is MT. Arliss' explanation of himself.
 In the little circle of Vionese who make the play interesting is a young married woman who from being the poor protege of wealthy family, is married to man whom she does not love. At the time of her marriage she is in love with the young painter, also poor but talented. The play opens six years after the mar riage. She has become one of the most eourted and beautiful women in Yionese society and the artist has become rich and famous, and is to wed a beautiful and fashionable young girl
 The Vionese matron, at the request of her husband, goes to sit for her portrait. Up to this time although her house is much frequented by the artist, and they have been much together in society no reference has been made to the past, and they have both met on the safe ground of the artist and the patron of art.
 But on the afternoon that the play opens these two are left alone in the studio the husband goes out for short time expecting to see upon his return the beginning of the portrait at least.
 Mir Arlss appears at the most inoppor- tune time. The young painter and the Vionese beauty whom he has loved have a long talk in the studio. The past Is awakened, and instead of the painter busy with his palette and brushes there is the ardent young lover the Vionese Iwoman whom he still loves.
 There are always three persons enact ing this play of life. but 1t is, after all, only two, for the third is their inner conscience, always speaking, always alert always subtle, compromising, un- welding, suave, easy. Now, It is the Vionese woman battling against this con- science; again it is the young artist. But always the excuse is furnished. al- ways something provided by the fertile conscience, something that suffices for wrongdong, some argument deftly put by MT Arlss in influencing his victims. And those who know the character of his work, how singularly he seems fitted to .............,......sssssss