Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-27
INSANlTATl0N IS
NATIONS CURSE
SAYS ACTRESS
OLGA NETHERS0LE SPEAKS
OF HER LIFE'S WORK
SAYS SHE COMES TO TEACH AS
WELL AS TO ACT
Artist Shows DepIorable Conditions
Which Exist in New York Tene-
ment Districts and Which
Menace Lives of Poor
BY SHIRLEY A. OLYMPUS.

If Olga Nethersole was not an ac-
tress, she would be a physician. She
says so, herself. AS 1t is, she is u
surgeon--a disseetor of human souls.
And so well does she ply her scalpel
of investigation, so nicely does she
discriminate in her deep cutting here,
her cauterizing there, that she Is con-
summate in her science, with few If any
peers.
She's not the sort of physician who
theories all the day long and while
theorlzing and consulting with her fell
lows, allows her patient to die. She's
not the sort of individual who issues
tracts for those who cannot read. She's
not a preacher who says BE good and
be happy" but never explains how to
be good and consequently happy. She
is none of these, yet all of them. She
is q doer of deeds, not a canter of Ian
guage. She theories for herself;
reaches a conclusion and then does
that which she knows is the practical
and right thing.
Fancy a woman going down into
the tenement house district OF New
York city and there finding material
for a play with which she hopes to-
and will-rouse the consciences of
thousands who pay SO a seat because
1t Is Nethersole who will act, not car
ing one whit what she will act about!
Fancy n woman made famous in half
a dozen countries for 1.-THE soul kiss"
and other things. talking about le6is-
lation which will give unborn babes
the chance to come into the world freed
from the curse Of inherited disease
stamped on them! Fancy Olga Meth
ersole, whose name is rarely spoken
in some tra-conservative. "goody-
goody'' homes, declaring with all the
sincerity of deep conviction, II and you
are our brothers keepers"
Chance to Get Acquainted
Impossible. you say? Not at all.
Get acquainted with the woman.
Know her as she really is and your
ideas will suddenly change. Your re
membrance of the worlds greatest
Sapho will suddenly wane, and In the
new, fine light of clear understanding
you will feel ashamed for ever having
unjustly thought that such a woman
was anything but thinker and a doer
of the best for all.
Olga Nethersole the woman is finer.
greater. better, deeper, broader, more
human a thousand times than olga
Nethersole the actress. AS the one, she
Is self; as the other, she is self bent
and nodded TO be somebody else's self.
But at all times she is brain, heart and
soul, worth a thousand intellectual
IA
who talk incessantly, theorize endless
ly and get nowhere on the road or
progress.
I found her yesterday in her private
car, which had been parked at the
Arcade depot.
danger stands guard over the pri-
vate car Danger" is a tiny Chihua-
hua dog about twice the size of
mouse. with a voice which speaks in
clear barks that carry many yards.
'sDanger'' IS more or less of a general
factotum. She barks you in and she
barks you out, and woe be TO the WIS.,
itor who refuses TO acknowledge Dan
gers" power! Miss Nethersole thinks
danger is almost human and gives.
her attention accordingly
Even an actress who lives in pri-
vate car for months at time may
know the Joys of Christmas, and Miss
Nethersole is no exception. In the sit
ting room at the rear end of the car
1 saw a Christmas tree purchased at
Yuma, Ariz. ON the. tree were the
pretty baubles, the shimmering tinsel
and the ropes of popcorn which go to
make up the ideal Christmas tree so
delightful to children's hearts.
Is Fond of Children
Her fondness for children probably
is the real reason Miss Nethersole had
tnat tree IN neT uIdNliiS room. II Ger
tainly makes the car assume a honey
atmosphere, especially so when taken
in conjunction with the rich Chinese
and Japanese draperies which hang
ali about.
"I didn't have my pudding for Christ
mas" said Miss Nethersole, a note of
regret tinging her voice. Inspector
Loeb is holding my pudding in New
York because my friend in England
who ALWAYS sends IL to me for Christ
mas put some little silver things in it.