The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-02-16
.ARCHB|SHOPS BLOW
SCAREs THEATRE MEN
New York Launches Crusade
Against the Drama of Dirt.
FIVE PLAYS SHOULD BE STOPPED
Manager Burnham Advocates Censor
ship in Broad Sense-Public to
Blame For Going to Places Where
Immoral Shows Are Produced.


New York City-A crusade has
been started in this city against the
drama of dirt.
Theatrical managers along Broad
way are startled by the profound eff
tect created on the public by the
sermon of Archbishop Farley on Sun
day calling several plays @orgies Of
obscenity,' declaring that they were
having pernicious influence upon
The morals of the youth of the city.
Several times during the past two
weeks the clergy have voiced opinions
chat New York is getting worse.
Some seemed to think that the limit
of wickedness had about been
reached.
The Rev. DR.. John Wesley Hall, the
militant pastor of the Methodist Epis-
sopal Metropolitan Temple, at Four
ieenth street and Seventh Avenue,
recently likened New York to Sodom.
1t Is enough that New York is more
mclean than it has been-that, as the
evening Post says, there are at least
Jour plays in hitherto reputable thea
res SO indecent or dealing with such
disgusting themes that they would
1ot have been tolerated a few years
ago. while in theatres and music
nalls that were never too reputable
license runs to new extremes of au-
iacity. There is BESIDES an opera
which was written BY a pervert. Jailed
for criminal conduct, in an effort to
nrOnlInn N m at hi fnrr a
sensual"-an opera which deals in
morbid states suitable for medical
treatises and fails to degrade only
healthy hearers whom it sickens into
disgust.
Following the lead of the preach
srs, theatre manager dehouncing
the moral downfall of the stage, de-
handing a return to dramatic de-
cency and calling for public censor
to force and uplift the public taste in
theatricals, is the unusual figure
presented by Charles Burnham, one
Of the Oldest and most noted man
ayers in New York
If | had my way there are five
plays on Broadway that l would close
down forever" said Mr. Burnham.
"If New York managers continue to
put on the inexpressibly immoral
plays that have drawn large crowds
for the last twelve months, we shall
simply have to authorize a stage cen.
scr or send our public morals to the
dogs. Otherwise, let us label our
theatres for men only and keen
even young men out.
Archbishop Farley was just right, ,
went on Mr.. Burnham, when he de-
clared that certain plays on Broad
way are orgies of obscenity.' There
is more than one show running on
this street to-day to which no right
minded man would take his mother
his wife or his sister.
The indecent show provides a field
for degenerates. A young girl will
attend theatre and listen with evil
dent relish to the immoral converse
ton. Alongside of her will be seated
a young fellow or grown man, who
will watch her face closely to catcI
the expression. If she seems to en-
joy it his passion will at once assert
itself and as she leaves the theatre
he will beset her with improper pro
posals.
Here's an example: There's 6
play on Forty-second street running
to tremendous business. 1t tell!
the story of an evil woman. Who
goes to see it? Men and women O.
mature age, seeking to gain higl
moral lesson? Boshl You will Sc,
| young girls with their dresses at theil
shoe-tops pressing against the door,
to get in, giggling estatically as the!
come out.
1T Is the time now for public &C
ton, when even the Bible does no
escape. The greed for wealth Is re
| sponsible for this invasion of tn,
writing we hold most sacred, and il
| this the unscruplous have reached tn,
acme of sordidness. Let us hope tina
this defilement will bring about tn,
situation in the theatre that ever,
man and every woman with cleal
minds and hearts desire"
Mr.. Burnham put part of the blam
for the situation on the press, which
he said, best delights the press-agen
of questionable play when it rail
most bitterly against the immoralitie
depicted.