The sun., 1909-02-21
PLAYS BAD? WOMEN TOBLAME
RABBI WISE FINDS THAT AUDI
ENCES AREN'T ALL MEN.

And He Hears No Compelling Protest
From the Saving sex-Nobei Prize for
the Newspapers sussested-Mrs. Me-
Lean Orders Up Roosevelt Cheer.
Rabbi Wise told the 800 persons who
partook Of the Valentine breakfast Of
the Woman's Press Club in the Astor CAL
lery Of the Waldorf Astoria yesterday
that women we're responsible for the per-
formanoe Of salacious plays In the theatres
because many Of them went to see them
and because those who didn't go failed
opinion against them
Then apparently laboring under the
delusion that the beplumed and sheath
frocked women before him belonged to
the class Of workers whose duty 1t is to
see that eloquence Is perpetuated in
print, he launched forth in a plea for
the unrestricted freedom Of the press.
IL was very much better. he said, to
have all the papers unmuzzled even II
some Of them did occasionally bite. than
have the press Of the country intimidated
TO an extent that might prevent one honest
editor from setting forth his opinions.
He told how much praise the newspapers
deserved for laughing. out OF court the
Japanese war scare and said that the next
Nobel peace prize should go to them.
Before the applause W hich followed his
remarks had stopped Mrs. Donald
Mclean, president-general OF the Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution, who
sat at the guest table, asked Tor the
privilege Of the floor. 1t was obvious at
once that the rabbi was not the star OF
the performance.
Mrs. Mclean wore a black chiffon vel
vet directoire frock and a black velvet
picture hat, the lines whereof were OBJ
sery ed by the audience to be real achieve
ment. She said in that low, clear and won
derfully penetrating voice which has
made her famous among the orators OF
her sex. Il want every woman present
to rise in recognition Of the splendid SER
vice which President Roosevelt has rem |
dered TO the country and to women and |
To the home during his administration
Mrs Mclean has the habit of being |
obeyed by assemblies OF women The
Press Club rose with the dooility and
unanimity and rapidity OF collection OF
ID. A. RS. Some Of them didn't seem to
understand why they should display
their loyalty to the administration at
lust that particular moment, but they
saw that Mrs. Mclean understood and
were satisfied not to question why. Mrs
Mclean afterward explained that she
had construed the rabbits remarks about
peace and the freedom Of the press In
the light Of an aspersion upon the Presi-
dent and she couldn't permit such
thing to pass without rebuke
1T does not seem right to me- she
said. that just because he Is going out
of office his friends should forget to stand
by him. He has shown the warmest in
terest in the d. A. RS. and their presi-
dent general certainly should not be
among those who fail to express their ap-
probation of what he is and what he has
done. Moreover every woman should
recognize what great force he has been
for high moral ideals. No President has
ev er done more TO uplift the home
The Hon. Charles II. Treat spoke fer
vently Of what one may expect when
women get the ballot. Clinton Scollard
read "A Valentine Of Old Manhattan
The Hon. Cornelius A. Pugsley, the Rev.
j. Ross Stevenson and Trumbull White
also made speeches and a dozen Of the
read original valentines