The Washington herald., 1910-03-13
A Many Sided Actor.

There is no use OF denying the fact
that Francis Wilson has proved him
self to be a great surprise even to his
friends and probably. # the truth were
known. to himself as we'll In the good
old ''Erminie" days he achieved a re-
markable publicity by means Of a pair
OF the most versatile and absolutely
marvellous legs ever attached TO hu-
man anatomy. After the popular inter-
est in "Ermine" began TO show signs
OF collapse condition which at one
time seemed to be most unlikely ever
10 arise-Wilson proceeded TO make Il
perfectly plain TO the world that his
legs did not represent him at his very
pest; that his resources were not ex-
nausted when "Erminie" ceased TO
tickle the public fancy
Wnen the absurdities OF musical
comedy began to pail, even before the
reaclion had become too violent. Will
son forsook 1t and revealed himself as
capable exponent of legitimate come
dy- Then. having satisfied himself and
mankind IN general that he was in
possession Of the true dramatic in
stinct ne proceeded to divulge the fact
that he had creative facility of the
first class. His triumph with his own
play, THE Bachelors Baby" has mada
that evident
Latest of all. Wilson has blossomed
forth as an orator In a recent sneech
OF an hour and a half against the new
Massachusetts child actor law he fIav-
ed the bungling philanthropists who
are behind the measure with such
vigorous eloquence as the following:
Emotional women and inexperienced
clergymen land who are so poorly
equipped to face lifes problem as the
average elergyman?). knowing abso-
lutely nothing of the stage. and, for the
most part. unreasonably and by church
law bitterly opposed to #. feel that the
stage child of all others needs the
most protection! But how different is
the fact. 1t is unreasonably, stupidity
ignorant to make a parallel between
the miserable factory child. his pit
lance OF pay and his long hours OF
physical drudgery in doing a mans
work and the joyous child of the the
alter, whose pay is royal and whose
mental task is counted 10 minutes.
what is the reason Of this sudden
wave of sympathy for the stage child?
Why should the law be invoked at this
particular time in its behalf? Is it
really because 1t is felt that the child
Of the stage is being injured mentally
and physically. or is 1t q question of
politics? And IL Il can be shown-as
ii can be--that the child OF the stage
is in no way injured and that IL is q
loss to the child, its profession and the
world at large TO discriminate against
il. why may not the child. within rea-
sonable limitations. be given an OPP
portunity to acquire the thing that ii
can do best? II these well meaning
but unsophisticated people who are
using so much fervor and so little dis
erection in this child labor matter
could only know OF the people who.
turning harmlessly to the services OF
a gifted child, have been spared or
rescued from the martyrdom Of Icy
charity or from becoming charges upon
the city or state. they might perhaps
hesitate before proceeding to such ex-
tremes.
s'Most of the men ard women who
adorn the stage today and are in fine
health were the infant saviors OF their
families And they are snickering at
the heroic philanthropy OF those who
passed this child labor law"