New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-12
MOSS HITS GERMAN PLAY
Complains to Mayor Against
Alma, Wo Wohnst Du?"
ALLEGES SHOW is INDECENT
Manager Says Police Commits
sioner Already Has Ruled 1t
Unobjectionable.

Frank Moss, Assistant District Attorney
and president of the Society for the Pre-
vention of Crime, has complained to the
Mayor Of Alma Wo Wohnst Du?" a play
noW being acted at the Grand opera House
by German company headed by Adolph
Philip and Louise Barthels.
Mr.. Moss alleges that the play is in
decent, and he says he is having q trans
lation of it made to be submitted to Mayor
Gayno- for his opinion as TO whether or
not the farce is INDECENT
The play has been translated into Eng
fish. and 1t was intended to produce it on
Broadway in the near future.
Paul Philip, the manager of the play,
when seen last night at the Grand Opera
House. was indignant that Mr.. Moss had
characterized the production as indecent.
The complaint is plot to ruin me- said
Mr.. Philip. "A complaint was made some
time ago. when my play was running in
S6th street. At that time a COPY was sub
mitted to Police Commissioner Baker. who
saw nothing objectiona BILE in it. Inspectors
Schmittberger and Titus have both seen the
farce, and neither has seen anything in it
that is indecent. In fact, they enjoyed it
and spoke to me of their enjoyment.
Some plays that have been running in
New York have been disgustingly salacious.
yet they have been allowed to continue
There is not word or an act in Alma.
Wo Wohnst DUP that is vulgar. The audi
ences have been composed largely of mid
die aged and elderly women, and not
single one of them has complained or left
the theatre. The play has nothing what
ever in common with such productions as
The Girl with the Whooping Cough that
Mayor Gaynor recently suppressed"
In connection with the refusal OF Mayor
Caynor to sanction the renewal of the
license Of the New York Theatre SO long
as The Girl with the Whooping Cough
was the bill, the Mayor said yesterday he
did not think that either he or the Police
Commissioner was called upon to act as
censor of every play put on by New York
theatres. The Mayer Is Of the impression
that the prevailing sentiment of the city
is on the side of decency and that any
play which outrages such ideas and is alb
solutely unfit for presentation will be prop
erly branded and a demand made on the
authorities for its suppression.
It is understood that complaints have
been received against other plays now be-
ing produced in this city. They will be
investigated in. due course
Speaking of moving picture shows yester
day the Mayor said he believed they had
an educational value and seldom was there
anything of an immoral tendency shown.
That was more than could be said of some
high priced playhouses, he added.
The Mayor would not indicate his posi-
ton on the sunday question. When asked
if he favored allowing the moving picture
shows to keep open on Sunday he replied
that so far as he knew they were closed
now.
Henry J. Goldsmith, counsel for Klaw (
Erlanger called on Mayor Gaynor yester-
day afternoon and asked him to renew the
license of the New York Theatre, which had
been closed by the Mayor because of the
production of THE Girl with the Wf1oopng
Cough at the house.
Mr.. Goldsmith stated that the farce had
been permanently withdrawn from the New
York stage and also submitted a list of
plays which it is intended to produce ~at~the
theatre in the future. The Mayor said that
he would consult with Police Commissioner
Baker regarding the matter