The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-09-22
BAN
On Immoral Plays IOdOrSGd
By Theatre Men
Washington, D. c. Managers
To Support Movement
?. B. ChaSe'S Manager Talks
Most Interestingly
And Declares The Suggestive
Play Must Go
Also Speaks Of The Clean
Acts At ChaSe'S Theatre
Washington Hersld)


In its forthcoming crusade to purge
the Washington stage of all question
able suggestive, and immoral perform
ances, the Aloysius Truth Society will
have the cordial cooperation of the in
huentiai theatre managements in the
city.
This was assured by developments
which followed swiftly in the wake of
the exclusive publication in The Wash
ington Herald yesterday morning that
the local organization mad Joined the
nationwide Catholic movement to os-
tracize all plays which repel with their
indecency and ;iout the accepted
Christian standard OF morals.
Promptly there came to the fore L..
Stoddard Taylcr, on behalf of the Be
lasco Fred B. Berger, on behalf of
the Columbia, and Miss II. Winnifred
De Witt, for Chase's, to emphasize
their own sympathy with the cam
paign and to promise their aid and in
fluence in it's behalf. Their statements
clarified the situation, showing that
church and stage will not clash in
Washington, at least, in the coming
season.
Miss H. Winnifred De Witt, manager
OF P. B. Chase's theatre stated her
views in this manner:
81 have read the very interesting ar
ticle in today's Herald and am heartily
in sympathy with The move being plan
ned by the Aloysius Truth Society.
The policy of Chases theatre has al
ways been for clean, wholesome enter
| tainment, such as a man can send his
mother or young daughter to witness
The use of all profanity and vulgarity
| has ever been eliminated from the
Chases theatre entertainments. Our
aim Is to elevate the stage, and to
present only such performances as
will not offend even the most sensitive
"The Use of Gods name in jest and
the use of the words "hell" and
damn have never been permitted in
the presentation Of any act at any
time in this theatre continued Miss
De Witt. Every Monday morning
there ia given to each of the perform
ers who are booked at Chase's for the
week a printed notice, addressed in
diyidually to the player and signed By
myself, reading as follows:
wish to call your serious atten
tion TO some certain and fixed rule'
essential in polite vaudeville. Thes'
rules are no idle notices, but must no
be violated in this theatre. No song
word, line, or situation will be per
mitted that would not be entirely &C
ceptable in the drawing room OF th
most refined family in this city. ID,
not wait for criticism from me afte
first performance, but if any doubt e1
lists in your mind, then visit the offic
for instructions before opening at Mol
day matinee.
"The use of the words God 'hel
and damn is positively forbidden.
"The use of the words God hell.
: to aid In act, other than to play thei
music.
ARTISTS shall not call upon orchestr
in songs or whistling.
II. WINNIFRED DE WITT.
Manager"
Miss Dewitt was asked whether sh
considered the letter issued by tn
Aloysius Truth Society too sweepin
, In its nature.
"By no MEANS" she replied, yer
| seriously. "It is sad fact that tn
! morals of many of our young peopl
are being corrupted by the vice an
immortality paraded in many theatre
,, under pleasing DISCUSSES. 1t ha
: reached a stage where the vigilan
: father hesitates to give his youn
! daughter permission to attend thea
, rical performance until he has invest
: gated ,he nature and quality of tn
play. How often does 1t happen ths
a young man and young woman will g
to a first class theatre for the pu
pose Of enjoying what they suppos
n will be an innocent and clean amus
e ment, only to be embarrassed an
t, ashamed at witnessing the most in
modest and at times fiagrantly immo