Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1911-10-26
PUBLIC TASTE AND DRAMA.

We Hatter ourselves that are living IN an
ago If advanced and fearless thought, Of Won
rous political progress and social uplft, mat
there are no facts which we are AFRAID TO rae
no conditions to which cannot apply dfaSl /
remedy. Nevertheless twentieth century society
still refuses to take off its gloves. or use aught
but rose-coored lorgnette, for handling or view
inc the most vital problems that confront human
ity The United States is no longer source OF
merriment to the older nations on account OF the
prllderv Of its inhabitants Even IN New Eng
land nowadays legs are legs, and it is not neces.
sarv TO refer to ii bull gentleman COW We
profess to be no longer timd OF facing Nature,
and there are SociologSts wise and frank enough
to urge that problems be eucldated IN the
public schools Nevertheless, we have still lar to
90 TO break the polite conspiracy OF silence which
prevents general understanding OF subjects OF fun
damentai interest to every man and woman and
of vital importance to the welfare of the human
race.
The greatest engines and vehicles of modern
thought the printing press, the theater the
moving picture show and the pulpit. We place
them IN what believe to be their order OF
precedence We place them in what we believe to
be their order of precedence Every psychologist
knows that the printed word exercises an uncon
sciouS influence upon the reader, and the taste
il not the character, of men and women may be
known today by the newspapers and books they
read The theater and the moving-pcture show
are also making indelible impressions upon the
minds Of the present generation. Primarily like
the newspaper press, these agencies air to reflect
prevalent thought and to cater to popular taste.
Hence the philosopher or the psychologist, if he
would know the contents of the public mind, the
heart of 'the composite citizen, " must be familiar
with the shows most in demand and most
patronized.
With this postulate in evidence, how we
account for the public appetite for and delight in
such entertainment as is furnished in a series Of
abp oDhlp sans hpDnt md Nv
Sh but the prevailing characteristic OF which is
an undiSgused-- indeed, bOld--appeal to sensl-
atty? We are beling Russia in supposng that
this sort of entertainment is popular or is even
tolerated in that country. The beautiful back
ground and the delightful dancing. it is true, are
imported from Russia but the characteristic feat
ure the main attraction of the performance in
question, if found in the deliberate righteousness
the wanton display of sensuality, intruded by
American managers and headed by an American
woman for the edifcation Of American theater
goers Certainly should not be hypocritca
enough to condone own taste for lascivous
and sensual stage by pretending that it is import
ed from Russia Must we, then. admit that this
is the sort of entertainment our best theatergoer
actually admire and desire?
But while deliberate display of laScivious
ness is an attraction calculated to fill American
playhouses, and while the ponographic dram;
continues to be popular, nevertheless American
managers insist that we still too modest, to-
prudish for them to attempt the production o
plays which the intellectual and literary world i
eagerly discussing. The same public says Thu
San Francisco Post which focks to see Hoff
nanized CLEOPATRA called in the police to sto]
the performance of Bernard Shaw Mrs. War
ren 5 PrefeSS'oE, and told that
would be insult to the patrons of any fam
theater in the United States to attempt perform
of BrleuXs Maternity" or Damage
Goods /" No one who has read either or all Of tn
great French dramatlsts plays. recently published
can deny that they emphasize with stunning dra
matte force great truths of life, at which hma
society prefers to blink and avoid and that thei
public performance would be of the greatest benz
fit to the human race Yet there is not a the
atrical manager in America who dares to produc
them.
Is not this fact remarkable demonstration q
the true condition of public taste? Could on
hypocrisy and moral cowardce be more complete
ly exposed than by attraction to g A Night
Persian lIarem and our aersion from Brieux
plays? Who can still pretend that we are trul
fearless in facing social and moral problems, an
that our twentieth century upght is phenomenal
The Imperial press, according to dispatche
says that the rngeaders of the revolt must di
E1ct at oracpnt If wou1d Saauo tbot tbor onl