Evening star., 1912-11-19
Censor FOR PLAYS
Monday Evening Club Advo-
Gates Purer TheatricaIs.
SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION
Cooperation With the. Drama
League, Proposed and Committee
of Conference Appointed.

Censorship of plays in the District OF
Columbia may be established by the Mon
day Evening Club following the reach
ing OF Unanimous decision by that
body last night favoring the appointment
OF a committee to confer with the Drama
League in the interest of obtaining clean.
er thsatricais for the capital
The. club devoted its second meeting
OF the year, which was held in the as
sembly hall Of the Y. NJ. c. A.. to a dis
cussion of ''The Theater and Public Nor
ais. Many of the measures advocated
for The uplift Of the stage grew out Of
disclosures in a recent investigation of
plays produced in Washington which was
conducted by A. NJ. Chesley. director of
boys work Of the Y. M. c. A.. and Fran
els De Sales Ryan Of the Catholic Truth
Society
Mr.. Chesley was one OF the Speakers,
but Mr.. Ryan was unable to be present.
his place ON the program being filled by
Judge William H. Lacy of the juvenile
court. Others who took part in the dis
cussion were o. E. Darnall, who presided
as chairman DIR. Charles Wood, pastor
of the Church Of the Covenant, and the
hev. Michael Gallagher. chaplain OF pub
bia.
Purposes Of League Outlined.
The decision to have committee ap-
pointed to confer with the Drama League
was reached following an address by
Miss Ethel NJ Smith of the bureau of
fisheries, in which the purposes of the
league were outlined.
It Is expected that cooperation between
the Monday Evening Club and this body
In the interest of improving the moral
tone of plays produced In Washington
will be effected principally through pub
be informed in advance what plays adver-
tised to be given here are OF character
not offensive to public decency.
The tenor of the discussion indicated
that the members of the club very large
ly. If not entirely, agree that the stage
any community, but that the moral at
Thosphere surrounding this Institution to-
day is far from what it should be. Judge
De Lacy digressed long enough to give
his views about some other matters In
which public morals are concerned, de-
claring that critical eye should be kept
on dances as well as on theaters.
There should be q return to the custom
or having chaperons at dances, he said.
The. speaker also advocated segregation
an policemen and a separate police sta
ton for woman prisoners.
In the course of his address Judge De
Lacy referred to several instances of
where crimes have been committed in the
District of Columbia by boys as the re-
shows.
Theaters May Be Directed.
DR.. Wood declared that the theater can
not be repressed, but that it may be di-
rected. He advocated the operation Of
moving picture shows by the Y. NJ. c. A.
II never believed in the saloon they
had in New York in connection with the
church, said DR.. Wood. but 1 do be-
lfeNe in proper moving pictures in con-
nection with the churches
The. appointment of an officer clothed
with proper authority for the specific
purpose of censuring theatrical produc-
tiofs was urged by the Rev. Michael
Gallagher. He declared that the drama
has degenerated, but that 1t may be re-
vived.
Its power is now as great as 1t ever
was" he said. 1T is perhaps greater
than ever before, but it is largely en-
ployed to pander to the base instincts OF
mankind. While some representations
have healthy and moral effect. vast
number of others are an outrage on de-
cency and good morals. Those theatrical
representations that teach evil, those
that suggest evil and those that teach
the way to evil should be suppressed by
public authority"
That greater cooperation between the
public and the theater arrangements in
the interest of clean plays may be had if
effort Is made in this direction was the
declaration of Mr.. Chesley. He declared
that the terms public sentiment and
common decency' mean practically the
same and that the standard of public
sentiment in Washington is high, although
it Is like a great giant asleep.
Responsibility on Every Citizen.
There is a responsibility on every cit
izen, he urged, to go to the managers of
the theaters and tell them what plays
produced here are offensive to public
morals. The managers, Mr.. Chesley pre-
dicted. would readily subscribe to CO.
operation of this kind with the public.
The meeting was called to order by the
Rev. John Van Schaick. jr., president of
the club. Under new ruling, the names
of delegates to the organization were
called No business was transacted, and
at the beginning of the discussion of the
theater problem Or. Van Schafck surren-
dered the chair to Mr.. Darnall, chairman
Of. the program committee, who presided
during the remainder of the evening.
The attendance was large. Several
members participated In discussion of the
subject.