New-York tribune., 1913-05-25
SCENE FROM
PtNOcHLE "
az tie
GRAND

Playwrights prepare to sharpen your
percils and rack your brains. or sharpen
your wits and rack your typewrlter9'
whichever is the better method OF coi'-
position. for the great David Belasco
has announced that he is gasping ior
new play Ior the coming season.
Mr.. Belasco wishes it 10 be understood
that 40 prize play competition OF any
thing Of the sort Will be conducted 'y
his Offices. but that any playwright win
the qualifying play will be welcomed play
ana all. with open arms.
IL all began when the present Wrlier
mentioned the subject, 50 much talked OF
in theatrical circles just now, OF the re-
cent deluge OF crook plays.
Come In here" whispered Mr. Belasco'
pulling tho visitor into one Of he many
artistic little rooms wh!cn honeycomb the
upper floors OF the Belasco Theatre.
I'm going 10 tell you great big So
cret. and YOU don't need TO Keep IT,
either. for I've held ii close for ten
years and / am beginning 10 fear that
shall miss great part Of my ambition II
J continue To guard IT,
Let me say FIRST Of all. that It IS
crook PLAYS I want 10 talk about. but
not the sort We are having at present
They are good some OF them. and popu-
lar. nearly all Of them. but 50 were dime
novels IN our youth and 80 are the lurid
tales Of amateur cracksmen to-day What
| have been waiting for since ten years
ago is crook play that will show us
the crook not a. a supeGman and gloH-
fed hero. but as man and brother OF
men.
Il want a play which shows the crook
as he truly IS and-here Is the meat OF
my fancied play--one that will give us
an idea. clew to the great question
What Ia society to do with its Grim
inals?"
But is not iail the only practical reme-
dy?" asked the visitor.
"Emphatically. no." answered Mr.. Be-
lasco sharply. The prisons OF this coun-
try are "A terrible blot on our record as
civilized people. They are hotbeds OF
crime and depravity. The whole system
Of punishment for crime and vice In this
country is utterly wrong, from the time
an unfortunate is arrested until that time,
years after. when he is set outside prison
walls to fight a losing battle with the
police and society
while not many OF my intimate friends
may be aware of II. have been studying
the prison system for a great many years.
with Just this object I'm view, and this
las, season 1 have watched the attitude
of the public toward these crook plays
with Il good deal OF apprehension. Tor
fear folks would become weary OF the
subject before the right play came TO me.
I'VE want play which Will affect the
country in its attitude TO the criminal in
relatively the same manner as Charles
Reade's 1t Is Never Too Late 10 Mend
affected the Englsh-speaking world years
ago. when | was lad. We want a play
to affect the treatment of criminals in
somewhat the same manner as Gals
worthy's Justice aroused a strong feel
ing against the divorce laws in England
few wears ago OF course. II Is not 90
ing 10 be the type of play one can sit
down and dash off In a week or two, for
it will necessarily have To be The result
OF study and inspiration.
plays that stir the conscience Of Il
country are not written between chats
in = Broadway restaurant The writer
will have to be gifted not only with a
profound knowledge OF the psychology Of
crime but with a wholesome outlook upon
the nature Of that truly wonderful being
his fellow man.
"A knowledge OF existing prison condi-