The Washington herald., 1914-11-29
DE- JAMEs 5. METcALFE.

New York. Nov. 2s.-That recent hys-
terical affiiction Of the theateTs and NOV
ing pictures known as the white-slave
drama has just given its last gasp in
New York. One of the latest OF its plays,
called The Traffic" was, in desperation,
put on at the New York Theater to see
whether there might not be enough in
terest left in the hackneyed and unsavory
topic to bring a few dollars TO the till Of
that theater, which is in a chronic condi-
tion OF being out Of a job. But it was
vain effort No one today cares enough
about these exhibitions Of the stews and
slums to pay to see them g.
II it were worth while to do it at all.
this might be the opportune time to write
the history of a general hysteria whose
best known manifestation was the dehl-
ing of the stage with material which
commercial managers would never have
dared use except for the support OF self
styled philanthropists and reforme-s-
These persons were either ignorant of
what they were doing or ready to do any
thing for the sake of nOtoriety. Promi-
nent suffragists and advertisement seek
ing doctors headed the movement for a
while, and defended these exhibitions
even in the courts, but when they found
that the authorities who were trying to
suppress them were backed up by a
strong and unexpectedly wholesome pub
lie opinion they were forced to retreat
from their unclean crusades.
The most energetic investigator would
find 1t difficult to discover one particle
Of good done by this movement. Nor is
there any way of finding out the amount
Of harm done by the dissemination of
knowledge of the details- OF the life of
vice through the picturesque medium Of
the stage. Not the least of the harm
done was the general breaking down of
a decent restraint in topics Of CONVERSE
tion and the increase of ignorant credul-
ity ready to deal with matters that baffle
experience and study. Persons intelligent
in other ways gave full belief to the
''poisoned-needle" yarns and other fabri-
cations Of hysterical young women stim-
ulated by the white-slave drama and pic
lures. The only permanent result seems
TO have been the writing into the United
States criminal statutes OF a law which
seems particularly calculated to furnish a
potent weapon to bIackmailers in official
and private life.
The Traffic" lasted a week in New
York, and with it is seen what it may
well be hoped is the last Of a systemat-
lied effort to divert the great influence
OF the stage into very foul channels.
Another Misdirected Effort.
In something the same line of stage
portrayal of an evil is What 1t Means
TO a Woman" 1t is difficult to decide
whether this play was meant as a total
abstinence argument, after the manner of
Ten Nights in a Bar Room or as
strong drama based on a prevalent vice
after the manner of Madame X which
made absinth drinking a factor in very
moving play. Unfortunately for its pro-
Gucers. the piece achieves neither pur-
pose. 80 it is not likely to gain patronage
either from prohibitionists or from those
wh" like the play for the sake of the
play.
The It in the title. What 1t Means
to Il Woman" refers TO alcoholic over
indulgence. The heroine treads the down
ward path. whose steps are indicated by
a love OF excitement leading to an ex-
asgerated devotion to fine dress, bridge.
poker and a constant resort to alcoholic
stimulation. Her luxurious home Is the
esOr Of other women of her own type,
but with superior constitutions or intelli-
Gences TO use in their pleasures The
drink habit gets SO much the better of
the lady that it breaks up her married
life. finally bringing her down to asso-
iation with d male teacher of fashion
able dancing and to a stage demonstra-
iion OF whit is very like an attack of
drlirium trcmens.
The play had some clever lines, notably
lh Iet amusing poker game Win women
Ilaycrs but the cast. including Rita Joli-
Vet. Frank Mills. Laura Nelson, and
JUsoph IIilEOur was entitled to better
"a; toTiHl than is to be found in What It
Means to = Woman" Outside of mex
i'-jry:,s ia making the play this does not
som tn TO the time nor New York the |
ulacc 'rr Il drama which expects the
'"rr"r: Of intempcrence either to thrill
O.. :m-F:.uot. The town is too familiar
NH awful examples in everyday life.
First In the Field.
~ course, we are going to have in |
the near and remote future bounteous !
crop CT plays of all sorts inspired by I
The European war. The tremendous !
events we are observing and through t,
which great nations are passing are !
bound to project themselves into every |
form of material and mental produc- |
zion. and from them the stage and it's !
writers are likely to receive a needed /
new inspiration.
First to venture into the field is |