The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-03-24
IN LOCAL PLAYHOUSES

I obscene syllable. The play tells in d.
rect fashion the inevitable result OF
sexual debauchery; the crime com.
mitted by persons of both sexes In
mating, II either il other than physi-
To the innocent child which may be
the result OF such union, and the men
ace to the race OF prostitution.
A, IL must not be forgotten that Brieux
IL Frenchman. and is writing OF his
own people. He says that his medical
information for damaged Goods" was
taken from the books and treatises al
the noted French specialists In social
diseases. Diday. Fournier and Julien
II have expressed In dramatic form
that which these men have set forth
SO wildly In their scientific treatises,"
says Brieux.
But, while the percentage of per-
sons afflicted with the disease OF
syphilis 10 said to be larger In France
than In 0thcr countries, the statistics
OF which on the subject are available,
every thinking man and woman knows
that the disease with which Brieux
deals Is to be found In Detroit, the
smallest village, hamlet. or any great
city, as II IL In Paris. Whether the
frank discussion OF 1t over the foot
lights will be as beneficial az the dra.
matists and his co-spreaders of knowi.
edge hope, future generations alone
will offer the proof. The fact remains
that knowledge Is power" and II L.
inconceivable why anyone, except
those afraid OF the light, should raise
Voice against the presentation OF
Damaged Goods" upon the stage as
one means of educating an all too L.
norant public on matters OF sex hy-
giene which should be, II obsolete con-
vention should be abolished, part OF
every human beings teaching from
the cradle.
There Is no question OF Brieux' sim
certify nor of Richard BENEFITS, the
actor who has dared to carry the light
into dark places. There IL absolutely
no pandering to the sensational, to the
passions. to curiosity in Damaged
Goods"-it is simple. plain fact.
Mr.. Bennett gives remarkable
characterization Of the young man.
George Dupont. who marries despite
the statement of the doctor that In
doing so he places himself in class
with the lowest criminal, because, 1t
| Is almost certainty that he will
transmit to his innocent wife and
their offspring the disease with which
he Is afflicted. Mr.. BENEFITS work
was sincere. careful. intellectual and
natural. He has the assistance Of an
earnest and admirable company Of
men and women. Louis BennisOn
made the doctor so human. so
genuine. that the long speeches filled
with medical terms became absorb
lingly interesting and illuminative
despite their necessary technically.
olive Templeton visualized the whole
some. sweet womanhood and mother
hood of the wife: Maud Milton pre-
sented An entirely different type Of
mother love as Nine. Dupont, and In
her scene with the doctor and her
son. In which she cries out impOtent-
| ly because she cannot make of her.
self a willing sacrifice to save her
son, and her sons child from the
| fearful scourge OF the disease which
has been transmitted, Miss Milton
was powerfully tragic: Florence
Shore gave a splendid bit OF charac-
ter work as the nurse as did Elsa
Berold, as a wretched peasant wo-
man, also victim Of the scourge.
Joseph Weber as NJ. Loches. young
Nine. Dupont's father, and George F..
Moran, as the sorrowing father OF q
l15-year -old son, another victim, and
George Ferguson, as student In the
doctors office, were excellent In their
parts. Mabel Adrienne Morrison. in
private life Mrs. Richard Bennett,
gave a remarkable presentation Of
the girl OF the streets.
The Rev. Eugene r. Shipper, be-
fore the curtain went up, addressed
the audience on the subject and the
purpose Of the play, and spoke OF Mr.
Benefits efforts to carry forward his
own convictions and those of Brieux,
that the public should be made &C.
quainted with the truth about such
social questions as that with which
Damaged Goods" deals. At the close
of the second act, Mr.. Bennett also
came before the curtain, to thank
those before him for an intelligent
attitude toward the play and for the
applause which was SO generously ac-
corded himself and the members Of
his company. Several times during
the play when the dramatist made
particularly effective argument in his
pathological dissection. there was APP
plause from the audience, clearly
showing that there was close atten-
ton. interest and approval.
/ Damaged Goods" Is an unvar-
nished plea for clean bill Of health
along with q marriage license. As
Mr.. Shaw says: 1.-THE commonsense