New-York tribune., 1919-05-12
Nothing Less Than Work of
Moral Scavengers and Pro-
ducers of Filth, Is Way
He Describes One He Saw
Pities People of Stage
At Mercy of Cruel, Hard
hearted Persons Domi-
mating Theatre, He Says

In "pitiful, glaring, defiling contrast"
to what they fought for in France, re-
turned American soldiers are being
entertained in New York by lingerie
plays" which serve as "annexes to the
brothel," Rabbi Stephen S. Wise de-
clared in sermon delivered yesterday
morning at the Free Synagogue in
Carnegie Hall.
New York's theatre managers, pro-
ducers, playwrights, players, dramatic
critics and theatregoing public were
alike arraigned by his sermon, entitled
THE Decadent Drama: How Save it 2"
1t was preceded by the singing of
Gauls cantata, Ruth"
From the first words Of his sermon
DR.. Wise turned the heavy artillery Of
his vocabulary full upon the faults Of
the American theatre, literally shower
ing the subject with scorchng phrases.
The dirtiest business in America" was
his Characterization.
Blasphemy to Clean Youth
ut is blasphemy," he said, "to take
clean-limbed, outstanding youth to some
OF the revolving, nauseating plays now
running in New York. 1t is an In
tolerable insult to expose them to that.
IN return for their work in France.
Il carry in mind one show in par
ticular that I saw only last week in
one of the leading theatres Of the city.
Most of the audience were soldiers and
sailors. | am told there are q dozen
shows equally bad in the city
IF many shows in New York are like
this one, then American drama is
being written by the hosiery buyers
of department. stores. The average
petticoat purchaser of Sioux City or
Tulsa would write the sort of show
I saw the other night-if he should
stoop to write a play
Product of Moral Leprosy
"It was nothing less than the work
of moral scavengers and filth pro-
ducers. 1t was the product Of moral
leprosy. The stage was filled with
half f-dressed women-though no more
30 than the boxes Of the theatre itself,
or the lobbies Of the average hotel.
1t was the vulgar incarnation Of i'm
purity, spun about display of hosiery
and underwear"
In placing the blame for such plays,
DR.. Wise first mentioned the people of
the stage, saying they were mostly un-
educated
II feel sorry for them," he said.
"The theatre of to-day is cluttered with
uneducated male and female loafers.
do not say that all plays are bad or
that all actors are uneducated, but
that cultivated men and women cannot
accept. SO long as actors are hired ana
fired like clerks, so long will there be
a poor class of stage people.
Theatre as a Business
"They are at the mercy of the cruel,
hard-hearted creatures who dominate
%nd control the theatre. No such great
organization in life to-day is in such
unworthy hands as the theatre. fro-
ducers apparently consider drama not
as an art, but an opportunity for the
exposure of half-dressed women. AS a
busines So the business of the theatre is
the dirtiest business in America to-
day"
Dr.. Wise next arraigned the press.
asserting that it does not give the pub
lie honest criticism.
Only last week in another city" he
said, II saw an advertisement of a
former Broadway attraction. 1t read:
Go to the Blank Theatre and see
classy, girly, jazzy show Could any
thing be more impudently or salaciously
suggestive?
"Why can't critics say, This is dis
gusting, foul, salacious play? Why
should people permit newspapers to lie
fh0yn q to
newspapers Of New York going to let
two or three or four men dictate what
Is said about the greatest of arts-men
without the remotest idea of respon-
sibility? | wish we could put some of
these chain theatre men in chains"
Objects to Police Censor
In order to cxterminate the Lingerie
DRAMA" however, Dr. Wise expressed
himself against either police censor
ship or against "having the theatre
Burlesonized, no matter how we'll quail
itied we know he is to undertake such
a task"
at is up to the public" he declared,
ito censor bad play by staying away
Here we Jews have a particularly great
responsibility, not only as managers
and producers, but also as patrons.
Jews largely help to maintain New
York's theatres. / sometimes think
there are more Jews in the theatres
than in synagogues.
1--WE must tell theatre managers that
they can't peddle filth at one theatre
and expect us to go to any other the
atre of theirs.
ultimately, of course, the question
comes back to the individual. He must
have taste and convictions. Either one
Of two things is true to-day-either
the theatres Of the United States are
guilty Of the greatest insult to our
moral and intellectual standards, or