New-York tribune., 1919-05-18
BY Haywood Broun

oHP4oycu phrase IN tnelr signs which
might we'll be used in the electric
lights of some of our New York thea
tres. Entertainment for Man and
Beast so ran the tavern signs.
Just here it seems to us is the
chief reason for complaint against
some of the producers of salacious
plays. They do not warn the public
sufficiently There are a certain num-
Der of plays in town which might we'll
afford acute distress to certain the
atregoers. II is entirely possible that
unsuspecting patrons may wander
into these playhouses and have an un-
pleasant and embarrassing evening
One may regard these paygoers as
overhinicky If he is SO disposed, and
yet they have a right to protection.
There can be no question that certain
Of our playwrights do go beyond the
bounds of what society IN general re-
CARDS as decency. On the other hand,
we think there is less reason to quar-
rel with any manager who frankly
labels his play by its title and its
advertising as saacious and invites
that part of the public which enjoys
that sort OF thing to come and be
entertained. His business may not be
the loftiest in the world, but at the
same time he has done no one an in
justice. There is no law at present on
the Statutc hOclc
Wise or DR.. John Roach Straton to
come and soc these plays and be e.
Tended. Those who go know what TO
expect. They might. perhaps, be bet
ter employed these seekers after the
salacious, but there is no guarantee
that they would be. Gains protest
of responsibility may be hercsy,
and yet 1t is an attractive one and
rot unconnected with our theories of
free speech and personal liberty.
which are, of course, preached rather
harder than they are practiscd in
America.
IF the theatre were the only field
for disseminating off color stories
there might be some, reason for re
formers to single it out for frontal
attack, but as long as the novels of
Mrs. Ellnor Glyn and Victoria Cross
and others are freely distributed it
seems to us that theatrical managers
have right to feel little aggrieved
when the whole burden of censure
tails on them. Nobody is ever going
to prevent great number of persons
from being Interested and amused by
immoral PLAYS and stories, at least
there is no prospect of this at pres
cnt. 1t makes little difference, it
seems to us. whether these yarns are
retailed among little groups in front
of bars or soda fountains, or at stag
dinners or in theatres. We are not
even sure that the existence of this
taste for low literature is harmful to
the community
But the salacious play as presented
in New York IS often distinctly IN
pleesant because it is not presented
frankly. Hardly ever is it downright.
Almost invariably it Is done with
ager will try to reach not only his
special public but others as we'll by
announcing on the one hand that his
entertainment is naughty and spicy
and all the rest OF it and yet denying
the charge Indignantly when it is
brought against him.
1t seems to US that many of the
managers are playing the hypocrite
IN their replies to Rabbi Wise and
DR.. Straton when they pretend to be
appalled, at the statement that many
plays in town are Indecent. Their
case would be much better if they
would admit a portion of the charges
brought by the clergymen and add
Yes, but why not?"
Our own opinion is that most of the
bedroom plays might we'll be bounded
of the stage, because they are stupid
and insincere and unimaginative Some
oi them might be ever so much more
immoral and yet prove amusing enter
tainments il they were more skilfully
devised 1t is true that theatrical
managers present much unworthy stuff /
in season and some nasty stuff, butt
for our part we would rather see the
general run OF plays in an average
season under its present commercial |
auspices than GO through season of
plays picked by DR.. Straton.
When preachers denounce such
evils as those which Dr. Wise and
discussed last Sunday" writes Or. /
straton, "the matter cannot be dis
missed simply by laughter or by the
cynical assertion that the preachers are
hidebound Puritans We had better
have some Of the old-fashioned Puri-
tanism which made our fathers great
and our mothers good rather than tho
hell born im-Puritanism of this are.
with it's hippant attitude toward WON.
anhood, its bedroom plays, it's degen.
crate dances, which take their yerv
names from lower animals, and its