The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-07-10
ONE ACT PLAY TO
PRESENT EVIL OF
! death PENALTY
Congressman Invited to Gar
rick When Stage VIII Combat
Capital Punishment.

A new method of lobbying win be
introduced to Congress on Sunday
evening. July IT. at the shubert-Gar-
rick Theatsr by Oliver Hoyem, execu-
i've sscrstary OF the Washington Blu
rsau of the National Committee on
Prisons and Prison Labor. 1t Is desired
10 abolish the death penalty In the
District OF Columbia, and the argu-
msnt In favor of legislation that will
accomplish this end will be presented
IN the form of a one-act play, 1.-THE
Penalty" Members of the Cabinet,
the Senate, the House. and District
omcials have been invited to attend
a guosta of the committee. and Jack
EDWARDS, manager of the Garrick
Lobbying was once a term of re-
proach. and organizations of farm
srs. business men. ex-soidiers.
ehurohmen, ana suffraSists prefer
some other designation of their activ-
itiess They argue that lobbying sug-
Sests secret activities on behalf of
predatory interests whereas their
activities are open and on behalf of
public good, but the more successful
organizations with bureaus in WASH
ington, II Is said. do not seek TO CO.
cree members of Congress to vote In
favor OF certain measures, but supply
the Information which will enable a
member 70 reach an unbiased conclu-
sion. This has been the method of
the National Committee on Prisons
and Prison Labor in hearings before
Congress on penal matters such as
! probation and parole, industries In
prison, and even in attacks on abuses
In prison systems. In THE Penalty"
Mr.. Hoyem Is carrying out this prin-
ciple by inviting Congressman to
come, see, hear, and then form their
own, conclusions.
PLAYERS VOLUNTEER.
Final success OF this plan OF put
ting this argument on the stage,
especially for the benefit OF Congress
will depend largely upon whether the
play is good in itself and whether a
= finished performance Is given by tho
actors. Assurances have been re-
ceived on both these points. In the
hrst place requests have already been
made to Mr.. Hoyem for the use OF
the play as a vaudeville sketch, par
ticularly because of the unusual
stage effects. Those who have seen
the Garrick players during the three
weeks they have been in Washing
ton have come to expect acting OF
the highest order. The players have
volunteered their services for the per-
formance. Director John Ravold will
himself take the part of the warden.
The other are John Kline" I.obert
Brister. Douglas Dumbrilie,' j. Arthur
Young. Addison Smith, Theodore
Hardy and Miss Shirley DeMe.
"The average person would be sur
prised to find the extent OF the senti-
ment in the country for the abolition
Of the death penalty" said Mr.
Hoyem. II have in my office more
than nve hundred signatures of resi-
dents of the District who have sign
ed petitions asking the President of
the United States for thee commute
ton of the sentences of men now In
the District Jail awaiting death by
hanging. The play would not have
been written and the abolition OF the
death penalty by Congress would
probably not have become an imms-
date issue except for the active
sentiment existing in the District"
The work of the national commit
tee on prisons and prison labor in the
District" continued Mr. Hoyem. has
been similar to our work In other
States. being confined more or less
to cooperating with the administra-