The Washington herald., 1921-04-10
g MERE MALE STARS DOMINATE DRAMA OF THE WEEK
Some Reflections
By EARLE DORSEY.

TS THE SPRING the actors fancy lightly turns to
j thoughts of rest, but something more than the
mere fact that the ls2o-2I theater season is
tottering its last undere the exceptional
Hearth of plays that suddenly afnics the WASH
ington stage.
Usually. at this time of year. new plays are
blooming in every sunny dog-town, while producers
aud manager plot studendous and Napoleonic cam
paigns for the that lies ahead. However. If
plays still bloom in the spring they're blooming
in hothouses other than Washington. for there is
evidence aplenty hereabout that the stage will barely
muddle through the spring with old production
that happens to be lying around loose.
Take last week. for instance:
Into Washington a Gus Hill comic-paper
adaptation designed exclusively popula-
tion centers inland and far removed from the
competitive whirl attractions that commonly select
cities like Washington for showngs. One does not
gine a moment. that the producing and book
ing responsible believe Bringing Up Father
at the seashore" is a big town show. On must be-
leve. other hand, the number of untried
efforts plays definite metropolitan stand
ard is so lamentably small being had
to productions which would sympathetic
audiences in Pottsville, Pa.
Again. in the week at hand. we have Guy Bates
Post preparing play his third week Of the season
in Washington sound but exceedingly familiar
'TMasquerader" Richard Walton Tully's even more
familiar Bird Paradise" is in prospect The Garrck
removed from the exigencies OF booking famines by
the extended engagement of two productions. has
made demands the apparently slender supply
of plays months which is fortunate.
One hears. from time to time. of unprosperous
theatrical conditions throughout the country. 1t is
possible that the famine stage stun is a
nection condition The producers naturally
assumes. have decided to produce fewer and better
plays If that is the of view with
more equanirnity palsed paraytc passing of
the
-HE CENSORSHIP soUABBLE, which lately
1 agitated own quiet civic shores has been
shifted-one hopes permanently-to other loca-
tions. Albany. N Y, is now the storm center Of the
nght between the political cerics who feaped
such glad enthusiasm the fight the
try from the dangers that assan it from the
screen.
At the present time. it that the censorship
elements have enlisted backing the governor
of New York, that the Lusk Clayton
censorship bill before the New York legislature must
become a law Despite the presence in Albany of
d. W. Grith. William A Brady and other leaders Of
n army photoplay defenders common opinion is to
the effect that the will become Gov Miller
declares he has interviewed all sorts Of people the
matter and that far he the only way ou:
. is censorship.
The Lusk-Clayton law proposes to create a commits
sion members appointed by the with
of the senate. Each member will be paid
$500 a year, and each member will serve hve
years probably impertinent. course. to call
attention the political advantages Of law
aside the qualification that Gov. Milers stand
the matter and the probable passage of the law
will give clerical behind the movement
However, G. more
calamitous to the industry than the passage
of this law 1t be that its is needed to
awaken the army of, film makers and exhibitors of
New York State and elsewhere knowledge OF the
political power-the advertising weapon-possessed
by those who make and show pictures. Already the
trade publications of the photoplay Industry be-
ginning preach retaliative political action against
public who sponsor and indorse censorship
and it is barely possible that the motion picture
will still remember, when next election time
rolls around, that they control a powerful means of
defeating enemies assisting friends to and
election.
Tut PERHAPS BY ELECTION TIME there will be
X a construction the censorship that
- will make 1t impossible for the screen Tight, in
purely political sense. of the gentlemen con-