The New York herald., 1921-11-15
DEMI-VRGIN STORM
GROWS IN BROADWAY
City Inquiry Into Impure
"a Plays Hinted in Case OF
A. III. Woods.
COPELAND TAKES LEAD
Health Commissioner Tells
Of Many Clean Pieces
Which Please Him.
'M'ADOO PROTEST STRONG
DenOunces Productions Put On
Solely to Attract Crowds
by Vulgarity.

Certain plays on Broadway ap
peared last night to be due for in
vestigaton in view OF an announce
nlent by Dr. Royal S. Copeland. Com
missioner of Health, that he intends
TO call the attention of the Board OF
Health to charges that the New York
stage needs a complete renovation and
au application of censorship if the
health of thestregoers is to be pro-
tected.
DR.. Copeland's statement, contained
in an answer to Perriton Maxwell Of
Bayside, L. T., former magazine editor.
was understood to be a forerunner of
en- announcement that the city au-
thorities are going to supervise Broad
way productions. Its contents We're
made public simultaneously with the
announcement from the office of Will
lam McAdoo. Chief City Magistrate
that A. II. Woods, producer, has been
charged with presenting Immoral
md impure" plays, the accusation
being based on a reading OF the manu-
script of "The Demi- Virgin"
McAdoo Criticfses Play.
In Mr.. Woodss case bail was fxed
at $1,000. Me gistrate McAdoo's decision
TO entertain a charge against him con-
tsined a review of 1.-The Demi-virgin.'
sn which that play was criticised as
deliberately, painstakingly, and, for
rhe purpose OF gain, coarsely indecent,
5lagrantiy and suggestively immoral,
impure in motive, word and action
and in every respect offensively Illegal
snder The statute governing such mat
Ters.''
Mr.. Woods told the Magistrate earlier
an the day when he appeared in court
mat changes had been made in the
7,lay at certain points which led to COM
nolaints The manuscript in the hands
OF the court, he said, lacked these
changes.
In the arraigninent of the plays viii
which Mr. Maxwell found fault, it wa
said that "the dramatic corruption O
certain plays is as surely undermining
the public health of impressionabie the
atregoers as an exposed sewer would 4
plsced In the middle OF the auditorium.
Mr.. Maxwell said he wrote his lettel
as an editor and writer concerned Will
tho progress and integrity OF the Ameri
can drama during the last twenty years
lie based his criticism on the application
to the theatre OF the saying that clear
mind makes sound body.
DR.. Copelands letter called attention
TO plays such as Thank You" which, ht
raid, does as much for a community al
"a dozen doctors" He said he entered
the theatre where it is playing depressed
and fatigued and left afterward "heart
ened and refreshed" and then went or
TO call attention TO "The Bat" '"The Sill
yer Fox" "Dulcy." '-The Green Goddess
and ''The First Year" as plays that hat
Il similar stimulating effect.
IF those good plays make for health.
his letter continued in part. 'it must bs
equally true that those which are based
upon salacious appeal make for disease
"f am opposed to censorship in it,
1Dieoted form. but i think all good citi
Zens believe in the protection of tn,
public from those plays that admittedly
appeal only to the baser side OF human
nature"
Scenes Described at Hearing.
The hearing at which the case Of "Th'
Doni- Virgin was taken up by Magis
trate McAdoo took place in the Chic
Magistrates office, at 800 Mulberr.
street. Robert S. Johnstone. Assistan
District Attorney, read the nianuscrip
srd Lieut. Albert Duffy OF the Chic
Inspectors office at Police Headduar
1ers took the stand to testify concerning
one Of the allegedly Objectionable scenes
He described one in which there is 6
card game. and in which one OF th'
women characters talks about taking Of
two frectles and a mole
Toward the end OF his decision ir
which he held Mr.. Woods for trial II
Special Sessions Magistrate McAdot
hinted at clean up Of the stage
This play" he said, 'is an intentiona
appeal. for the profit OF the box office
10 the iustful and licentious, TO the NOR
bidly erotic. to the vulgar and disorderly
irinds.'