The New York herald., 1922-03-11

llOHdulc lIOu Inc punt VI view Ol pu
is Objectionable as a whole. Conden
nine adverse votes out Of the twelve
If the verdict is thumbs down on
the play as whole the producer win
withdraw 1t at once If only parts of
1t offend, the producer, will have a
week into which to make changes.
Then the same jury will attend the
play again and give it's verdict. The
producer, the actors and the author
agree to abide by the verdict, what
ever it is. To give force to the agree
nent It will be written into the con-
tracts made by producers with actors
and playwrights.
saIacious Plays Running.
1t was admitted at yesterdays meet
ing that several plays now to be seen
in New York are extensively salacious
and should not have been staged.
Their number was variously given as
three or four" and -four or five." 1t
was also conceded that there Is a
tendency on the part of a few to pro-
duce other plays without which the
theater would be better off," The aim
of the proponents of the jury system,
as stated, is to eliminate vulgar and
injurious plays and thus to avoid the
possibility of official censorship reach
ing the stage as 1t has the motion
pictures. But it was also said that
the jury system would not apply to
the salacious plays now running. the
explanation being that the season is
nearly ended and that these plays are
"Gying on their feet anyway"
This action of yesterday came after
several weeks of consideration of such
a plan, THE NEW York HERALD having
announced the beginning and progress
of the movement.
Yesterdays meeting took place in the
rooms of the American Dramatists, 14S
West Forty-fifth street The Authors
League of America was represented by
Jesse Lynch Williams, president; Chan
ming Pollock, vice-president, and Leroy
Scott of the executive committee the
American Dramatists by Owen Davis,
president; Eugene Buck and George
Creel: the Actors Equity Association by
John Emerson, president; Frank Gil
more, executive secretary, and John w.
Cope. member of the council; the Pro-
ducing Managers Association by Will
lam A. Brady, Charles Coburn and Win
throp Ames. John S. Sumner. head OF
the Society for the Suppression of Com
mercialized Vice, was there with Mrs.
Glover as representative of the Better
Public Shows Movement, which takes in
thirty-seven organizations including the
Y. M. c. A., Y. w. c. A. and Girl Scouts.
For the Drama League there were Gran
ston Brenton and Mrs. Caffin.
"Reformers'' Ineligible.
After the meeting Charming Pollock
said that all the elements represented
believed political censorship to be I'M
possible without destroying whatever IS
finest in the theater."
AS Mr.. Pollock outlined the program,
the 800 men and women constituting the
jury panel are to be nominated by menu
bers of joint committee representing
the theatrical interests on the one hand
and the Better Public Shows Movement
and the city administration on the otner.
Each side is to nominate $50 candidates
Persons having any official or financiai
connection with the theater or with any
so called reform movement are ineligl-
BILE.
at the initiative of the city officers
whenever complaints against play
have been made in such number or
character as would ordinarily bring
about an investigation by the city
After the twelve persons chosen as
Jurors have passed upon a play they
will be excused from further service, ana
If another play is on the rack another
iury will be selected. Each of the two
Selecting sides--the theatrical interests
and the public--will have two peremp-
tory challenges In the selection or each
Jury No one will be permitted TO argue
or plead before a jury; 1t will arrive at
its verdict without outside suggestion.
Mr.. Pollock said: I'm every contract
between actors and managers, to be en-
forced by the Actors Equity Associa :
ton and the Producing Managers Asso-
ciation. and between the managers ana
the authors, all of these will agree IN
advance to abide by the verdict OF
Jury. This involves a tremendous FISK
of money and reputation. but the deci-
sion has been made i might add that
the desire and the point OF view OF each
representative attending our meetings
have been identical. There has not peen
one disagreement. City officials nave
given the plan their informal sanction.
u
will make an appointment with Mayor
Hylan and ask for his approval On
this committee Mr.. Creel and Mr.. Pol
lock will represent the authors, Mr.. CO.
burn and either Mr.. Ames or Mr.. Brady
the producing managers, Mr.. Sumner
the Better Public Shows Movement and
Mr.. Gilmore and Mr.. Cope the actors.
The suggestion may have TO be referred
to the Corporation Counsel, but we have
every reason TO believe that It will be
indorsed.
"ContineptnI Realism"
public policy and private profit alike
demand that the theater be rid OF in
decent plays. On that we are all agreed.
At the same time we must recognize
the fact that there Is to-day In the
theater tendency toward continental
realism. As one OF our group said to-
day, n play must be considered in the
light of the question, Is IL seriously
intended2 Political censorship Is dead
". You know, Ibsen's Ghosts was
barred In England. yet I suppose we
agree over here that this play Is really
great moral agency"
Others who were at the meeting con-
tended that five salacious plays in n
total Of eighty-seven productions In New
York this season was not a high pro-
portion. It was pointed out that at
least three playwrights refused to adapt
and Ave managers refused TO produce
a French play which recently succeeded
in reaching the New York stage, and
that dozen atIthors who were asked