The New York herald., 1922-01-31

am sure that Gov. Miller will not
stand for it. When we went before
him to plead for the motion pictures
we assured him that we were more
than willing to establish voluntary
censorship for the screen. The Gov
ernor put Eis foot down on that
notion.
kind of censorship at all it will not be
private thing. but public thing. Any
censoring must be attended to by the
State
"ManaEers' Hands Dirty"
''All this talk about a voluntary CEN
sorship, however. well meaning and
earnest, is beating around Robin Hoods
barn. The trouble lies with the pro-
ducing managers themselves. Some of
them are doing wrong. They know it
and everybody else knows 1t, and yet
the association doesn't lift a finger to
stop 1t. Things are going on in the
theaters Of New York that are culpably
criminal. How can some Of these very
offenders enter into a voluntary censor
ship plan when their own hands are
dirty?
'The Producing Managers Association
Is yellow. 1t should change it's name
TO the Duck the Issue Association. 1t
never does anything except duck 1t
ducked the ticket speculator issue 1t
ducked the high prices issue. Now It is
ducking the dirt issue. There isn't a
producing manager in New York that
doesn't know the difference between dirt
and decency. When they put on dirty
nj m a do an tha1t
dirt may I'LL their pockets.
"The situation in the New York
tteaters Is bad. Worse. II is dangerous.
The sooner the association calls a meet
ing and cleans up the better for all con-
cerned."
Woods Wants Scripts Censored.
A. II. Woods. one of the principal
producers OF New York and a producer
who has often been the target of criti-
cism on account OF the so-called bed
room farces.' told a reporter he was
willing to meet public sentiment and 10
go along with the rest of the theatcr
interests. He said:
II am not at all sure that a yolun-
tary censorship would work out as a
practical proposition but II the boys and
girls want II. all right. I'm for II, too.
But / believe a far more sensible and
practicable method Of insuring the de-
ccncy OF the stage, method which
would be fair to tho man who puts a
lot OF money into the business, would
be this: Have your panel OF 25o or
500 representative citizens not connected
either with the theatrical business or
with reform movements. Let them select
jury OF twelve. Then let the authors
take their manuscripts to this Jury even
before they take them to tho managers.
Let the jury go over these manuscripts
and weed out the Objectionable. Then
let the author 20 10 the manager and
sell his play II he can. That would pre-
vent producer putting $4,000 or s5O.-
600 into show which might be blown
on the boards In twcnty-four hours"
John Emerson. head Of the Actors
Equity Association. went cnergeticalIy
TO the defense OF the voluntary CENSOR
ship plan ms II Is being worked out. say
ing:
There IL only one way 20 look az
this whole matter. The present day
evils OF the theatcr are 20 palpable that
public sentiment In highly aroused. II
we whose living depends on the stability
OF the theater can't DO something TO
correct the situation. then others not 40
sympathetic will do tho correcting In
harsh and disagrceabie wave. Our
whole object tspoaking for the Actors
Equity Associaslon) IN going into this
matter Is 10 prevent a political censor
ship, which would be an atrocioua thing
"Actor- TO GIVE IN RiEhts."
I'VE OF the Equity propose 20 enter
into an agreement with che playwright
and the managers by which we pledge
! ourselves TO accept the verdict or the
! jury which would be drawn from the
proposed panel OF good citizens. Under
that agreement no actor. author or man
agcr could go TO law over the with
drawai OF the play or could demand
damages. ] think II II a perfectly fair
proposition. inasmuch as the panel will
contain no person connected with the
theater or with any reform movement.
Presumably II would be made up Of In
telligent, broadminded citizens I feel
sure that such plan would be sue
| cessful
1--WE are fairly near 70 drawing up
| the agreement. II will have 40 b. ap-
proved by the council OF the Equity. Of
course. but assume that may be ex-
pected. 1t will have 90 be approved
by the playwrights, through their so
| cieties. and then by the Producing Man
| ayers Association. Then. too, the APP
proval OF the Commissioner OF Licenses
j would be necessary. Once these for
,naIlties are observed I sec no reason
why the plan shouldn't work. Nearly
everybody 7 know that has gone into
! Il is enthusiastic.
.If II does succeed. then dirt Tor dirts
saIte will no longer he the motto of any
| v,,.parcr or author.