Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-04

/ New York, April s--t snail not
pass"
This il the new slogan OF Now |
York theatrical producers who sre \
now rnobilizing their forces 10 fight |
tho bill providing for State censorship !
Of tho stage when IT comes up before I
tho Legislature at Albany. In their
: frantic efforts TO avert such cslsrni- |
ltv they have hit upon a novel |
. idea, They will consent. they assert, |
, 10 havs all productions against which !
y eonplaints are made tried by pub
} lie jury.
} According % this plan, the city
v authorities would draw from pnnel
I Of 900 names a jury Of IL representa-
y tive citizens 10 consider the character
! Of tho production under attack. IL
8 fbls fury. sftsr studying the show,
. should report against 81, then by a
o preyious binding contract all interests
n oucerned--incipding tho manager
e playwright and actors--wOuld be- com
10 pslisd either % remodel the objection
ablo parts or promptly 70 withdraw
? ihe play. II, On tho other hand, the
! Jury failed 70 support the complaints,
y the play would bs allowed 20 continue.
fu AhNff MDEHF " NIB Ntttf@'
- seherne. the producers hope 10 be able
70 70 make ths public the srbiter Ia the
matter 0f questionable shows instead
% ~ a prstudiced state hoard u censDr-
n ship, probably chosen BY the very re-
N form organization responsible for It's
D. creation.
g. There 4. no hoard Imaginable de-
b clares one opponent 20 ceusorghip,
r. which VIII not be personal in It's
p Judgments. and 20 that extent capri
20 c!ous and tyrsnnical. There IL no
b1srd Imaginable which win not %
more harm than good. II the board
y. 10 radical. the range % drama - as
h. suro 20 bs narrowed 20 suit radical
o. preference and purpose as II must h
narrowed 10 suit tho conservatives il
81 the conservatives should dominate
r The State. IN other words. canno
he possibly employ censorship without q
m that extent entrenching personal gov
IT. eminent That is the evil 81 censor
ship. which Is deliberate sccentus
tie ton OF the most dangerous element &
x? public control"
J.. Even by the jury system, A play
ms fate would be determined by the per
nc, sonal prejudices Of u Jurors, but q
OF least the jury would not be Away
s20 ,ho am. Tho nroducers would hsv
me the benefit OF a variety Of opinion
the .t,ca ,bs. ,,,b,cb sesr,s Indecent ,
some people appears innocuous !
e e@ others.
%. Professional Reformers May Object
ms The great difficulty, OF course. is
~, getting the reformers TO abandon the
Xiv will-to-power activities and TO ayr
10 the plan. To those who recent
AN Witnessed the brave but futile effor
the Of tho movie producers TO prove
w censorship In this State, this dificul
The would appear insurmountable, but q
Any theatrical producers evidently do n
we'd intend TO submit without 4 fight.
70 far. however. their campaign has be
more subtle than offensive, their Q
,rn- ject apparently being TO concilia
. V. rather than to antaSonize the censc
ton ship advocates. Thus, it IL nottceai
nm that the theatre and tho pulpit ha
ali recently become very friendly. NJ.
Ates listers Of tho Goxpel are now admit
to new plays on the same footing wi
Tun- celebrated dramatic critics; promins
Z. actresses invite them 70 tea, a
iant theatres have been offered 10 tn,
that for tho holding ~ raIipiou. servicaa
the It ali started with the recent deb;
III in a Baptist church between Will;
A. Brady and DR.. John Roach Strait
=, who is the leader Of the movem'
for stage censorship. On this occi
ion DR.. Straton indicted the mod,
theatre first OF all because Of
harm Il does 10 the girls and won
upon the stage itself, and SECOND
because the theatrical managers
g capitalizing womanly modesty {
I making merchandise OF those fem
: graces and charms that God has
3, signed for holy purposes.
e Things that used to be said az
e parties are now openly discussed
1, / the benefit OF both sexes" he decla
l. The red light district has been s
!; planted by the white light district
1t the price OF promotion IN many ca
J. IS the surrender OF virtue. II is
It wonder that under these sad
" / tragic conditions one OF these dill
10 tors turns up now and then witt
~ bullet in his brain or heart" This
Is / was g. reference to the Taylor muir
"a In reply. Mr.. Brady commended I
= DR.. Straton had failed 10 produc
" single fact. Why doesn't he pick
II conditions in society or in the dep
n ment store, or any other place WI
h men and women are thrown toget
> and tell some OF the rottenness
$ exists there?" he asked. "T shall |
pleasure in picking out some OF
\ horrible crimes perpetrated by n
y listers OF the Gospel and make Il
- public at the next debate.
h Il Many Criminal Churehmen.
~ II Il will show that more mur-
70 have been committed by members
"A the church than by the acting
n kfession. and that there are n
}, church people in prison than Il
~ fare stage people. and l will back u
= Statements with facts and igl
- when l meet DIR. Straton again on
- platform"
Mr.. Brady then concluded his
idreSs with the suggestion that, X
>, lchurch really believed SO much mi
~ ty TO exist among stage people.
10 should help them rather than 'sls
'er them" Let's follow the exampl