Evening star., 1924-09-28
WILBUR AND AIDES
Join ROW ON PLAY
Navy Effort to Censor "What
Price Glory" Carried
to Capital.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. September 27.-The
| fight against the play What Price
Glory" which has offended the sensibili-
ties Of Navy officers. including Rear
| Admiral Plunkett, has been carried to
Washington.
While Maj. Gen. Robert Lee Bullard
at Governors Island was denying today
any part in the attempts to censor the
war play. 1t was made known that a
copy of the play had been sent by Ad-
miral Plunkett to Secretary Of the Navy
Wilbur, who handed it to Rear Admiral
Julian L. I.atimer. Judge advocate Of
the Navy. whose report Is awaited by
the Secretary. The latter made known
further that the play in it's undeleted
first version had been read at the Navy
Department
Wilbur Gives View.
Secretary Wilbur took the position
that while it was purely local mat
ter he and the Judge advocate, using
the term we" would not want to "see
the uniform dishonored by people who
might want to make sport Of military or
Navy matters"
Regarding the profanity found objec-
tionable, which no longer appears in the
text. Secretary Wilbur remarked that
if once characteristic of the service, it
was not now typical of the present Ma
rine Corps.
While indicating that he was waiting
the report of the advocate general, Sec
retary Wilbur was inclined to the be-
lief from his information on the play
that there was discredit to the uniform
in connection with its presentation.
1t was because of this alleged dis
credit to the uniform and not because
Of the deleted profanity that Govern
ment officers were counted on to stop
the play, under a section Of the Revised
uniform on the stage when it tends to
bring the service into dsrepute.
Doubts Case I'm Courts.
A complaint still is lodged with the
office OF United States Attorney Hay
ward, who has not indicated any action,
and is thought to believe that the case
would not hold in the courts. Col. Hay
ward has refused to be drawn into the
controversy.
Gen. Billiards disclaimer of any
part in steps to censor or halt the
play. which tells the story Of Marine
and Army life during the war. and
was written by Maxwell Anderson
and Laurence StaIlings Of the World
staff, is more pointed in that his
name was originally mentioned in
Mayor Hylan's letter to Commissioner
of Licenses Quigley as among those
who might sit in at a conference to
consider objections to the playa
conference which Gen. Bullard failed
to attend.
Made No Complaint.
But Gen. Bullard made clear that
there had been some misunderstand-
ing. He said: Il have made no COM
plant. nor caused any complaint to
be made to the mayor or any other
authority on the play. What Price
Glory or any other play. Further
more. / have not been invited by the
mayor or any other authority to take
part in the censorship. That is all
l have to say
1t was said at Gen. Billiards. ONCE
he had not attended the play. and
that none of his staff had atte nded
in official capacity as critic. Nor will
mem bers of his staff be sent to in
vestigate.
The general. it was explained. had
received complaints against What
Price Glory" but from the time his
name was first mentioned in connec-
ton with censorship he has tried to
make clear that he was not officially
a party.
That an Army officer sent by him
had found the United States uniform
held up to ridicule was also denied
by Gen. Bu1lard.
Commenting upon the effort to stop
the play, the Churohman. an Epis-
copalian weekly, says in the current
number: when the Mayor of New
York appointed Admiral Plunkett and
Gen. Bullard to censor the produc-
tion. What Price Glory a war play,
by Maxwell Anderson and Laurence
Stallings, the impression was given
that the order was issued because of
objection to certain profane lines in
the play. The public was confused
Why appoint Army and Navy officers
to pass on profanity in a dramatic
production? And furthermore, il
Army and Navy men ars to become
censors of plays dealing with their
profession, why not appoint clergy
men to censor plays dealing with the
life of parsons-'Rain,' for example? :?
And why not capitalists to censor the
stage capitalist? 1t would be 4 simple
way to destroy the drama"