Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-10
40 ARE ARRESTED
. IN PLAY CAMPAIGN
Actors, Producers and Man.
ayers of 3 Alleged Immor-
al Dramas Accused.

| BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, February 10.--E'orty
actresses. actors, producers and man.
ayers. arrested in three Broadway the
aters on charge of participation in i'm
| moral productions. were under bond
today pending further hearings.
Arrests will be repeated each night
the plays are produced, Acting Mayor
| Joseph Mckee announces.
"police will be on hand with instruc-
tons TO make arrests If there is any
repetition of these alleged crimes he
said. I'VE are determined to clean up
( this situation in the New York stage
and l hope that other producers will
! take notice. | include musical comedies
and cabarets, against which we will
| take similar action If investigation
shows they are violating the penal
! code.
Hearing to BE Monday.
Sex" 'The Captive" and THE
| Virgin Man" were the plays affected
| by last nights arrests. Mae West
star of Sex; Basil aRthbone and
Helen Menken of THE Captive" and
| Don Dillaway and Dorothy Hall OF
| THE Virgin Man" were held in 81 900
| bail when they were arraigned in
night court. The others were held in
! $500 each. No testimony was taken
at the arrangements.
Casts of THE Captive" and The
| Virgin Man viii be given a hearing
next Monday afternoon, while the
members of the Sex troupe will be
are from Sex" II from The Cap
tive" and eight from The Virgin
Man"
THE Captive" and Sex" were ac-
quilted of immortality by the citizens
play jury, sponsored by District At
torney Banton, who had pledged &C
ceptance of their verdicts, prior to
the present drive against immoral
shows. Sex" had been running III
months 1.-The Captive" is in its fifth
month, and 1.-THE Virgin Man" is in
it's third week.
Will Increase Bail.
Higher bail will be required If any
of those arrested last night are taken
into custody again, Assistant District
Attorney Albert Unger said. Arrests
will be repeated at every perform
ance, unless the plays are Withdrawn
or modified to conform with the penal
code section prohibiting indecent pro-
auctions.
Mayor James Walker, on a vaca-
up procedure, Mr.. Mckee said, and
has voiced his approval of the
crusade.
The plays were in progress last
night when the police arrived. but the
arrests were not made until after the
final curtains fell The shows were
presented in their usual form, and
the audiences in virtually all cases
left the theaters unaware of what had
taken place
For two nights prior to the arrests
District Attorney Banton and Police
Commissioner Mclaughlin had repre-
sentatives at Broadway plays record
ing lines, action and costumes.
Arrests Branded Politics.
Decision to make arrests was reach
ed at a conference by the police COM
missioner. the district attorney, Chief
Magistrate McAdoo and Acting Mayor
Mckee Tuesday. "Out with all this
dirt" Mr.. Mckee said. Lets stop
these spectacles with the laws that
are now on the books"
c. w. Morganstern, producer OF
Sex at Days Sixty-third Street
Theater. called the arrests "all poll
tics 1.-The Drag" a play with a
psychopathic theme, tried out in
Bridgeport. Conn, and Paterson, n.
j., and reported privately reviewed
here early in the week by city off
Gals, will not be allowed to enter
New York, officials indicate. THE
Captive" has a similar theme, but
has won praise of critics for the man
ner of presentation.
A stage committee of nine has COM
pleted a plan for censorship from
within the theater. Sponsors of the
proposal say it is better and more
practical, working more quickly, eff
fectively and with less publicity"
than the district attorneys drastic