The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-12-04
BAN HINT FOR
TOBACCO ROAD
ST|RS PROTESTS
Majority of Civic Heads
Take Stand Against
Censorship.
Continued From Page One)

Continued From Page One)
full and true to life I don't believe
it will hurt anybody"
Rabbi Charry: IF the police chief
is serious in his statement on To
bacco Road I am afraid he is
under a complete misapprehension
concerning the nature of the play.
ANY minister who sees any vul-
garity or obscenity in Tobacco
Road really should go out and see
life as it really is. The play con-
Germs the basic social problems con-
fronting the United States and we
must face the realities of our eX-
istence.
eff this city closes the doors on
Mr.. Caldwells story, fear that In
dianapolis may become the laughing
stock of the country from cul-
tural viewpoint. Our heritage of
culture and artistic liberality is SO
high 1 can not conceive any such
step.
why, the next thing we'll be do
ing is ordering Erskin Caldwells
books taken out of the library"
indianapolis Needs 1t"
DIR. Johnson: From all the press
reports of Tobacco Road that I
have seen, it is the kind of play
that Indianapolis needs. Censor
ship, considered from moral stand
point, certainly could not be applied
in this instance because immoral
pictures have been shown in In
dianapolis for years, with no pro-
tests being raised"
"It is not the immortality Of
social relationships that matters
so much as the immortality of our
whole social structure. If this show
can throw light on this social sore
then indianapolis needs the light"
DIR. Evans: THE police censorship
is the only fair method of treating
play that comes to indianapolis
with the reputation of Tobacco
Road"
Mrs. Jameson: although I have
not seen the play, anything that is
not of the finest quality should be
barred from indianapolis.
Mr.. Garrison: eff a policeman
sees something indecent, he ought
to do his duty I believe a police
man is a competent judge of OBJ
scenity in art"
Mrs. Daggett: IT saw the play in
New York, with the original cast.
While it was wonderfully acted, I
just don't see the reason for putting
it on the stage. 1 don't blush very
easily, but I will have to admit that
I felt very uncomfortable during the
play. I wouldn't be surprised if the
police feel the same way.
They will see the worst of it, as
the average person will who goes to
see it, and there is plenty to be seen.
1 do not believe the police are capa-
BILE of judging it, for it takes a per-
son very highly sensitized to tech
nique to see anything but the OBJ
scenity, which is prominent"
Suggests Theater Critics
Mrs. Hirschmann: II shouldn't
think police would be capable of
criticizing such play. I would
suggest, rather, newspaper dramatic
critics and clubWomen. have not
seen the play, but have read dis
cussions of it. I have a friend who
has read the book, and sees moth
ing wrong in it. The police might
be competent to judge a burlesque
show, but they probably would en-
joy that"
Mrs. Robinson: II do not approve
of obscenity being paraded across
the stage. There are too many
beautiful things about which to
write, I hate to think of a group
of children filling up the balconies
for something which they are too
young to see. I feel that Tobacco
Road" is better in a book than in
play because intelligent people can
pick up book and put it down if
it offends them.
However, do not feel that the
police should be the judges, but ex-
perienced representatives of the
theater, and civic leaders, should
be approached.
People Need the Facts
Mrs. C. w. Foltz: why send only
men to pass upon the play? Why
not women, too? Police matrons,
perhaps When I read of the clos
ing of the show in Detroit I won
dered about it. Don't they want peo-
pie to know the facts? Is there a
class that doesn't want the other
class to know what is going on? The
sooner such conditions are exposed,
the faster we will progress"
Nadia Deem: THE outspoken ex-
preston of the characters probably
is natural to them and any one &C
quainted with their mode of living
To the average theatergoer their
language might be offensive and
obscene. I think that in most cities
the police are delegated to judge
on plays morality, but it would
be better to have cultured group
pass on it, which would be able to
judge what is true picture of con-
ditions and what is obscene or pro-