CENSORS CHECKED IN UNION DEBATE

The noes won by a narrow margin of nine votes in the discussion of censorship held by the Debating Union in the Living Room of the Harvard Union last night. The subject, "Resolved: That this House approves a committee for stage censorship similar to that recently proposed for New York."

The motion was proposed by Barrett Williams '28, who outlined the scheme. The plan, he said, is to have a committee of nine, composed of three actors, three playwrights and three producers. This committee will appoint juries to decide on the plays, the juries to have seven members, two named by the committee and five by the National Arbitration Society. Four negative votes from this jury would be sufficient to take off the play.

"Everyone dislikes the idea of censorship," said Williams, "like the small boy at the movies who claps derisively when 'Passed by the National Board of Review' is shown.

"Nevertheless we must have censorship as long as we have Women's Clubs, mayors who feel the public pulse and so forth.

"Assuming then, that you must have censorship," Williams concluded, "it seems to me that it is best to give the matter into impartial hands."

The next speaker was P. S. Gibbs '27, who gave a short scheme of the negative points, being interrupted by frequent laughter.

"I do not feel that censorship is necessary. This House being in or near Boston, the question becomes Bostonian, but to speak of censorship in general, any censorship, especially moral censorship, is to me an unwarranted restriction on art."

Gibbs then made the point that "The Virgin Man", the recently censored New York play, was about to be taken off because it was a poor play and was returning no profit. Then the police stepped in, and the rush became general.

"I tried to think of who would serve on a Boston committee. H. T. P. was the only one who occurred to me. However, we might also have a representative of the Harvard Dramatic Club, the Radcliffe Idlers, and perhaps Mr. Sumner of the University Theatre would represent the producers."

Gibbs then read a letter purporting to come from the Chairman of Committee of Morals of Charlotte, Vermont. The letter follows:

"To Mr. Gibbs--Dear Sir, In regards our attempts at censorship in Charlotte, for which you wrote, would say they were not successful.

"We tried our best to keep the Breezy Point Library stage clean of Shubert and Al Wood's productions but the police were no good. So we tried a Censorship Committee. Fannie Peters, who wrote "Loves Labor Lost" and "Purple Pansies", Reverend Wilkins, and Hetty Salmers, whose been to Boston and knows the stage, were appointed.

"After three weeks we found the town completely ruined. Cut off from anything but 'The Servant in the House' and such like, the young bloods of Charlotte were doing far worse things than going to the theatre. Indeed, the town was a sink of iniquity. Also there was an exodus to Canada of most of the men folk and the women folk blocked the depot waiting for copies of "Love Life in Nature". So we sent to the city for a burlesque show, and now all' is all right in Charlotte. Your friend--Hezekish Hemple, Committee on Morals, Charlotte, Vermont."