"Actresses Not Only Read Many Good Books, But Usually Understand Them," Says Sally Bates--"Critics Unhappy"

Miss Sally Bates, who is now playing the leading role in "Up Pops The Devil" at the Wilbur, cornered by a CRIMSON interviewer yesterday, very kindly submitted to the rather unpleasant process of answering a lot of questions of no particular importance. She said that she had a brother-in-law who was once a CRIMSON editor and that he had told her all about the process of interviewing actresses and the attendant difficulties and pleasures. If is still a matter of doubt whether or not that statement was offered as a reason for her indulgence in the present instance.

If one were to begin this in the usual way one would say that Miss Bates received the interviewer in a charming brown dress and a smile that was particularly charming in consideration of the circumstances. In her hand she had the life of somebody or other contained in a large red volume. This circumstance immediately led to a discussion of current literature.

"It is quite surprising," she remarked, "how much actresses read. Usually it is something of the better sort. What is more, they generally understand it. One time when I was playing in a show with Helen Morgan, she borrowed a copy of 'Zuleka Dobson' to read: having previously been told that it was one of the more notable books. After she had progressed about half way through it she turned to me and said with some surprise and consternation, 'Why, Sally, this book is funny!'

"Literature is of course not the main occupation of stage people, although they are always meeting writers, newspaper men, and that sort of thing. You see, the speak-easy has become a sort of club, and you go to certain places and there you always meet certain people. At one place you see Robert Benchley who is incidentally the hard- est working man in New York, and all of that crowd, and at another there is George Jean Nathan and his gang. The staff of 'The New Yorker' has its hang-out as well as 'Life' and 'Judge' and 'Time'. It is really the backbone of a certain phase of social life. And in this crowd stage people are continually mixing. When one is forever bumping into authors, budding and full-blown, one has at least to read the book reviews in order to show the necessary 'appreciation'.

"As for the matter of critics, I'm afraid they're a rather unhappy lot. For instance, I have always had a vague suspicion that Mr. Nathan wants to act and can't. They all seem to be writing their criticisms not because they particularly want to but because they have nothing else to do. But far be it from me to advocate taking away from them this last escape mechanism. Anyway, acting is lots of fun. When the show is good, you are amused with the audience; when it is bad and they laugh anyway, you can be amused at them, and if nobody laughs, the show will not last long enough to be boring."

And there ended an acquaintance with a very thoroughly refreshing young lady