Judge — April 30, 1927 — page 34: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

your right to say it.” Instead of Censorship GenTLeME Casually wondering will grace or disgrace your columns, we offer this prescription for theatrical ills—if any. In connection with the recent con- troversy about artificial regulation of theatrical productions, we agree with Mayor Walker that censorship in any form is odious. Let the theatergoing public indicate its approval or disap- proval of each play in the usual way —BOX-OFFICE RECEIPTS. A play which is a financial loss will not long survive, Public dislike of being told what shall or shall not appear back of the footlights coincides with the spirit of objection to governmental dictation of what shall or what shall not be im- bibed. BUT there is this difference, we know what is contained in a bottle marked “Scotch” or “Bourbon,” but the name of a play is oftentimes mis- leading. In order that our innocents and foul-minded prudes may not be led unconsciously into the paths of ma- turity and tolerant sanity, why should not our legislators follow in the foot- steps of the eminent Dr. Wiley of “Pure-Food-and-Drugs” fame? Just as a patent medicine must carry its alcoholic content printed upon its label and a can of peas must pro- claim its percentage of benzoate of soda or paris green, why not require our theatrical advertisements to read somewhat as follows: BELASCO THEATER Lenore Ulrich in “LULU BELLE” (Artificially Colored) EMPIRE THEATER Helen Mencken in “THE CAPTIVE” (Contains 2% abnormality, 90% dra- matic art at its best) 63RD STREET THEATER Mae West in “SEX” (Contains 20% sex—normal type) GLOBE Fred and Dorothy Stone in “CRISS-CROSS” (99 44-100% pure—but that’s no rea- son for going home mad) APOLLO “GEORGE WHITE’S SCANDALS” (Contains 15% nudity—with music) PRINCESS THEATER “THE VIRGIN MAN” (Contains 2% prudery—most obnox- jous kind, 90% immorality—most popular variety) Yours very truly, Morris deC. Freeman New York City February 28, 1927. “I do not agree with a word that you == i= a ~ say, but I will defend to the death —VOLTAIRE For Knockers Dear Juvce: When in the course of human events some enterprising person submits a manuscript to your wonderful maga- zine and finds in his return mail a rejection slip, the natural tendency (so it seems) is to sit down and write a nice sarcastic letter to you, telling you how rotten your whole magazine is, roast George Jean Nathan and ‘W. M. H. in particular, and pan the whole editorial staff in general. The poor saps! No one is going to stand over them with a sledge ham- mer and make them read Mr. Nathan’s criticisms. If they don’t Shr {Bod like W. M. H.’s editorials why don’t they laugh at them, the same as they would do at any other joke? Why can’t they see that while they do not happen to agree with something that Mr. Houghton writes, there are thou- sands upon thousands _ scattered throughout this glorious country of ours who do agree with him and who think that his attitude toward certain domestic and international policies and problems are O. K.? And hearken, ye would-be knockers, to a word of advice. If you are de- termined that the editorial staff of the World’s Wittiest Weekly shall hear your opinion of them before an- other issue of that worthy magazine goes to press, sit down and read the latest issue of Jupce over again, omit- ting editorials, movie criticisms, ete. If you are still determined after doing this, try the cross-word puzzle. If that doesn’t make you change your mind, there is but one remedy. Go down to the handiest river or lake, tie a nice big rock around your neck and go in swimming. Sincerely yours, Robert M. Weil Philadelphia, Pa. February 20, 1927. “Have you any old papers and periodicals of at least three years back? I’m about to start as a dentist.”—Passina SHow ‘EDWARD LANGER PRINTING CO., JAMAICA, N.Y. comicbooks.com