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Most of the Great Actresses of the World Prefer

to Play Borgias and other Criminals, While the Good Woman They Say is Most Uninteresting.

whom had the eye of fascination for nen and lured them into the meshes sin. First, there was Marguerite Gautier, 'the lady with the Camilias,' vhose dissipations caused her death 'rom tuberculosis; then Carmen, the Gipsy tigress, who laughed as she uined sturdy manhood; Sapho, who vas at first satisfled with the com-

the seashore with 'eyes for! bait.' The bric-a-brac stores dis play little statucts of the same sort in their windows. The subject is expressed in some form or other on china used at table; it becomes a part of the decorative scheme of buildings. Eve any of old and hardened sinners like

and the apple are pictured in hundreds of churches. I have 1 seen the subject impressed upon iron trimmings for gas ranges, upon porch furniture and even upon the meerschaum pipes in which man places his nicotine to puff in quiet comfort. It is protruded upon him from the li cradle to the grave, and then! even the good pastor reminds the mourning friends that all men are like Adam. Eve gives them of the tree and they do eat and verily they fade and die."

"Door-knobs, furniture and bisque statuettes—what have these things || to do with actresses despising womanhood?" sneered the emotional actress, certain of her stand. "You begin by declaring that actresses are unkind to their sisters and then switch off on the tangent of foundries and carpenter shops. Where's the connection?"

Influence of the

Inanimate Impresses

"Just here." replied the interviewer, having finally succeeded in arousing a suspicion that he had something to say apropos to the question involved. "Door-knobs, decorations on shaving mugs, buthtub legs and chairs are inanimate. They do not speak their message, but they convey an erroneous idea. The world raises statues to its heroes in public gardens, the mere sight of which is likely to inspire youth to lefty example. Thieves and criminals are not thus honored. Victories and not defeats are thus chronicled. Why? Because of the influence upon the casual passer-by. When, then, should a proved libel upon womanhood be imprinted upon the articles of every-day use, where the most unobservant are forced to see them a hundred times a day? The influence cannot fail to be pernicious and false. Women, in self-defense, if for no other reason, should rally to a correction of this abuse.

"But do they?

Ninety-eight per cent. of the women of the world prove by example that the Eve myth is a libel, but the majority of these | women live in at least semi-obscurity and their influence does not go far beyond the circles of their own homes. Actresses, on the other hand, havo an influence that is nation-wide, even world-wide. They speak and according to their ability convey not only example but by sroken word and characterization which impresses an indelible picture, cause to survive and live lustily the idea that woman causes the suffering of the world and prowls about seeking what she may devour.

"You lift your eyebrows? There are exceptions, you say? Many of them, one must admit, and the success and popularity of such omen as Maude Adams, Julia Marlowe. Ellen Terry and others who have devoted their lives to the delineation of noble characters only go to prove the original premise that Edenian philosophy is false, cruel and in the present stage of enlightenment of the world, distasteful to its men and women. Marlowe, Adams and Terry are the exceptions that prove the rule. Their combined talents are in the minority when one weighs the mighty influence of talents that have been devoted to the exploitation of the vicious in woman's nature."

But

"You would have specific examples in proof? That is easy. Take any list of the world's leading actresses: Geography makes little difference, for in this matter theatrical conditions are practically the same in Russia and haly as in America, and Germany and France are not unlike England, Select a few of the leading names from the roster, however, and note the result of specific inquiry.

Geography Makes Little Difference

"Mrs. Leslic Leslie Carter, worked for several years in comparative obscurity, playing the parts of women withThen out 'pasts.' Belasco David seized upon the old idea-a play with the Evelan myth. the temptress, the destroyer, as the leading motive-and in Zaza' the actress became the fa"Zaza' vorite of the season. And had worn out, the idea was still good. Mrs. Carter had discovered the time honored or time disgraced formula for success. She, believed that American audiences didn't care to attend a recital of the virtues of a good "So 'Du Barry was next seized upon as a most glowing exAmule of a type--‘Du Barry, immoral milliner who not only ruled from a throne, but was unfaithful there and went to her

woman.

oven

loom.

too.

the

just the After 'Du guillotine. Barry' came a train of ether women of the same sort, ending with Jeaunie Women,' which Rupert "Two Hughes adapted from adapted from the Italian drama with the rather frank title, 'Statue of Flesh.' It is too late now to expect Mrs. Carter to adapt herself to other characterizations. great talent has been spent upon the perpetuation of the Mosaic libel.

Thus a

"Olga Nethersole, the British actress, achieved her first success and was well on the road to a career that might have been spent in the portrayal normal of at least women of the world, when when Arthur Wing Pinero came to her with the manuscript of John The Second Mrs. Tanqueray.' Hare, who scented the feminine craving for such parts, would not produce the play himself, nor release her that she might produce it, although she begged him to cancel her contract. Mrs. Patrick Campbell thus became the creator of Paula Tanqueray and with that amazing portrait of a woman's shame in her gallery of characterization, began to build up a collection of feminine immoralities that brought blushes to the cheeks of her auditors. Nethersole broke the fetters that bound her to the prudish Sir John as soon as possible and quickly launched forth into the theaters of the world with a veritable menagerie of snag-women, all of:

herself, but latterly laid the trap for nocent and trusting youth; FrouSrou, Magda, Adrienne, Scarll's wife, Paula Tanqueray and others literally bo numerous to mention. All of them were tainted with the world's great sin, all symbols of the Eve naure, roaming the fields of earth ofering the apple of death to the men who crossed their path. What a colossal talent devoted to the perpetuation of a falsity! The plea of :he actress throughout her carcer has been that the characters in her repertory preach morality by horrible example of evil results, but has that example been the magnet that drew thousands of people to her performances?"

"The world's opinion is divided between giving the palm of supremacy to the Italian, Eleanora Duse and the French tragedienne, Sarah Bernhardt. Duge is usually conceded to be the more subtle artiste and she is capable of a finesse which Mme. Sarah cannot denote, while on the other hand the French actress is bigger and more brilliant, expressing the fury of a tigress as no other woman has ever been able to do. Both have devoted their wonderful careers to the delineation of scarlet women and women with lurid pasts. Duso in recent years. seemingly intoxicated by the morbidity of the poet. d'Annunzio, has repeatedly expended her talents in the characterization of his weary, sick-brained creatures who seem to be lying in swamps from which the odor of decay arises. The best of them are abnormal and neurotic. They offer of the tree to men and crack brained, flighty weakling of d'Annunzio's creation do eat. In all their train there is not one healthy picture of normal womanhood, yet Duse protrudes them upon a public enger to see her. She, artistic marvel that she is, must heartily despiso woman to so hold her up to contenipt and pity..、

the

"Sarah, Bernhardt has frankly devoted her lengthy career to the representation of courtesans, poisoners, schemers, plotters. murdereis and other shameful or shameless woman who meet death by suicide, the dagger or in mental agony for misspent lives. In recent months, when no longer able to endure the physical strain of acting Tosca, Fedora, Theodora, and some of the other tragedies of what Bernard Shaw once called 'Sardooledom,' she turned to placid symbolism of Maeterlinck's 'Sister Beatrice' and Roestand's 'La Samaritalne.' It was a little too late in life for me. Sarah to reform, Mme. however, and her success in these pieces-and even in these she gloriMed the sinful woman-was a success de curiosite."

"But these are exceptional examples, isolated names among the actresses of the world." gasped the emotional actress, perhaps wearying of the recital.

"All actresses who hold or have held a pre-eminent position in their profession, however, and artists who have played before millions of people in the aggregate, not only impressing their false message upon audiences, but by their phenomenal success becoming an inspiration to the younger generation, just as in turn they were inspired by the great actresses who preceded them, for most of these, if you will take the trouble to investiTate, spent their lives in similar dramatic untruthfulness, so far as woman was concerned. This indictment may be lodged against even tl:e prudish Siddons and Charlotte Cushman, who was so modest that she wore a long black apron when she played Hamlet, against Rachel, Ristori, Lacouvreur-in fact, most of the women whose names are written large on the dramatic rosters of the past.

Other Women Who Preserve Falsehood

"Isolated examples of the present, if you will, but glowing examples nevertheless, and it is easy to extend the list if your patience or persistence demands. More names among famous American stars? Blanche Walsh with her collection of Sardou women and others of similar molů. Virgina Harned with Iris, the sinner, and crimson women of the Dumas incubator. Frances Starr with few characterizations to her credit, but among these one horrible picture of a pernicious nature in Walter's "The Eastlest Way.' Nance O'Nell with a full repertory of Edenian teniptresses, Florence Roberts, Eugenie Blair. Mary Shaw-all of them haters of womanhood because they exploit the basest trait of feminine character.

"Abroad less conspicuous cases than those already already noted? Irene Van Brugh eagerly grasping each caricature of womanhood as it leaves Pinero's pen, Gabrielle Rejanc even more guilty than the rest perhaps, because she spends her colossal talents upon a frivolous and enticing picture that is oftener more unmoral than immoral, painted in kaleidoscopic colors that warp the vision and destroy the sense of proportion. Agnes Sorma, who occupies a similar position in Germanic countries. Frau Hennings, who created many of the Ibsen heroines and first revealed to the world those sordid cameos of female viciousness that should repel women and cause them to curse Ibsen as a vile revealer of sinful souls and diseased brains. And the foreign women who have come to America to extend their reputations and fortunes, of whom perhaps Nazimova and Kalich are most brilliant examples. Nazimova, who achieved her first fame with us as Hedda and Nora, and Kalich in "Kreutzer Sonata" and the Lesbian enchantress. Sappho.

"How about actors-the male stars —does all this censure rest upon the women of the profession?" asked the emotional one, by manner if not by word admitting the force of proof of the argument.

"The actors?" repeated the interviewer. “Like all men, they are more or less cowardly and as truly as actresses revert to Eve as their lofty example, men will approach the footHights trying to look noble and brave. but when cornered, then will whimper as did Eve's victim, according, to the myth which women keep alive: gave me of the tree and I did out." "

She