1918-06-10 — Page 7

ALLEGED LIBEL ON MISS MAUD ALLAN.

MR. BILLING, M.P., COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, MONDAY, JUNE 10гR, 1918,

performances were very expensive, but he had been able to send £100 to the Red Cross Fund, and other profits would be proffered to the YM.0.A. for their huts. He never sought to make any pro Gits for himself; such profits as there were At Bow-strect Police-court, on April sidered whether the patrons of the Red were sent to charities. He had not con- 13th, before Sir John Dickinson, there and the YMCA were or were not hearing was resumed and concluded ofduced.

patrous or approvers of the plays pro-

the summons against Mr. Pemberton:

You manage and finance theatrical per- formances-I find the money

Speaking as a manager and financier of theatrical performances, would you consider it is almost impossible for a she does not sell herself to some financier woman to make her way on the stage or manager!

Billing, M.P. (who occupied a seat at the solicitors' table), for having published & defamatory libel upon Miss Maud Allan and Mr. Jack Thomas Grein in a news paper called the Viginate, in the issue dated February 16th, 1018 The defen- Sir John Dickinson, interposing, snid dant was committed for trin. The courtside the issue before the Court. If they these questions were going altogether out. was crowded.

went into the general questions of and Morality they would be kept there for

days

Mr. Travers Humphreys Veletta appeared for the complainants, and Mr. Billing conducted his own defence.

Mr. J. T. Grein was recalled for fur ther cross-exaatinution by the defendant. Asked as to his plans for presenting English plays in neutral countries as a part of propaganda work witness was understood to say that he did not adhere to his former statement that he was receiving from Lord Beaverbrook a Gov ernment subsidy. He repeated that ho had declined not refused-- Government anlary. He had applied to the public for donations towards his scheme, so as to relieve the Exchequer." Salomo" would be among the repertoire to go to neutral countries, provided there was sufficient

money.

Are you of opinion Mr. Oscar Wilde's tragedy is a type of performanco cal culated to raise the opinion of neutrals as to British morals and art-It has already done so. (Laughter.)

day last at Keimington Theatre was cancelled, but it was given elsewhere on Friday.

14

to what he knew of a certain form of Defendant next questioned witness as vics and the magistrate again pointed out that the questions were irrelevant know that the witness, who is responsible Defendant I am desirous you should for certain performances, is aware of the existence of a particular form of vice that does exist, and my submission is that, consciously or unconsciously, he is catering for it in this country.

believed" Salome" was first produced in Further cross-examined, witness said he Paris by Madame Sarah Bernhardt. He had no personal knowledge of its having been produced in Berlin, but he had seen it chronicled. He certainly considered it British public. a proper play to be introduced to the

WAR AND ART.

Why, in the interests of our nation, should it be produced when we are in the midst of a great warf War and art

量

IRISH CONVENTION.

THE ULSTER POSITION.

A statement explanatory of the attitude

Irish Convention has been issued by the of the Ulster Unionist delegates in the Ulster Council it my

Minister, and in view of the supreme In response to the appeal of the, Prime

crisis through which the Empire was passing, the Ulster Unjonist representa- tires entered the Convention with a sincere desire to consider and discuss frankly, and if possible, to accept, any political conditions in Ireland that might practical scheme for the improvement of be put forward by the Nationalist majori- ty

They naturally expected as the essential basis that any scheme proposed would embody, as the least, those Im the numerous Home Rulo Bills intro- perial safeguards that were embodied in duced by Mr. Gladstone, and his succes- mentary party during the last thirty sore, and rccepted by the Irish Parlia years, including the guarantees for tile unquestioned supremacy of the Imperial. Parliament in all matters of Impicial concern, especially in those that relate to Imperial Defence, the armed forces every available minn for service in the pre- of the Empire, and the enrolment of sent war, as well as for the maintenance undisturbed of the existing fiscal and commercial unity of the United Kingdom including our systems of banking, trade marks, patent rights, coinage, and post-

age.

of demands unheard of in previous In place of this, however, the Conven-

Home Rule proposals demands which tion found itself confronted with a series

could only, in practical working, tend to Wards ultimate separation. The scheme,

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have nothing to do with one another, Continuing, witness said the perform Does this play assist us to concentrate ance of "Salome" advertised for Tucson the great national problem which pre-in a word, was not one of compromise sents itself to every Briton to-day It or conciliation as between the Home assists ue to find solace in beautiful Rule Act and the Union, but one going language. (Some laughter.)

far beyond the extremest form of Home Would you consider it correct to say that the play only interests an afflictedness said he had no German associations, true that it was proposed to concede Re-oxamined by Mr. Humphreys, wit Rule ever proposed to Parliament. i It few who can fairly claim kindred with Ho did not use the illustrated edition of to Irish Unionists, temporarily, a repre Wilde's erotic maniac Tetrarch and "Balonie, and had never seen it till that station in the new Irish Parliament hardly less unfortunate Salome 1-1 day The edition that he used was pub quite out of proportion to their relative sboud consider that bosh (Laughter.) lished by John Lane, which, as a book, position of strength. Such a favoured HE Steamship

Sir John Dickinson (to defendant) had been publicly on sale for twenty position obviously could not in the nature What are you quoting from 7

years. He had seen the performance of of things be lasting; it would be invidious Mr. Billing: A criticism of yesterday's Miss Allan in the part of Salome as writ and unworkable in practice, and even (To witness) Would you suggest that indecent in that performance; it was per the purpose aimed at. It is impossivic are being landed at their risk into the hazardous ? production in today's Morning. Putten in the play- There was nothing while it lasted it would be ineffective for persons who are healthy and desire to

to conceive a proposal less democratic remain healthy had better avoid perform

principle and more opposed to the aners of this description!

whole Parliamentary institutions. In Witness: I think it is a healthy per-

view of such proposals the Ulster dele formance for healthy people to witness.

Rates could on restate their position, which involved:

AWAKENING OF THE SOUL

Asked us to w pastage in the play Jokanan says 1 fun amorous of thy where Salome, speaking to the proplet Lody; thy body is white like the lilies of the field; let me touch thy body," wit nees said that was nct in reference to a physical touch it was the awakening of girl's soul. The same remark applied to the passage

** It is thy mouth I desire: thy mouth is like a band of scarlet; there is nothing in the world so red as thy mouth; let me kiss thy mouth,

Is that still the awakening of the sou It is the spring song of life. You would not suggest it was the awakening of luse-No.

sked whether when the opera of "Salome " was produced At Covent Garden, the introduction of the head of

the

Salono.!

feetly pure.

Detective Inspector Buckley having given evidence of the serving of the sum mons on the defendant, the case for the prosecution was closed,

1. The maintenance of the supremacy

of the Imperial Parliament in all matter, foreign affairs, is being vital to the relating to the Navy, the Army, and security of the United Kingdom as a whole and of Ireland as an inseparable portion of that kingdoni.

Sir John Dickinson said defendaut in is cross-examination at the last hearing of the solicitor's clerk who attended the the High Court had suggested tant it preliciones proceedings before a judge of was something in the nature of a hard ship upon him that, application having been made for process for an obscene libel the summons itself only charged him with defamatory libel. As a matter of fact, 2-The maintenance of fiscal anity the judge, in giving authority for the pre- the United Kingdom, which con secution, did not specify the form of the stitutes one economic unit. the defendant to feel that he had a griev charge.

(Sir John) would not like He

anee in that respect, and he was able to evidence which had been given justified remove any such grievance, because the him in committing the defendant for trial for both an obscene and a defamatory libel, and, accordingly, he intended to commit him on both these charges.

MORAL PREVENTS."

PRESENT CONDITION,

If it be contended that in dwelling ing auch dangers we are casting dovut upon such considerations and indicat upon the loyalty, the good faith, and even the common sense of other parts of Ireland, wo can only answer that it is impossible for us rs Irishmen living in daily and intimate contact with the poli tical and commercial life of the country to shut our eyes to what is going on around as at the present moment.

Successive elections have shown that a

was a wild study of sexual the practisers of unnatural Verts and these seats-all previously held by sap-

Do you consider that to be an awaken ing of the girl's soul-No.

What do you call it 1--Spite. the soul accompanied by spites in mans In many women is the awakening of

ensus, Jes

viccs.

man who know mg these things to be true, refrained, through lack of moral courage or fear of consequences, from criticising and even attacking them had failed to applause at the back of the court) Ho appreciate his public duty. (Suppressed stood there, not so much as a public man or a member of Parliament, but as prest to fight for surity in public life, dent of a society which had been founded

"SANTHI

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DAVID SASSOON & CO, LTD Agents Hongkong, 6th June, 1918,

[24

THE NEW FROM REGIO

THERAPION NGC THERAPION NO

WEES BLOOD POLON, San Leon gan kunn

THERAPION No.

LIVROSTOCK NO. HAMPETZAN,

DRAZIE, LOOT VIGNE PRICE INMARSKO, JE.

3.0 Dalla CaoMENTO A CURS

КАРТ-РО ТАКО

THERAPION

A

the prophet was considered by the public Being asked, in the usual form, if he te be my blasphemous that a plate of blood wished to make any statement before con was substituted, witness said he had emittal, the defendant submitted that there personal knowledge of the circumstances was no evidence of any libel on either attending the production of the opern of the complaints. All that the paramajority of the Nationalist vote is con lu 1910 he was dramatic critic of the graph complained of referred to was the trolled by this party of open and avowed Sunday Times. He did not know whether fact that one of these two-the other one treason. There have been seven contest in the issue of that paper of Deceanber only by inference was engaged in pre ed elections in Ireland since Sinn Fein sth, 1910, it was stated with reference to culated to appeal to moral

senting & performance which was

CA candidates began to enter the field. Of production of the opera that

It was perversity and bestial appetite." He a performance calculated to attract moral the Constitutionaliste ***

porters of the Irish Parliamentary Party had nothing to do with opera; he was the perverts, wh

who, whilst they might not be

now holil more advanced and democratic in their dramatic critic of the Sunday Times, nat prepared to go to such extremes in their only three, the remaining four having flect than any carried out in England the musical critic.

own perversity as to endanger not only been won by the Sinn Feiners. The total or in Scotland within the same period. their freedom but their lives, would, Sina Fein vote in the seven seats was As the late Chief Secretary put it," the Do you agree with what was said about nevertheless, seek satisfaction in watching 12,584, as against 10,955 votes recorded last twenty years have worked transfor the opera No. they pak je the exhibition. He held that any public for the candidates of the Parliamentary mation." And the present Chief Secre

What is the reason of Salome's daner

Party It is pretty obvious that a try has told us the result, Prosperity before Herod Why did she dance that

General Election to an Irish Parliament in the great industries of the country dance? Because she wants to obtain the

would place the balance of power in the such as it has never known in modern head of the prophet. It is a woman'a vixenish caprice.

hands of a party which is engaged in times, or, I believe, in any time. We assistance and German promises of arms from all this is a continuance in well- drilling and preparing, with German would suggest that the moral to be learnt to strike a blow at the heart of the doing rather than the initiation of a British Empire.

we asked to hand our country over No Aspect of the proceedings of the grave crisis and of peril" like that that in a powder magazine.

It is at a time of series of risky experiments with fireworks Questioned as to another passage in

The practising of the vices to which to a system that would reduce it, unless Convention has been more disappointing the play as to the girl's desire for the reference had been made, holding, as they restrained by military force to the con than the tone in which Ireland's financial head of the prophet, witness said it had did their devotees up to blackmail, haddition of Revolutionary Russia Anarchy obligations as a portion of the United to do with the pride or pleasure of which was not calculated to prosper our Empire was engaged in a supreme strug-out credit and honour, in the present a national and international significance, and civil war at home at a time when the Kingdom and as a participant, not with revenge; it had nothing to do with Pission or lust. Asked

whether, in either Miss Allan or Mr. Grein was

cause in this war. He did not state that gle for its existence, would make a poor war, have been slluded to. In speech after gring his unexpargated and literal member of the cult, but they had chosen beginning for an Irish millennium, translation of the play the actual of the lips," ets, would be presented, moulent when our national existence It has of late years often been a cause of of cheerful willingness that our country

biting

speech the leading suggestion was not on witness said discretion was used in such was at stake to produce the most depraved regret to the representatives of Ulster to should at any cost bear her due shara matters; it had nothing to do with the who had suffered an extreme penalty at play of an obstructire and unyielding but entirely in the direction of evading of the many depraved works of a man feel themselves reproached with the dis of the Imperial burden, however grievous, text; it was a question of stage ment

Sir John Dickinson

out that

They had chosen this moment to present majority of their fellow-countrymen May on the taxpayers of England and many of Mr. Billing' questions

it to the nation in ta sorrow as a appeared very wide of the matter before the Court solnce" for the tragedy of the war. In we be permitted to point out that had it Scotland. As pae speaker put it, “the Defendant: I having stated that the doing they were ministering to of Ulster, the outbreak of the war might bution, if it were decided to make any, not been for the determined resistance matter of making an Imperial contri exhibition being given, by these people ununtatal promptings in the minds of have found Ireland with separate should be left to the first Irish Parlia directly ministers onus appears to bo on me to show the fact and truth, and so great was the issue, Fein influence installed in power amount of the contribution that is likely

their audiences. That to Sexual

Perverts, the

Parliament and an Executive under Sinn ment. The Treasury will appreciate the type of the performance. dan so wide and so significant, were the powers

Sir John Dickinson: If you think it for evil that this cult possessed that i Dublia. Subject to the influence of a to sccrue from the free will offering of is advancing your ense. it is not for me welcomed the opportunity given him of leader whose motto is "England is our Sina Fein Parliament. to stop you, but it is my duty to remind jury of his countrymen, the particulars which broke out in Easter week in phatically that from Ulster's point of

presenting a

court, before a only enemy. The inevitable rebellion, On this subject we must repeat ein You of what is the particular charge which had been laid before the magistrate Dublin, under Sinn Fein aspices, must view this war in Ireland's war as well as against you.

and other evidence which he would con- then have assumed an infinitely more England's or Scotland's, all through and sider it his duty at the proper time to dangerous form, and might have opened to the end. The blood of our sons bas Replying to further questions, witness submit, p

da gateway for the armed invasion of our fallen and is falling on many a feld in was understood to say that his presenta tion of "* Saloine" was a thing of artistic trial at the Central Criminal Court, his because these dangers are always apparing of peace and freedom to future Defendant was formally committed for shores. Irish Unionista were unyielding of defence of liberty, and for the seeur beauty. The only association of Mr. own recognisances in £500 being Robert Ross with the production of the for his appearance,

accepted

ent to us in our Western outpost, generations. And Ireland, at present the wielder of the copy-

although naturally they are not so ob perhaps the most prosperous portion of The following per, issued

the Press Buresu: The of Information. has never for the advertisements which appeared subsidy for the production of plays in and other that might be cited, to suggest

any responsibility. suthorised

Bache or granted ariy It is impossible, in face of these facts on the programme of the performance neutral countries. Lord Beaverbrook

In regard to the various plays which does not know Mr. J. 1. Grein, and has that Ireland has not been the subject of had been produced by the Independent had no correspondence with him. Mr. Lax-reaching and successful reformas even Theatre there were few profits as artistic Grain is not employed by the Ministry

right

pointernage the hands of the law for his misdeeds. disposition towards the demands of the or minimising that burden and throwing

ARTISTIC BEACTY,”

(80-

was a

statement

gate is permission for its Minist.ph communication has been vious to the British alector,

play was that 19- fermanes

Witness repudiated an

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