Evening star., 1901-04-22
new REGULATIONS
Under Act to Prevent Violations of
Public Decency.
REPORT BY ATTORNEY FOR DISTRICT
Draft of Law to Govern Places
of Amusement.
PEN ESCRIBE

| Congress passed during it's recent session
an act regulating licenses to proprietors of
theaters and other public places of amuse-
ment. the object thei eof being to prevent
| violations of public decency. Today the at
| torney for the District submitted to the
| thorized by the new law.
| This act. which was approved by the
President March 1. 1901 is as follows:
That any license issued by the assessor
of the District of Columbia to the proprie-
| tor of a theater or other public place of
| amusement in the District of Columbia
| may be terminated By the Commissioners
| of the District of Columbia whenever it
shall appear to them that, after due notice
| the person holding such license shall have
failed to comply with such regulations as
may be prescribed by the said Commission
ers for the public decency.'
Suggestions Invited.
| The District Commissioners a few days
! after it's passage invited the attention of
the chief OF police. Maj. Sylvester. to the
| new law. and invited such suggestions as
he might care to make In reporting upon
| the subject Maj. Sylvester explained that
| the difficulty heretofore encountered by
the police authorities had been the want OF
| law or regulations whereby they might pro-
ceed against the owner, lessee or manager
| OF place of amusement or against any
person or persons who participated as per-
| formers thereat, unless there was indecent
| exposure OF person such as Is generally ac-
| cepted by the Police Court or an indul-
gence in profane or vulgar language He
| suggested that the proposed regulations
| should cover words, actions or DISPLAYS on
the part OF participants in any public en-
| tertainment or exhibition which might be
| construed as indecent or immoral or be
readily suggestive of indecency or immor-
| alfty. Definition. he also suggested, should
| be given as to what would constitute an In
decent or immoral suggestion or act. He
| invited attention to the law Of the state Of
| New York upon the subject and expressed
the opinion that it would be well to emu
| merate what should be considered as being
| other public place Of amusement"
| The Commissioners thereupon referred
| the matter to Mr.. Duvall for the purpose
Of drafting such regulations as the act re-
| quires them to make and adopt Today Mr.
Duvall submitted these drafts. explaining
| that they follow very closely the provisions
| OF the New York ordinances. They are as
| follows. and it is understood that, unless
| 1t appears to the Commissioners they need
amendment, they will be adopted by them,
to take effect upon their approval:
Text of the Regulations.
| Regulations for the public decency in
! theaters or other places of amusement in
the District Of Columbia, prescribed under
| authority of the joint resolution of Con-
| gress. approved March 1. 1901:
| The licenses issued by the assessor to the
proprietor of any theater or other public
| place of amusement will be terminated and
| revoked by the Commissioners of the Dis
| trict Of Columbia whenever the licensee
| snail give or allow to be given in any such
theater or other place of amusement any
| public entertainment. in which entertain
ment any person shall use any immodest
iasciVious. lewd. blasphemous or obscene
language. or conduct himself or herself in
| An 1mmodest, laScivfOus, lewd or obscene
manner. or sing any songs or music of any
| immodest. blasphemous or immoral char
| acter. or take part in any song act farce
| or play wherein any woman or girl, or any
| person attired in the garments of a woman
! or girl, shall make any immodest motions
| or signs or perform any lewd lascivious or
| morally offensive acts or movements. or
| make any laScivious gestures or exhibit
herself himself or themselves, or direct
| attention to any other person or persons
! while making such exhibition, in q manner
offensive to womanly modesty or common
| decency.
20 In case any license is terminated or
| revoked under these regulations the pro
| rata amount of the license fee for it's un-
expired time shall be returned to the per-
son VINO PAID the same. and no license
| shall be issued to such person as the pro-
| prletor OF a theater or other public place of
amusement for the space of at least one
1 year thereafter.
| '3 The other public places of amuse-
| ment referred to in the foregoing regula-
! tlons shall include all such places. build
| lngs. tents, &c, as may be licensed for
circus. concert, exhibition or ball horse
| racing or tournament or for games Of any
kind, where an admission fee is charged
| Each license for a theater or other
public place of amusement is issued upon
| the express condition Of strict compliance
| with the regulations prescribed and to be
| prescribed from time to time under the
| above mentioned joint resolution Of Con-
| gresS.''
| Regarding Indecent Performances.
| proposed police regulation respecting in
decent performances at public entertain
| ments:
| 1T shall be unlawful for any person to
| take any part In any public entertainment
| in any place, tent or building in the Dis
| trict of Columbia, whether as an actor.
| performer. director, manager or empIoye
| and it shall be unlawful for the proprietor
| or lessee Of any such place. tent or build
| Ing to suffer or permit therein any pub
lie entertainment in which entertainment,
! any person shall use any immodest, las
| cipious, lewd, blasphemous obscene Ian
| guage, or conduct himself or herself in an
| immodest lascivious, lewd or obscene man.
neri or sing any songs or music Of any inn
| modest. blaSphemous or immoral charac-
act. farce or play wherein 1 Seas any
| woman or girl. or any person attired
in the garments Of a woman or girl, shall
| make any immodest motions, signs or
| movements, or make any licentious ges-
| lures, or exhibit herself. himself or them
selves. or direct attention to any other per-
son or persons while making such exhibi-
| ton. In a manner offensive to womanly
| modestly or common decency.
ANY person violating any Of the pro-
visions Of the foregoing regulation shall
Oh conviction thereof In the Police Court
be punished by fine not exceeding $40 for
each offense."
Omcers Honorably Discharged.
| BY direction Of the President the follow
| inu n a mad Officers have heen hnnorahly dis.