Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-18
PASS ORDINANCE
ON DANCE HALLS
r1s
SUNDAY OPENING STRICTLY
PROHIBITED
MEASURE PROVIDES PROTECTION
FOR MINORS
Immense Crowd Packs Council Cham
ber, Huge Petitions Are Presented
and Only One Vote Is Cast
Against Action

After a battle of petitions beteween
the Sunday Rest league and the Lib
eral alliance, each petition containing
more than 5000 names, the city council
yesterday passed the ordinance con-
cerning dance halls.
Under the terms of this ordinance
public dance halls cannot be open be-
tween midnight Saturday and o'clock
Monday morning; no liquor can be
sold at these places, and no youth of
either sex under Is years of age can
attend without being accompanied by
a parent or guardian.
Although this ordinance has been
before the council for more than two
months and a fight has been waged for
and against it by the opposing socie-
ties, probably the hardest, although
one of the shortest fights, was that yes
terday afternoon. Both sides were we'll
represented and the representatives
packed the council chamber and the
lobby, and formed eager audiences in
the corridors and committee rooms.
The ordinance barely passed, the six
ayes necessary for it's passage being
recorded and no more. Councilmen
Wrenn and Blanchard were absent and
Councilman Healy voted against the
ordinance, apparently on the sole
ground that she was no long-hair."
The arguments for and against the
ordinance were practically the same
as have been made before. New ele-
ments were introduced into the fight
when c. B. NViseman of the executive
committee of the Central Labor coun-
ell, representing that organization and
the 10000 workingmen of all trades fed
Grated in it, made a plea to the coun-
Gil to leave the dance halls open Sun
day, declaring that was the only day
when the workingman had a chance
to enjoy himself, and that if he chose
to dance on Sunday he should be al
lowed to do so. Mr.. Wiseman called
the ordinance class legislation, and
said he did not believe it would stand
the test of the courts if action under
it was commenced. Councilman Wal
lace pointed out to Mr.. Wiseman that
under the terms of the ordinance,
which is very broad, any one of the
labor organizations of the Central La
Dor federation could hire a hall and
dance on Sundays all it pleased.
The ordinance specifically states
what shall be construed as a public
dance hall, and specifically provides
that the terms of the ordinance shall
not apply to benevolent, charitable,
social dramatic or literary organiza-
tions. 1t is made purposely broad in
order that organizations of all kinds
may hold Sunday dances If they choose.
1t is specially aimed at the dances con-
Quoted for revenue only, and says so.
Signed by Thousands
Rev. Ireland of = the Sunday Rest
league, which is responsible for the
ordinance passed yesterday, presented
a petition to the council containing
5425 signatures secured by circulation
in the churches. This petition asked
that the council pass the ordinance
closing dance halls on Sunday, re-
strict the age limit to Is years and en-
trance to the Chutes park to IA years.
He made a short argument in favor of
closing up the dance halls on Sunday.
Ferdinand Parmentier, representing
the Liberal alliance and German
Americans, presented a petition con-
tanning 300 signatures, also secured
in a remarkably short time, as the
petitions were not circulated until
Thursday, asking that the dance halls
be kept open and declaring it an
abridgement of personal liberty to sus-
pend them on Sunday or any other day.
The Musicians union presented a Pc
tition declaring that keeping the dance
halls open on Sunday meant bread and
butter to them.
Nathan Newby, on behalf of the Sun
day Rest league, argued in favor of
not only closing up the dance halls
from midnight Saturday to Monday
morning, but of closing them at mid
night at every night. He mentioned
the circumstance of two girls being
made drunk at Chutes park while at
tending the dance a week ago Sunday.
Manager Lehigh of Chutes park asked
leave to correct the statement, and
said the girls were from San Pedro;
that they were we'll known women of
the town there; that they went to his
place a week ago Sunday, partook of
eight refreshments" and started dis
turbance. He claims that when the
disturbance began he had a police
sergeant order them from the grounds
and that they were not arrested at his
place, but elsewhere and later.
Mr.. Newby accepted the correction
and said the explanation made the
matter worse.
Mr.. Newby and Rev. Mr.. Ireland
were frequently interrupted by Kisses
and catcalls by those opposed to the
passage of the ordinance, although
there was nothing to show the rowdies
were officially connected with the Lib
eral alliance or the German-American
alliance, the representatives of which
conducted themselves in an orderly
manner.
After the ordinance was passed sew
eral persons who are interested in the
conduct of public dance halls got their
heads together and concluded the ordi-
nance could easily be evaded by form
ing Social organizations and con-
Quoting dances on Sunday. When City
Attorney Hewitt was advised of the
view the dance hall men were taking
he smiled and mildly stated it would
not be healthy to attempt evasion.
Some of the dance halls, he declared,
were on the ragged edge, and an at
tempt to evade the law would push
them over.