The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-27
SERVICE MEN
4 MAY SEE SHOWS
President Backs Movement
Along This Line
MUST RESPECT UNIFORM
Issue Comes to Life When Two Sailors
|# In Uniform Are Not Permitted to
FL Enter Vaudeville Theatre.
III Law In Case
MUST RESPECT UNIFORM
BIZ JONATHAN WINFIELD

To respect the uniform of United States
Boldiers and sailors and not exclude
Ifhem owing to their service clothes.
r.-.sress has been called upon to
enact law making it a misdemeanor
for theatre or amusement managers to
Exclude we'll behaved soldiers or sail
1ors owing to their dress. The meas
ure, drafted by the law officers of the
war and navy departments. provides
D fine or Imprisonment or both In the
discretion of the court where the law
Is violated.
This measure has already passed the
Senate and will undoubtedly go through
the House. 1t will prevent enlisted
men from being disseminated against
III the District of Columbia or tho ter
ritories, Congress having no jurisdic-
flon in this respect in the separate
Estates.
THE uniform of enlisted men is not
conspicuous and must be respected, and
just because man is sailor or sol
|dier in the service of the United States
be is not to be denied admission to
n atres after his ticket is purchased,
and theatre managers must not be per-
omitted to refuse to sell uniformed en-
|Aisted men tickets. 1t Is an unjust dis
TERMINATION and one that does little
credit to the patriotic sentiments OF
this country" said Secretary of the
Navy Meyer. Secretary of War Dickin-
son has similar views
Two years ago public attention was
attracted to the refusal of the man
|agement of the fashionable casino at
Newport, r.. l., to permit enlisted men
pr the navy to enter. President Roose-
Eelt, learning of the matter and find
ing that the government was powerless
70 compel the management to admit
marines and sailors in uniform, sub
scribed 800 to fund raised by naval
ohicers to bring civil suit for dam
kges on behalf of the sailors who had
been excluded. The suit, unfortunate
y, was lost.
The issue came to life recently when
TWO sailors, holding tickets for a local
vaudeville theatre, were stopped at the
entrance, denied admission and given their
money back. Several women, interested
n patriotic societies, were witnesses of
he incident and reported to Assistant
Secretary of the Navy Beekman Win
hrop. An investigation followed The
wo sailors who had been Inundated by
being turned down on account of their
Uniform told their story. The manage
fent frankly admitted that sailors in
Uniform would not be allowed to occupy
eats. Two other sailors were sent to the
Playhouse to purchase tickets. This they
I'D, but were also refused admittance.
The manager of the playhouse was called
0 the navy department for explanation.
lie admitted the practice and was SO ex-
RENE in his views that he told the As
istant Secretary he would refuse ad-
alliance to President Taft If he appeared
t the entrance dressed In his walking
lothes, heavy shoes and bulky gray
weater.
A careful search of the law books dis
losed the fact that the government was
owcrless to force the manager to admit
Informed sailors and soldiers. The only
scourse of the men who had been hui
Inflated was civil suit. This, with the
Newport experience still fresh in mind.
vas thought to be useless A bill was
RATED, Senator Chamberlain took up the
udgel and promised to have law en-
cted that would cover the case.
There is no disposition on the part of
he navy department officials to let the
natter rest where 1t Is, particularly so
lr as the local vaudeville house mana
er is concerned 1t Is the intention to
pmpel him to vacate the theatre he now
couples when the title to the land which
le government recently acquired as the
to for the new department of state
tilding Is proven. This will be some
se government would have permitted the
.catre to remain whore 1t is for at least
kveral years longer, renting the build
Z by the month. The manager has
suitable building to remove his vaude-
lie performance to and hence will be out
business for at least year or more.
40 determination to make him leave
hat soon will be a government build
q Is fixed. President Taft, 1t Is said
IS been advised OF the programme and
for carrying 1t out. without any
nsideration being shown the manager.
TO throw him out Of the building just
soon as the title passes, matter of
veral weeks will be the finest kind
an object lession to people who be-
We that man wearing the uniform
the United States army or navy is an
{crior." declared Assistant Secretary
inthrop. 1.-THE uniform must be pro-
eted. II is strange, too, the way the
re- managers and some OF our citizens
blk upon a sailor or soldier. In Ger
any and other countries sailors and SOL |
,rs who attend theatres are given tick
at one-third the cost to the general
bic. The uniform Is not a disgrace In
Ter countries, and 1t Is not disgrace
re. In time OF war everyone Is for the
der and sailor. In time of peace, with
great majority it seems to be a diff
FeDt story"
10 severe has been the treatment of en-
Ted men, who when allowed periods OF
ereat:on from their ships or army posts
It 1t Is not an uncommon thing for the
tcers especially when soldiers are
wing at post near one of the large
Is. 10 advise their men to secure civil
clothes These, of course, they cam
wear when in the post, but they keep
m outside, and when on leave or out
a pass can change them and visit and
hgle with their fellow Americans with
the fear of being insulted or denied
nittaDce to theatres
ae of the regulations of the navy makes
serious offense, punishable by dis
sal fer an enlisted man to bring
ljsnl clothes aboard his ship or to be
NJ M ~ eivillan clothes in his possess
4i1or does not have the same
on ~ has the soldier to have a
81 ne can change his clothing
Pn& % shore liberty.
~ legislatures should take the
t4x ~ VA decared Assistant Secretary
9&2I ~ IA trust the question now
"a Ia! kept alive until 1t is firmly !
~ heatre managers shall not be |
~ terminate against men who |
d ~ 44antry's uniform"