Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-06
FEAR OF RACE TROUBLE :
CAUSES QUICK ACTION
Commissioners Prompt to Adopt
Recommendation of Police Chief.
OTHER CITIES DO SAME THING
New York Alone Among Big Towns
That Will Permit Biograph Dis
play of Reno Battle.

No moving pictures OF the Jeffrieo-
Johnson fight will be allowed In the Dis
trict of Columbia. This decision is in
accordance with a vote taken by the
Commissioners this morning.
The matter was put up to the Commits
sioners by Maj. Sylvester. He recon-
mended that the moving pictures OF hold
ups. robberies and all prize fights be kept
on the screens. No specific mention OF
the Reno fight was made.
Commissioner Johnston approved the
recommendation in a jiffy and sent Ii to
Commissioners Rudolph. He approved IL.
Commissioner Rudolph WAS much i'm
pressed by the riotous and tumultuous
scenes on the streets OF Washington inn
mediately after the decision was an
nounced by extra papers and megaphons
men, He said today. when a Star re-
porter asked him whether there would
be any chance Of reopening the question
Of allowing the pictures here:
Quick Decision Made.
I'VE will settle this Recommendation
right away and give every one interested
in the moving picture business a chance
TO have his say. i suppose the moving
a
this decision and we will give them annie
notice. L understand that the pictures
are due In New York Saturday and that
they VIII be rushed to all parts OF the
country with great dispatch.
mo part Of the fight films at Rsno
will be allowed here. according to my
understanding. None OF the pictures OF
the training camp or any OF the pictures
OF the fighters posing. especially for the
camera men, will be shown I do NOT
believe that It is wise to keep alive the
race feeling engenderd by the outcome
OF the fight"
Maj. SylvestT's Recommendation.
The recommendation of Mai. Sylves-
ter was as follows:
Il have the honor to recomm.nA
that pictures Of burglaries. hold-ups,.
In police parlance, otherwise robberies.
and prize fights be eliminated from
displays made by moving picture thea
ters and other places Of entertainment
as detrimental to the public welfare.
1t Is but necessary to read In the
public press of the crime and disorder
and breaches of the peace that fol-
lowed the announcement Of the recent
prize fight in various sections OF the
country and to observe the clippfn1s
from the local press herewith pre-
sented in order to form an idea of the
disorder and violations following the
announcement in this Jurisdiction. 1t
Is the duty of the police to prevent
crime and disorder and to arrest for
commissions, but with the limited force
that, as you are aware. obtains In this
District. the burdens are increased by
anything OF the kind that tends SO
much to increase avoidable disturb
ances.
THE time Is now when nothing un-
necessary should be allowed to operate
to produce sectional or race feeling In
the District of Columbia, and under the
existing laws and regulations I am Of
the opinion that authority exists to sus-
tain my recommendation. The Interna-
donal A9ssociation of Chiefs Of Police
without a dissenting voice at it's recent
meeting passed the following resolution:
Police Associations Position.
" Resolved, That this association deprs-
Gates and condemns the moving picture
shows that are making false representa-
tions OF the police, together with tragedy.
burglanes and all immoral displays. as
they tend to the encouragement of crime
aside from the laws and regulations.
the code may cover advertisement In
pictures when against public decency.'
IF correct in my views on this sub
ject. L would recommend that all places
and persons be given due notice that they
will be subject to the laws and enforce
ment II they proceed to give such enter
tainments. exhibits or advertisements"
Drafts a Regulation.
Corporation Counsel Thomas drafted .
regulation this afternoon to aid the po-
lice i'm censoring prize fight and other
pictures deemed demoralizing. The regu-
ation, if passed by the Commissioners.
will give the authorities the right to re-
yoke a theater's license II robberies,
dghts, ETC., are pictured on the screen.
Maj. Sylvester believes that the Com.
nissioners derive power to put the ban
on the fight pictures In the District from
an act of Congress approved March 1.
1901, and from section Of article 13 Of
he police regulations
The congressional enactment gives the
authority to terminate q
heater license whenever II shall appear
hat. after due notice, the person hold
ng such license shall have failed to COM
ply with such regulations as may be pre-
'cribed for public decency., Maj. Sylves-
er believes q majority of the residents
,f the city will pronounce q ban against
The fight pictures-a move for public de-
IF the scenes of Monday night after
johnson wins was heard through the
The police regulation cited by the police
.hief prohibits the exhibition OF a GER
ain class of pictures and performances
which in any manner are offensive to
common decency. He says he Is willing
o let the courts decide whether or not
of prize fight pictures are
Offensive to common decency." confident
hat the decision will give the fight pic,
ure exhibitions a Knockout blow.
Based on the resolution adopted by the
Association &C. Police Chiefs
It its recent meeting In Birmingham.
Ala. Mai Sylvester, Its president. 10 OF
he opinion that the members of the or
yanization will exert themselves to pre-
rent the showing Of the hight pictures in
heir respective cities.
Pastors Approve Action.
The Commissioners were patted on the
,ack for barring the fight pictures from
ne National Capital by the Pastors Fed
ration this morning. At s6eciai meet
ng. called BY Dr.. J. J. Nuir. Its presi-