The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-07
Believe Fight Pictures Should
Not Be Allowed Any
where in South
GOV. Conner WILL TRY TO
KEEP THEM FROM STATE
III. CITY Council Passes an Ordinance
Specifying Penalty for Anyone VINO
shows the Prize Fight Pic
lures in Birmingham

Il am opposed to the appearance VI
moving pictures of the Jeffries-J ohn-
son fight anywhere in Alabama SAID
Gov. B. B. Conner at Montgomery yes
terday over the long distance tele-
phone, land If it is in my power un-
der the law to do so / will prevent II.
II will refer the matter to the at
torney general and any action wnlch
he thinks permissible will be taken
without delay. I think that the friend
ly relations now existing between the
races in the south should not be dis
turbed by the exhibition of the pictures
of this fight"
The governor is in earnest about the
matter, and 1t is likely that no pictures
will be shown anywhere in the state
This is quite positive so far as Biz
mingham is concerned.
II have instructed Chief Bodeker to
prevent the display of the pictures OF
the Jeffries-Johnson fight anywhere in
side the limits of Birmingham" said
Mayor Frank p O'Brien last night.
Had not a single person approached
me, I would have taken the same &C
ton, for l believe the pictures would
go further toward melting Ill feeling,
causing street brawls and breaking the
peace than anything else. 1t would cause
useless increase of race hatred, and
in my opinion they should be shown
nowhere In the SOUTH
Chief Bodeker's Views
The opposition to the exhibition or
the Jeffries-Johnson moving pictures
seems now so universal that their pro-
hibition Is assured. Chief of Police
George Bodeker said last night that
he believed that pictures would not
be allowed to be presented anywhere
in the south and perhaps not in the
entire United States.
Chief Bodeker said: THE south would
not think for a moment of allowing
the fight to be given here and they Will
no more consent to the moving pic
lures of the fight. The idea of the
thing is enough to make a lot of peo-
pie angry, and it has done so. Any
theater manager who attempts to show
those pictures in the south Is running
a risk on his life.
II do not believe in the first place
that there would be sufficient patron
age of the pictures unless perhaps peo-
pie might go out of mere curiosity. At
any rate race prejudice would be pro.
NOTED to such degree that there would
be repeated outbreaks and no doubt
some of them would be serious. When
a mob gets started there is nothing on
earth that will stop 1t. I am very
glad the Mayor and the City Council
have taken precaution and heartily in
dorse the action"
HigdOn Against Them
Sheriff E. l.. Higdon said: II indorse
the action of the Mayor and council to
the last particular. The danger of race
war from the pictures of the fight would
be far greater than from the fight matt
nee, and we all know how much prejudice
that provoked. There Is a certain class
of both negroes and whites that when the
pictures are seen will repeat remarks
which they have heard and the trouble
would start like a flash. Once started, 1t
would not only spread through the city,
but all over the country. The nation as
whole made mistake when the fight
was allowed at all, and now 1t is up to
the citizens of individual communities to
suppress possible trouble
Action By Council
The City Council, by an ordinance pre-
pared by Alderman Walter Moore and in
troduced by Alderman Walter Metcalfe
last night, made the exhibition of the
pictures illegal, and fixed penalty for
the violation. The ordinance was passed
without dissenting vote. Alderman Bur
nett passing. Here 1t is In full:
ITO prohibit the showing. displaying
or exhibiting in the city of Birmingham
Ala, instantaneous or what is known as
moving pictures of any prize fight
fight. sparring or boxing contest between
any white man and a negro.
Section 1. Be 1t ordained by the City
Council of Birmingham. that 1t shall be
unlawful for any person. firm or corpor.
alton to show, display or exhibit. or to aid
or be interested In showing. displaying or
exhibiting In any public building or place
In the city of Birmingham or in the po-
lice Jurisdiction thereof, or In any private
ham or in the police jurisdiction thereof,
to which the public generally Of said city
may enter or have access, any instan-
taneous or what Is known and termed as
moving pictures" or what purports to
be any instantaneous or what is known
and termed as moving pictures" of any
prize fight. fight, sparring or boxing con-
test between any white man and negro
or what purports to be prize fight fight
sparring or boxing contest between any
white man and a negro.
Sec. e. Any person violating any of the
provisions OF this ordinance shall, or
conviction, be fined not exceeding 500
($1O0) and may, in addition thereto, be
sentenced to hard labor for the city moi
exceeding six months. one or both, In the
discretion of the court trying the cause,
and 1t shall be the duty of the Mayor,
and he is hereby specially authorized to
forthwith cancel and annul any license
issued in the name of the CITY of Birming-
ham to any person doing business in the
building or place where said display or
exhibition of such pictures were made"