The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-21
Commission Hears Debate
on Restricted District
Question
BURR AND ALLEN ARE
OPPOSING COUNSEL
Arguments Heard on Sweltering Aft
ernOOn by One of the Largest
Crowds Ever Attending Com
mission Meeting

hearing by the city commission of evil
dence and pleas for Sr against the petit
ton to remove or abolish the restricted
district occurred yesterday afternoon and
consumed nearly two hours of the regu-
lar Friday commission meeting.
Borden Burr, attorney for the property
holders and citizens petitioning the COM
mission, and B. NJ. Allen, attorney for
the property holders which would be af-
feoted If the petition is granted, did most
of the talking. The two attorneys, known
as two of the ablest in the city, with con-
summate skill and cleverness unfolded
telling arguments on both sides of the
question. At o'clock the meeting ad-
journed and the hearing will be resumed
at II o'clock Monday morning.
One of the largest crowds ever attend
ing meeting of the city commission
heard the arguments yesterday. 1t was
composed entirely of men. some merely
the victims of curiosity and others in
terested in one side or the other of the
ques ton. The new commission room was
crowded and many were standing during
the arguments of the attorneys.
Many Humorous Incidents
Many humorous incidents occurred
which kept the crowd in an almost con-
tinuous ripple of laughter while the pers-
piration poured down their faces and
wilted their collars. The new commits
sion room was one. of the hottest places
in Birmingham yesterday afternoon. Pres
ident C. EXum states that some new cleo
trio fans will be ordered Immediately.
One of the particularly humorous Incl
dents was when Attorney Burr in the
heat of his oratory referred to the COM
| mission as :" a body of men who could
see the fairness of the proposition, a
body of men composed of two attorneys
and one man with lot of good, COM
mon hard horse sense" President Exum
arose and bowed his acknowledgements
amid the burst of laughter.
AT the beginning of the hearing Mr..
Burr demanded to know whom Mr.. Allen
represented. Mr.. Allen objected Finally
he stated he represented Louis Schillinger
and other property holders, the names
OF whom he refused to divulge. John
Leedy and several other real estate men
were present. There were no ministers
of the gospel present as was the case
when the matter came up last Friday,
DR.. George Eaves and w. II. McGrath
were there in support of Mr.. Burr and
his clients. Besides the Amzi- Golden
Seed company, which presented the orig
inal petition and started the agitation,
Mr.. Burr presented an additional petition
yesterday signed by Earl Pettus, John
w. O'Neill, M. p. Northington, Birming-
ham Realty company, 1. C. Beatty, man
H. A. Stockmar.
Spoke in Plain Language
Both attorneys called a spade a spade
and their expressions to a large extent
We're not suitable matter for general cir
culation. Mr.. Allen contended that the
subject was not a new one, that it had
existed ever since man existed and al
ways would exist; that attempts had been
made to abolish it and had failed time
and time again and that the best solution
Of the necessary evil was segregation.
He read numerous reports from police
chiefs and other city officials to support
his argument. He stated that as o. mat
ter of justice it was unfair to move or
abolish the community when the city it
self some few years ago set apart that
have it for this very purpose. He read
reports in support of his contentious from
Chief OF Police Bodeker, William Young,
chief Of police of st. Louis, chief of police
of Kansas City. Richmond, Va, and
other places. A large part of Mr. Allen S
two speeches was given up to ridicule and
thrusts of irony at what he called would
be reformers.
Mr.. Burr stated that Mr.. Allen took
the peculiar position of an humanita-
rian in this subject. Tie predicted that
within the next five years there would
not be a restricted district in any large
city in the United States. He cited nu-
merous cities where they have been abol-
ished already, among them being Boston
Lincoln Neb., Kansas City, Minneapolis
Indianapolis and many others.
Mr.. Burr then launched into the de-
tails of conditions in such community
he gave statistics and cited reports OF
vice commissions he pictured the moral
infestatiop, he told of the diseases that
were bred and scattered, he painted a
word picture of the deplorable life of sir
and disease and crime lived by the in.
mates. He contended the district could
be abolished and that the crime for which
1t existed could thereby be greatly dimin-
ished. From this he turned to the legai
phase of the question.
Through Nom Enforcement of Law
He reminded the commissioners OF the
law, that the district existed through
non-enforcement Of the law. that en-.
forcement of the law is what the com.
mission was in existence for. He told
Of a mayor of Roanoke, Va, who had
been impeached because he had refused
to enforce similar laws in his city. He
stated the city was liable to prosecution
for assisting in maintaining a public nui
sarce. "The citizens of this town are
asking that the law be enforced. not tha
1t be not enforced and they are askins
for what they are paying for" he ex.
claimed. Much of Mr.. Burrs data wa.
turned over to the commission for thei,
examination
Mr.. Burr cited girls college in Nortt
Carolina. where the girls were listed ac
cording to states. He said the collep.
officials were asked why the name o
the town was not mentioned and that tn,
officials responded that they had to kee,
! the names Of the girls actual residenc.
secret in order to guard them from whit,
slavers. He said he was authorized Il
state that II the inmates of this distric
were put out of business thew could So
cure honest and honorable employment
right In this city. He called the attentio,
of the city commission to the presenc,
in the room of owners of houses in hi,
district who had come right there be
fore them and admitted to their fac,
that they were disregarding the law.
None of the commissioners would 60,
anything for public circulation after tn,
| meeting. 1t is understood that thew ar,
very deeply impressed with some OF tn,
arguments presented yesterday bv Attor
| ney Burr, however, and that they con
slider the question to have assumed addet
Importance. Prediction as to their &C
To- L.