The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-25
Says Citizens Are So Puz-
zled They Don't Know
What To Do
GETS SYMPATHY IN
PRESENT DISTRESS
Says He Has Been Asked s'To Do By
an Appeal What Commissioner
Can Do at Once" Without
Red Tape Methods

Dr. A. j. Dickinson, pastor of the First
Baptist church, who was fineG 81 in the
recorders court Saturday for violation OF
the city traffic ordinances, yesterday is
sued a statement calling upon Commits
sioner Lane to amend the law.
The pastor says that many citizens "do
not Know just what to do in the compli-
cations brought on by the passage of this
law" and that the commissioner of JUS
tice could have rendered US a great serv-
ice If he had given his great legal mind to
enlightening us on what is the law.
Called Mass Meeting
DR.. Dickinson had previously announced
that mass meeting would be held at the
city hall armory tonight to take steps to
secure the repeal of the new traffic laws
Last night he expressed the wish that all
interested in the subject be present
His statement, issued yesterday under the
heading, Guilty, yet not guilty." is as
follows:
You quote the following comment as
coming from the commissioner of justice
anent my recent conviction for violating
section 20 OF the traffic laws of the city
restraining pedestrians from walking on
streets outside of the projections of the
sidewalks
or he is guilty, he is guilty; if he
isn't he isn't
II am glad to get the opinion of the
commissioner of justice on the case, even
at this late day, for l had asked him to
sit with the recorder in hearing the case,
for the express purpose of getting his
opinion on the problems involved in the
case. But l fear his opinion is too enig-
matte to be of service in the above COM
ment.
Just the question / wished him to de-
eide was whether as pedestrian. working
his way along an obstructed street, I was
guilty or not guilty in choosing the course
| did; and how the new law is to be ap-
piled where the sidewalks are obstructed.
Where is the lawful sidewalk? Where the
pedestrian can walk, outside of the OBJ
structed space, or where he cannot walk
inside the obstructed space? From the de-
cision of the recorder it would seem
that the lawful sidewalk is where the way
is obstructed.
Sidewalk Obstructed
I'm my case. the old sidewalk was
obstructed, the new temporary one was
closed at the time and the space adj
joining was occupied with a pile OF
tiling, and the only space open for
passage of pedestrians on that side of
the street was the middle of the street,
and as l intended to go up that side
of the street 1 walked to the part of the
middle of the street by the line which
would project the space there allotted
for pedestrians on to the sidewalk
across the avenue. l thought this was
keeping the law, but the recorder ruled
otherwise. | regret that the commits
sioner of justice did not see proper to
give me. and the citizens who in the
future may face my situation, The ben
eft of his great learning and expert
ence in constituting and applying the
law of the highwey, for his counsel Is
of great value, and is secured for the
city at large, through a well merited
salary.
Intended No Violation
"But. if he is guilty. he is guilty If
he isn't, he isn't. Well the recorder
said in rendering his opinion that he
was satisfied that the defendant in
tended no violation of the law, but he
was also satisfied that he had violated
the law technically SO it appears in
the mind of the recorder (under show
of facts, however. which the defendant
will show in his appeal are not the
facts) the defendant was guilty, yet not
guilty; technically guilty, but really
not.
"The fact Is many of our citizens do
not know Just what to do in the COM
plications brought on by the passage of
this law. and the commissioner of just
ice could have rendered us a great serv-
ice If he had given his great legal
mind to enlightening us on what is
the law in the many varied situations
at the several corners of our city.
Sympathy of Many Citizens
But many people since they have
read of my too much advertised dis
tress have communicated to me their
sympathies because they, had been
caught in the same net; and asked me
to get immunity for the future by APP
pealing this case in order to get a
construction of the law and test its
validity The meaning of the law when
1T is applied to the varied situations
about town Is not plain; nor can we
believe the commission intended us to
take it literally as taking from the
pedestrian his lawful rights to use the
highways all over the city for cross
ing except that portion within The pro-
jections of the sidewalks
Now what l have been asked to do
by an appeal the commissioner of just
Ice can do In a few days by amending