Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-05-24
Ask the Library Trustees For
Room For Their Exclu-
sive Use.
They Use the Highland Branch
Library For Political
Purposes.
RESENT Such use OF LIBRARIES

A great wave of Indignation and
protest on the part of the people
has been aroused by the demand
made by a delegation of women's
clubs at the last meeting of the Lii
brary Board that the room about to
be surrendered by the old Poly
technic Society of Kentucky-the
former library organization-be
handed out to them for their ex-
elusive use. The visit of the ladies
came in the nature of a surprise to
the old gentlemen who act as Trus-
tees of that institution, as they were
unprepared for the attack, but they
rallied before the ladies retired and
gave them to understand the matter
would be given due consideration.
Since then the board has learned in
no uncertain language that the pub
lie is entirely opposed to giving any
organization the use of room that
should be at the service of readers
generally. It is expected that addi-
tional protests will be made to the
Trustees before they meet again on
the second Wednesday in June.
Those who have been recently
watching the tactics of the various
clubs that have been afforded
lodging place in our public library
buildings were not surprised, how
ever, at this request for exclusive
possession of this room. A month
or two ago a similar request was
made in writing to the library
authorities by the same organiZa-
tions, but the matter was promptly
referred to the Library Committee,
where it has since lain buried. Re-
cent developments in women club
dom have been of a rather disquiet-
ing nature, and it seems now the
time has arrived to expose the mis-
use these ladies have been making
of privilege that has been granted
them by the library officials. An
instance of this occurred on Friday
afternoon, the 9th inst. On that
date the Highland Civic League, an
organization that is composed OF
ladies residing in the Highlands,
met in the auditorium of the High
land Branch Library, and endorsed
Hugh p. Fleece for the Democratic
nomination for County Judge at the
coming primary. Here is the diplo-
matte way the ladies put the matter
as recorded in a morning paper:
unfortunately things have a way
of happening during the summer
months when the clubs are not
meeting 1t is sometimes necessary
to look far ahead. This fall, as you
know, there will be the election of
many officers in this city, among
them the election of County Judge.
The County Judge is the head of the
Juvenile Court. Women of the city
feel a special interest in this
office"
Then to show that they are mot
in politics" the speaker INDUCED in
the following line of truly feminine
reasoning:
"In the next few weeks all par
ties will have their nominees in the
field. We can not now endorse one
more than another for election. We
do not yet know who the candidates
of the various parties will be. How
ever, there will be a Democratic
primary in August, and two Demo-
cratic candidates are already in the
field-the incumbent and Hugh B.
Fleece. We shall not be getting into
politics bv endorsing Mr.. Fleece as
the Democratic candidate. We are
not promising to support him in the
coming election. We are merely
urging that as young man with the
proper social ideals he be nominated
by his own party. believe it will
be well for this club TO go on record
as endorsing Mr.. Fleece as the
Democratic nominee. Mr.. Fleece has
done social work-he has the young
mans interests and the young mans
outlook. He expresses the ideals
that we should like to see the Louis
vile Judge of the Juvenile Court
have"
The lady who made the motion
next addressed the meeting and fin
ished her talk by saying: "I there
fore move this league support Mr..
When the motion was put TO the
members IL was carried unan-
imously.
This action of the club was feat
ured next day in the Herald's news
columns, as that paper goes in for
the commission form of government
and "young men with proper social
ideals" but IL has called forth
enough protest in the other papers
TO show that the people resent such
use being made of their library
buildings. One reader OF an evening
paper asks Indignantly: what right
has any body OF men or women to
use our public library buildings who
take up and discuss nominations for
office, either before a primary or an
election, and then officially endorse
certain individuals for officer"
II Is believed the Library Trustees
dc not intend to allow this room in
the main library 10 be used by these
clubs, as they expect 10 turn II into
an up-to-date newspaper room where
the large collection OF daily and
weekly newspapers-includ the
Kentucky Irish American-wlll be
given proper accommodation. II Is