Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-14
JACKSON To TAKE
OPEN SABBATH
WAR To COURT
Will Ignore Mason, Beavers
and Mayor if Movies or
Sports Are Opened.

Marion Jackson. vice chairman Of the
Men and Religion Forward Movement,
today declared that moving picture
houses. professional baseball or kin
dred sports would never be operated in
Atlanta. il the courts Of the county and
state could be forced to intercede
we will sue out a writ of mandamus
against Beavers, Woodward and the
police board or we will sue out a wri:
'of injunction against the picture house
proprietors or baseball park owners
lCompelling them 10 obey the city ordi
sHances and the state statutes" declared
Mr.. jackson when seen at his office.
Personalities in this fight are for
gotten. have no interest in Carlos
Mason or the mayor. What they may
do or say is beside the question. This
Is merely a question Of law. City or
Idinance. section 1876, revised code Of
1910, makes it an offense for certain
Ihmusements TO be carried on upon the
Sabbath Upon this ordinance, backed
byShe state law. we stand.
Aim to Protect Minority.
sour attitude is that Of the disin-
Gerested bystander. Our whole aim is
20 protect the minority in whose favor
Asuch laws as / have just cited are
lsmoh1ed.
1--WE will not stand for CONNER
trIalized Sabbath here. That is settled
aonce and for all What the individual
nnay do on a Sabbath day does not in
lrerest us What the citizens Of At
nanta az a body DO does interest us.
af one man wishes to spend the Sab
bath away from the church it Is his
own business
THE crowds from outside Of the city
that no doubt, would be drawn here
b a so-caued liberal Sunday would
in no measure compensate those per-
sons called upon to toll on that Sab
bath for other people. No one should
be called upon to work on the first day
of the week. Scientifically and God
given. this fact is paramount.
our stand is purely one of law and
order. We do not propose to stand by
and see the city ordinances violated.
That's an end to that part of this dis
cussion.
LET Them Repeal Laws
IF the people OF Atlanta wish more
liberal Sunday there is a way to obtain
It. Go to your city council, compel
them to repeal the ordinance l have
quoted; go to the legislature and COM
pei them to vacate the statute cover
ing the subject, Then have an open
Sunday.
But as long as the law stands on
the books as a law il must be en-
forced DO not believe in dead let
ter laws. There are no such things
On the statute books If law is bad
wipe it out-don't attempt evasion.
we shall divorce this question from
tsndividualism. We will not squabble
with Mason, Beavers or Woodward.
rrhat is shooting at too small game.
1--WE shall take the matter directly into
court and there adjudicate II.
1--WE have absolute right to ask en-
erorcement of the laws now provided
aaEainst Sunday amusements of the
character suggested by Mason and
Woodward, and so long as we have
Nhat right we shall exercise it to the
eest letter Of such laws.
Mayor Can Not NulIify Law"
'Should these picture houses and
ebail parks attempt TO operate we will
sact at once. Mayor Woodward's sig
mature to permission 10 operate means
ynothing He can not give permission
ITO evade law. It's ridiculous. The
hchief of police can not excuse inaction
lon any order of his superiors nor can
knhe police board exercise the rights
s.pf judge and jury or take a constitu-
sAional courts attitude and say this law
or that is outside of the pale.
Upon this fact We are standing.
sT-pon this stand We will fight to the
last ditch.
From a purely personal standpoint.
the question does not resolve itself in
TO liberal or tight Sabbath. So
long as ! live ! shall probably answer
the dictates of my own conscience in
the matter of how | spend the Sab
bath Let every man do the same.
But so long as the law surrounds
certain things and says that certain
things are tabooed on the Lords day,
a law. When it is repealed-well, that
is another question