The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-06-11
TO REGULATE DANCES
Reformers of City Planning
to Present Drastic Ordi-
nance to the Council.
WOULD PROTECT YOUNG GIRLS
Ordinance Is Modelled Along the Line
of the Milwaukee Ordinance and Is
Said to Have Been Suggested by the
State Vice Commission.

Better regulation Of dance halls in
Kenosha is to be sought from the com
mon council and within the next few
weeks people who have been active
in throwing projections about the
young people Of the city will propose
to the council new ordinance proyid-
ing for the regulation Of the dance
halls in the city. The same ordinance
has been proposed in several other
cities and it is said to have had its
origin among the members of the
Wisconsin State Vice Commission.
The proposed ordinance is drafted
on lines of the Milwaukee ordinance
and covers a large number of matters
pertaining to the conduct of dance
halls and payilions. Some are of the
opinion that it is entirely too drastic
and that it will practically mean the
discontinuance of some places. The
provision which does away entirely
with dances held on Sunday is an OBJ
jectionable feature to many and this
will be carefully gone over by the
committee and those who are affected
by that provision.
Must Take Out License.
The law is meant to apply to all so
called public dance halls or dances
at which an admission fee is charged.
1t requires that license shall be tax
en- out each year at cost Of SIS. APP
pication shall first be made to the
4nayos oi JAU clty No snail cause All
Investigation of the place made by the
chief of police. The latter official shall
have the power to call in the building
Inspector, the board of health and the
fire marshal in making the required
inspection. All licensed places shall
live up to tho provision Of the law as
regards fire escapes, sanitation and
the usual rules Of health and safety.
Owners Of halls who wish to rent
out their places for the purpose of
holding public dance, must first APP
ply to the mayor and that official
shall cause an investigation to be
made jnto the standing Of the person
Dr corporation asking the privilege
and if it is found to be satisfactory
permit shall be granted. If, on the
other hand it is found to be unsatis-
Factory the mayor shall notify the
proprietor of the dance hall to that
effect within five days after the APP
plication has been made.
In all cases where any of the above
rules are vioated there is a penalty of
rom $25 to 500 fines or imprisonment
cot more than ninety days.
For Protection of Minors.
The ordinance seeks to protect the
morals of young girls and provides
9enalties for violations of the sections
hv> ring that point 1T will be un-
Svful Cor the proprietor of dance
lall to allow a girl Of eighteen years
VI age without a guardian to attend
Suy Of the dances after 10 O'Clock at
Sight. 1t will also be unlawful for a
girl of seventeen years ST age to be
permitted at any such dance at any
time unless she is under the care of
one of her parents or other lawful
guardian. This is meant to apply
strongly to dances where liquor is sold
or where the dance floor adioins a
place. where intoxicants are dispensed.
Sunday Dances.
The ordinance applies drastically to
all dances on Sundays. AZ the pres
ent time public dances are held in
local halls Oh Sunday evenings. Dances
4 all picnic grounds and parks will
also be barred by this section of
Vie law
The ordinance provides for the clos
Ing Of all such public dance halls at
J o'clock in the morning except dances
Aald on Saturday evening which must
Nose not later than midnight.
The same penalty is attched to vio-
Nations of the Sunday and week day
kosing hours and any violation will
mean the punishment by fine of the
SLENDER and the revocation of the
Dance hall permit.