South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-21
DANCE HALL BILL
ASSERTED STRICT
COunCilmen Say Proposed Or
dinanCe Rivals Old Blue
Laws of Long Ago.

The stringent dance hall ordinance
at present being considered by the city
council az the instance OF the moral
ity committee recently appointed Dy
Mayor Fred w Keller. is the climax
10 a set Of proposed laws and regu-
lations rivaling the blue laws of CO.
lonial days I'm the opinion OF certain
members al the committee or the
whole OF the council.
IL is the final touch in "a system OF
ordinances and regulations which
threaten the personal rights OF south
Bend citizens. according TO Council
man Hagerty.
IL contains several sections which
should be eliminated before serious
consideration is given IL. from Coun-
Gilman Buechner's viewpoint.
IL Is the ideal instrument with
which 60 fight the alleged evils and
averred disastrous results accord
Ing 90 y L. Guilfoyle member OF the
committee which prepared it,
AT the regular meeting of the COM
mitteC OF the whole last night the ar
ticle was read discussed by members
Of the dance hall committee and by
members C the council and was Ia
BLEED again-untii the next regular
meeting OF the committee of the
whole.
Make Appropriations.
Before the dance hall ordinance was
discussed the committee commented
favOrably upon two ordinances which
were referred to last nights meeting
from the last assemblage Of the cOun-
ell. One of these was the apprOprla-
ton TO the board of public works Of
the sum OF S1.629.41. with which the
works board is 10 make good an as
sessment upon the property OF }. NJ.
Studebaker. This property, Ito deep,
facing upon Parry ST., was assessed
according 10 its square foOtage.
Managers of the estate appealed 10
The circuit court which appointed
three appraisers to re-asseSS the prop
erty The re-assessment was the sum
named short OF the original and it
devOlVed upon the works board TO
make up the deficit to the sewer con-
tractors. tt appealed for the apprO-
priauon and the committee referred
ii favorably to the next meeting Of
the council.
The other ordinance was the cause
OF some discussion, but was finally re-
ferred TO the council favorably. 1t
provided for the transference TO the
jurisdiction of the board of park COM
missiOners that portion of Niles av.
lying between Howard and COrby SITS.
This section is TO be made into a
boulevard. which it is declared, will
be paid for by the residents OF that
block.
The matter was first brought TO the
attention of the council by Pres't Rich
ard Elbel of the park board. but since
the city attorney ruled that the park
board was not legally entitled 10 spe-
cial appropriations from the council
and should not spend more than the
revenue obtained through its innocent
tax levy provided for by state law
members OF the committee were re-
iuctant 10 pass upon the bill until the
park board was heard from again.
However, IL was decided that since
the Improvement was 10 be paid for
by the property holders, a favorable
comment was legitimate
GulfOyle Defends Measure.
In discussing the dance ordinance,
Mr.. Guilfoyle said:
South Bend isn't the first city to
realize that public dances and dance
nails have fallen into the manage
ment of persons who are not too par
icular as TO how they should be con-
Quoted. II is an absolute certainty
that dances are given in this city that
are immoral. When the morals,
health and general welfare of a COM
munity are threatened. the city must
seek some method 10 protect them.
I'VE have presented TO YOU an ordi-
nance which is the ideal instrument
by which these things L have EMU
merated may be annihilated Neglect
ful parents are the cause of many girls
dOwnfalls and there are only too
many Of these in this city If they
wiz not advise their sons and daugh-
tiers. it becomes the duty Of this coun-
Gil. to see that their young lives are
safeguarded."
Wants Paid ChapcroneS
Mr.. Guilfoyle dwelt with particular
emphasis upon the section OF the ordi-
nance which provided for pai2 chap
couple was suggested. lie also empha-
sized the appointment of a dance hall
Inspector. whose pay. according TO the
ordinance. would be all license fees
collected bv the city controller
W. O. Davies. OF the Davies shirt
20. cited several instances of girls in
factories who had been "lured 10 their
ruin through the medium of the pub
JIG dance"
Mrs W. r. Miller and Mrs. Minnie
Evans. Dolicewoman. also contributed
TO the discussion. by asserting that
strict regulation of the public dance
was Imperative TO prohibit immoral
conduct and other evil features alleg-
cd 10 result from the public dance
Want other Side Heard.
II was Councilman Lang who
brought the argument 10 a close by
moving that the matter be continued
until the next meeting of the com
mIttee and that I'M the meantime. each
member OF the council be provided
with copy Of the ordinance I'm pre-
senting his motion. Lang declared that
he was IN favor OF the general context
or the ordinance. but held that the
committee should hear the other side
of the question.
The section regulating the closing
hour-11 o'clock-and the one for
bidding dance ta be given I'm a hall
ma the same building or adjoining the
premises of a saloon. were questioned
hy the committeeman II was held
That dance hall manager should not
be bound 10y the fact that "A saloon
moving into a nearby building should
prohibit further dances