The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-10

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 Following one of the most acrid att
 tacks on the Birmingham Pastors union ever heard in this city, the three mem bers of the city commission voted
 unanimously yesterday to deny the peti . tion of the managers and owners Of motion picture theatres to operate on Sunday, mainly on the grounds that now was not an opportune time to make the change.
 The invective against the ministers of the city was delivered by Jack Woods, secretary of the Birmingham Trades Council, who said that the ministers had made themselves "intolerant to the working people of Birmingham. who defied the preachers to act as the self appointed judges of their morals
 The motion to deny the petition of the owners and managers for Sunday shows was made by George Ward, sec onded by James Weatherly and unani- mously adopted. R. w. King, president of the Trades Council, also spoke in favor of the Sunday shows. In the evil dent knowledge that the commissioners were with them, no representative of the Pastors union was present.
 Trades Council Unanimous
 T am here primarily to answer any arguments the Pastors union might make against these shows" began Mir Woods, but since none of them are bara I n n tat ;,,e action of the city commission in pro- hibiting the thing petitioned for. The Trades Council has taken no official action, but I know that at It's next mee, ing it will unanimously indorse Sunday shows and it has been forced into this position by the intolerant position of the clergy of this city
 When we approached this proposi- tion it was with no other purpose than ble board give permission to operate the shows on Sunday for charity than the ministers of this city rose up on their hind legs and howled to the heavens. Perhaps they know that with the money We secured that day we fed 215 heads of families and close on to 900 people who were actually hungry and in need. And yet they held up their hands in holy horror at the undertak- ing. One of the very pastors who is loudest In his opposition was asked to to the aid of these poor peo- pie and refused, and if he was here to- day l would call his name in your presence.
 T yet fail to see-why mans soul is jeopardized any more by seeing motion picture show on Sunday ahon any other day in the week, and yet the cry of the pastors is that the i'm mortal salvation of the people of Bir- mingham is at stake Their work is futile. They are in line with the prohl- bitionists. They cry: Rule or ruin. But IT this matter was put up to the people l Know that this commission would be Instructed to open up Sunday shows by two-thirds majority.
 The preacher is short-sighted in his arguments on such questions, and the at- titude of the Pastors union in this case has become intolerent to the free thinking working men of Birmingham. The preachers say they have the moral right to judge our morals and we defy them We can't come to you and get permission for tag day and allow our women to go out on the streets and blackiack the business men into giving up money. We must ask you for the use of the picture shows for the aid of the unemployed Then the preachers bob up and tell us what we shall not do; but they do not tell us what we shall do."
 Commissioners Explain Vote
 The vote of the commission was ex- plained by each member upon being ques- tioned by an Age-Herald reporter. Judge Lane said he wanted 1t distinctly stated that he had never given an interview, as he had been quoted. favoring Sunday shows. President George Ward is in favor of Sunday shows but tells yhy he voted against them now as follows:
 Because I believe that the public dis sension aroused would do the city more harm than Sunday pictures would do good. I voted against Sunday motion pictures at this time.
 'I firmly believe that Sunday motion pictures as a form of diversion and in- structon for people who otherwise would be subject to temptation of dozen kinds are a good thing for this or any other large city.
 .The greatest trouble with Birmingham m at this time. however, is internal dissen- sion among it's people, We have prohibit tionists and anti-prohibitionists, commis- sonists and anti-commissionists, those ia, bring corporations and those fighting 
 "Ali of this is paralyzing individual CO., operation. So why should this trouble be lfritated only the more at this time by dividing the entire population of the city on the Sunday motion picture show ques- ton?
 This commission was elected with no Sunday shows in operation. and while there was no understanding with the vot- CTS do not believe the commission would be justified in changing that condition un- less a great majority of the people de- manded 1t. The initiative is coming, and then the people can have a chance to of- icially demonstrate what they want.'