The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-08

crop diversifcation experts who are be-
 ing sent out by the Chamber of Com
 merce of Birmingham will spend Fri
 day and Saturday, the 18th and 18th of
 February, in Lamar county. The party will be divided into eight crews and will hold 37 meetings. Quite deal of interest is being manifested in the campaign and great good is expected to result from it.
 that there is a state law against such
 forms of amusement. There is no such
 law, at the present time, and there
 never has been such jaw. Even when
 blue laws were passed for the sup
 pression of practically everything
 there is no mention of the moving pie
 ture theatre.
 "rhe people of Birmingham indi-
 cated their views a week or so ago.
 when moving pictures were open on
 Sunday and something like 14.000 citi-
 zens paid for admission to the movies
 Every man who paid the fee for ad-
 mission to a moving picture theatre
 that Sunday when the proceeds went to
 charity, cast a moral vote in favor of
 them. It strikes me that the city con-
 missioners cannot well refuse to con-
 sider this immense. vote when they come
 to decide the matter Tuesday after
 noon."
 c. J. Abercrombie: "The people of
 Birmingham want the moving picture theatres on Sunday. The people must have some form of amusement. An sn-
 nocent form is the best, and there is no more innocent form of amusement
 than moving pictures The educational value of moving pictures is unques- toned There is no descration of the Sabbath in Innocent and educational diversion. Visiting moving pictures on Sunday is infinitely better than keep ing indoors and developing an aggra- vated case of brain-fag The children must be given some form of amuse- ment and instruction on Sunday. Sunday moving pictures is the answer. Many people who find it hard to manage their children as regards attendance at Sum day school and church would have lit- tie trouble if there was the prospect of visit to the moving pictures in the afternoon. The people should have that which they have indicated they want" Would Attract Travellers H. J. Gewinner, salesman: 'Tn my opinion, Birmingham would be much benefited by the operation on Sundays of its moving picture theatres. Many more travelling salesmen would make this territory at the weekend if there was any form of diversion on Sunday As 1t is now, Birmingham is avoided by many who would really like to visit here, but cannot afford to be bored to death by inactivity. The only activity left is in channels more or less disrepu- table, and most salesmen do not care to spend their Sundays playing poker or some other game of a gambling na- ture"
 B. Veil: T am decidedly in favor or Sunday moving pictures for many req
 sons, crief of which is the fact that
 Birmingham must have some form of
 amusement on Sunday. Birmingham at the present time is. perhaps, the most backward city of It's size in the United States In regard to amusements. The crime record of this city exceeds that
 of any city of its size in the country.
 There is some reason for this in that
 this is the dumping ground for re.
 leased convicts. But that is not the only
 reason. The people here have nothing to do on Sunday. Their minds are in- active or else the younger element-the 'curbstone' gang-is engaged in seek ing amusement of more or less vicious nature. If they had an opportunity of visiting the moving picture shows there would be less time to hatch out amuse-
 ment in vicious channels There would be more of the uplift. so often talked about and less of the crime read in pa- pers daily.
 When the moving picture shows were operated 8 Sunday or so ago there
 was not a single arrest in all Birming- l ham during the hours they were in operation, which is a most unusual rec {; ord Birmingham's record for Sunday affrays and homicides has been reek- l ing for years. It was a strong argu- ment for Sunday moving pictures that | not single arrest was made when they were going The commissioners should ! give them to the people for all time.'