The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-01
Over 300 Arrests of Small Retailers Have Already Been Made Past Two Sundays
FURTHER EFFORTS NEXT SUNDAY TO
 CLOSE CITY TIGHT
Action Taken at Request of Retail GrOcers and the Butchers Barber COm- ments on Subject

Sheriff Thomas J. BatsOn will en- force to the letter all Sunday "bIue laws" in the code of the state of Ala bama.
 This was the statement last night of E. B. Knight, chief deputy in the sheriff's office. who said that over 300 alleged violators of the laws forbid ding doing business on Sunday" had already been arrested. On the first Sunday that the sheriffs forces start ed inforcing the old statutes over 100 persons were arrested and later had their cases dismissed upon the pay ment of $3.75. the court costs.
 Last Sunday about 130 violators were arrested and yesterday morning several lad their cases dismissed by paying the SS75 court costs, while those who had been arrested the previous Sunday had their cases passed by Judge H. B. Aber- nethy for action at a later date.
 WORSE NEXT SUNDAY
 Next Sunday, according to Chief Deputy Knight, the sheriffs deputies will again be on the job and will close every grocery. butcher shop, confec- tionery store and soft drink stand in the city, if possible.
 Chief Deputy Knight further stated that Sheriff Batson was making his drastic effort to inforce the Sunday "blue laws" at the insistent demand of the Retail Grocers and Butchers association.
 A. A. Jones' secretary and treasurer of the Retail Grocers and Butchers association. stated last night that he was actively behind the sheriff in the enforcement of the Sunday laws. He further made the statement that he had gone to the city commission with his complaints about violations, but no attention had been paid to him.
 APPEALED TO COMMISSION
 "As secretary and treasurer of the Retail Grocers and Butchers associa- tion," said MT. Jones, "I appealed to the city commission to enforce the Sunday laws and make the little fellows in the outlying districts who are directly competing with us and who tacitly ad init that they do more business on Sunday than on the rest of the week, close up. We waited for several weeks and as the commission paid no atten- tion to us, and it came to our ears that the commissioners did not intend to do anything about enforcing the Sunday laws on the state statute books we went to Sheriff T. J. Batson. There we received courteous attention-and almost immediate results.
 'In the past two Sundays the sheriff has arrested over 300 persons alleged to have violated the Sunday laws and he will continue to make arrests as long as there are violations. He is good official.
 "However, we must not be misunder- stood. We are not after anybody but the small grocer and butcher who opens up on Sunday. while we are forced to close up. We do not care anything about the confectionery stores and the soft drink stands. We have no complaint against them at all. Let the sheriff close up the small gro cers and butcher shops and we will be satisfied"
 BARBER GIVES VIEWS
 When the statement of A. A. Jones was called to the attention of Commissioner of Public Safety Arlie Barber last night he denied that the matter had ever been brought before him but plainly intimated that such enforcement of the Sunday "blue laws' was a very distasteful pro- ceeding with him, and that he would not contenance such police procedure Tor minute.
 Sheriff Batson may close up the town if he likes" said MT. Barber, "but l shall not The Retail Grocers and Butch- CTS association has never complained Of violations of the Sunday laws to me, all though it is possible they have appeared before others of the commission. How ever, I have my instructions from my colleagues on how to act in regard to violation of the so-called blue laws and besides my own views on the matter are most liberal. In fact, l have given in structions to the police not to intefere with the sale of groceries, meats, milk, soft drinks and lunches in the outlying districts of the city as long as these foods were being sold downtown on Sun days. do not see anything particularly sacrilegous in the sale. of newspapers. cigars and soft drinks on Sunday or in milk. bread and other foods. and l guess