The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-16
SAYS PASTORS ARE
 NOT RESPONSIBLE
Dr. Dickinson Writes That Movie Men First ImpOr-
 tuned Pastors Union

To the Editor of The Age-Herald;
 It Is being presented by those ig norant of the facts in the case to those who are equally so that this proposed Sunday law originated with the Pastors union; that they initiated the public disturbance over the dues- tion whether the movies should be given special exemption from the Sun day law, as compared with their com drawn by the pastors or under their immediate supervision. Now. none of these are true.
 About three years ago the movie merchants, at their own motion and without notice or invitation from us, visited the union and asked us to in- dorse their effort to get the commits sion to repeal the Sunday law so far as it affected their business. These visits were repeated several times un- til the pastors appointed a committee to look into the matter. This committee consulted with the commission and Commissioner Lane told us of the Sun day law and how any effort to re- peal 1t would open Pandora box from similarly affected interests; and after hearing the commission the pastors decided that their policy was wise, and stood by them in their de1iverance. Yet time and again the movie merchants visited us, backed up by certain labor leaders, and solicited an expression from US in the interest of the poor working man." But when we consult ed the working men in our congrega- tious, who fairly represented the work ing men generally, we found that they did not care anything about being made the occasion for such a move ment; and we withheld our approval of the proposal of the movie merchants. When the time came on for the elec- ton of new commissioner of justice, the movies secured 8 mortgage on MT. Barber for tho repeal they sought in the event of his election; which mort- gage they lost no time in foreclosing after that event. and aided by Mir. Ward and MT Truss, broke through the lines that fortified Sunday as a dies non in business.
 Immediately the garages and the fruitstands, and other business sim ilarly related to Sunday, sought prfvi- leges thus secured by the movies; and in response to these appeals 1t was thought best by some, Mr. Weatherly being one of them. that we should en- act a new Sunday law which would ap- ply equally to all these interests by putting them all alike on an equality before the law. About this same time the pastors came to this same conclu- sion and appointed committee to see if such a law could not be enacted. They found out that Mir. Weatherly had drawn such a law, and so they ap- proved his law. which will be in the hands of the people fin a few days, in spite of the opposition of certain persons cd the fourth estate"
 Such are the facts, as I have seen them at first hand; and they show that the pastors were brought into this matter by the movie merchants them selves; had no part in bringing on the agitation: wrote no line or word in the law which they approved and indorsed. It is the "fcurth estate" of our city, the reportorial and editorial function aries who have misrepresented facts. But we have become too well acquaint- ed with such political methods in other recent contests not to recognize the hand here in evidence with it's yelled inittens, and the purpose it has in view. Of course the tactics are to prejudice the people against the ministry-an easy task and use this hostility to- ward them as persons and functionaries to prejudice the electorate to vote in favor of the perpetuation of this spe- ciai grant of practically monopolistic privileges to the movie merchants on Sundays. But it will not work, for the reason that recent events show con- spicuously that the public is on to this game; and they know these pastors too we'll to believe that they want to burn up the town. So play the hand; it is not fooling the electors. It is but fair to all concerned to state that Dr.. Barnwell, Dr. Eaves and Rev. MT. Bay ley, the only three pastors openly op. posing the new law out of 63 voting, were not present during the more than three years that the movie merchants have been pressing this question of their special exemption from the Sun day law before the Pastors union. Hence these well-meaning brethren are not posted on the nature of that law, It's genesis, or the situation in which it is intended to function. But every pastor who had been present in the union the while voted to ap- prove tAe law. It is but fair to all involved to make this statement.
 A. J. DICKINSON
 Rtr,,, h, O I, O n, Eehruarv K 1Q16