Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-17
ROLLER TOWELS PASS
IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS
New State Law, In Effect To-Day.
Prohibits Use in Many
Places.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OPINION
All Buildings, Trains. Steamers. Pub
lie aud Private schools. Pollard
Holds. Come Within Meaning of
Acts Now in Force.

ACTS Now III Force.
In an opinion transmitted Yesterday
by Attorney general Pollard TO Commits
sioner Dohorty. OF the State Labor Blu
reau. he advises that officer that the new
'roller-towcl" act. which is in effec,
/ for tho first time to-day. while pro-
! hihiting the use of this kind OF towel
/ in public" lavatories must he held
also 70 apply 10 factories. workshops
and mercantile establishments main
tanning lavatories for the use of their
employees alone.
The ruling was sought by Alr.
| poherty in order TO determine the pre-
cedure TO be followed by his depart :
ment i'll applying the now law to the
industries under it's supervision. The
statute WAS silent with respect TO Law
atorieS of private establishments an
! plying only. under a strict reading to
public" laNatories in any building.
railroad station. steamboat. hotel. onic,
building or public or private school
Many local business and manufacture
Ing establishments have in the past
week prepared 20 meet the new law by
replacing the rollcr-towclS with small
Individual towels. or with the various
patented ASSORTMENT paper towels thu
life OF which ends with each user,
others have awaited a clearer defini-
ton of the law before acting
TENT or OPINION
by ATTORNEY GENERAL.
me Attorney Generals letter to Mr.
Doherty was as follows
Replying to your inquiry as to the
cHect and construction of the statutes
known as the 'roller-towel acts will
say that ut the last Session of the Cen
eral Assembly there were passed two
acts OH the subject. one appearing as
chapter 100 acts 1916 page 32l an
proved March II. 1915 ana another an
pear!ng as chapter 27S. acts 1916. page
NO approved March Il, 1916. Both of
theSe acts 90 into effect Tomorrow.
June -
You ask whether the last mentioned
s'htuIc repeats or superscdes the
carrier one or whether they are both
IN io'ce According TO well-knowu
lux, u'e OF statutory construction. repeats
pE implication are not favored and
Two acts dealing with the same subiac,
must be read together ana harmoniyed
POSSIBLE. Nm examination of
these two acts leads me TO the couclu
SION mat they are both in force.
both acts prohibit the Us. orroll.r
toWe!S In public lavatcries You aeI,
"hetneT the term public lavator,.. is
/ 20 De construed to include iaya,oriae
. located IN factories. workshors ,,G
mercantile establishments where tn. ne.
o, 'aNatories is limited to employees
. al ftr J.
U.s. OF poth employees and customers
ne conclusion which hay. rearhaI
'taheS II unnecessary !o, To s.nar,, .
ne question INTO its several PARTS Ho,h
Oh me acts referred TO are for thu. No
tect!on OF the public health ana ~.
.ai,s upon the belief that the use of
to"e!s causes the spread of dis
case. IL is we'll established ma, 49,, .
.oi IN" protection of the public he,I,b
|t'"ouSh penal IN their nature are IN
ne literally construed to IN. end ~,
H.e purpose OF the acts NAV b. ,ccon,N
$3.50, me question turns upon the
t'ope! construction TO he put unon ,ha
Term public lavatory'
SOME DOUBT REMAINS
ON QUESTIONS ASI<Eu
me acts. taken together. exnressIy
p'Oh!b!t the use of such towels in M,
/ NC !aNator!es located in any buiIdi,,.
.a''EoaH stations. railroad trains ste,,n
ooats' notes. office buildings. pi,hiir
! ana private schools
II Is apparent from the reading of
me actS that ii is unlawful IA aIlo,.
me u.s. OF such towels i'm n,,hIi, H."
l'F'.s III any building of any ch,r,c-
'e', Tor the context plainly shows INA,
- '.o' intended TO limit the oucra
non o! the statute TO buildings OF III.
""'H'e with those specifically enurp4y.
% 'h- statute Is the prevention of INC
9p'ea" OF disease, there would seem
+ no reason 10! prohibiting the use n,
S"ch towels in lavatories Of priyato
Ho"""!'' while permitting the use o,
H"," towels IN workshops, factories
az" mercantile establishments employ
/ !hE thousands Of men and women: and
/ while IL would be perfectly CONNECT,
] '"F IN" General Assembly TO limit In.
/ ortFatl Of the acts to one class n,
buildings ana permit such towels r.
I De used IN places where the DANCER n,
/ 'he spread Of disease is much greater
YET thr statutes should not be so limit.
compcls such limitation.
1t is unfortunate that the statute
- not 'nor" plainly expressed and /,
/ must be admitted that the uIestions
you ptopound are not entirely free
/ from doubt hut In such cases ] think
IL 'he du'y OF tn" executive officers
10 place such construction on the law
as would seem 10 effcc,uate i,s mr.
poses II is for this reason that
I would advise that, until some cour,
or competent jurisdiction has decided
TO The contrary, all factories. work.
SHOPS ana mercantile establishment:
/ maintaining lavatories for the use 81
their employees alone. or for the use
or their customers alone. or for tn,
use of both employees ana customers
he required TO comply with the pro
. visions OF the acts
IT might bc we'll 10 add that undcl
the terms OF the acts referred to. tn,
prohibition is placed not only upoi
roller-iowels. but all towels intende,
or available for common use by NOR,
than one person without being laun
dered after such uEc."
-------------
Prophets or Ia Detroit.
Sam,s Grotto, Mystic order OF Yelled
Prophets of tho Enchanted Realm vii
leave Richmond Tonight over the Nor.
f"lk and Western Railway in "A specia
train Of all-steel cars for Detroit
where tho supreme Council will be hello
mcEt Meek. The nrnnhets VIII snerd g