The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-22
PRESENTED
ASKING COMMISSION
SUNDAY SHOWS
Committee of Laymen and
Pastors Hold Session
With Commission
ELECTION EXPECTED
IF 1900 VOTERS SIGNED
Petitions Contained 1743 Signatures.
Neither Commissioners Nor Com
mitteemen Would Discuss Matter
Following the Meeting

"A committee OF pastors ana ldylnen nelQ
a prolonged session with the city commits
sion yesterday morning, at which they
presented and asked for the passage of
an ordinance prohibiting moving pictures
from being shown on Sunday. After the
meeting it was announced that the people
would have a right to express their
choice in the matter at an election to be
called not later than October /.
A petition bearing the names of 1743 cit
liens was rendered the commission by the
anti-moving picture committee, consisting
of the following: DR.. N. A. Barrett E.
f. Morgan, DR.. j. M. Broadly, E. N.
Hamill and S. T. Slaton. This petition
was turned over to Clarence Lloyd, sec
rotary of the commission, who will certify
whether or not as many as 1900 of the
signers are qualified voters. According
to the law this certitcation must take
place within seven days. If the petition
contains the names of 1900 voters the Or
dinance may be adopted by the commits
sioners or submitted to a. vote of the
people. The latter policy will probably be
pursued. The election officers will be no.
titled and the question will be presented
to the peope to be voted upon within 20
days after the petition is certified, This
will place the election on September 10,
which is Sunday. Therefore in all prob
ability the election will be held on Satur-
day or Monday.
CLOSED DOORS
The conference between the commission
and anti-moving picture people was held
behind closed doors and lasted for several
hours 1t Is known that the committee
submitted the ordinance to the commits
sion with the petition and asked for it's
adoption. Upon the commissions refusal.
the only other alternative was resorted
to, nancy, to have the petition certified
or rejected and then have an election on
the matter.
The question of Sunday moving pic
lures to be settled by the voters of Bir-
mingham comes after long battle on
the part of the antis. extending over 10
months Immediately after the commits
sioners decided to allow moving pictures
on Sunday, the Pastors union of this
city declared that the law would be at
tackled Immediately. Many protests have
been made by them, but until yesterday
lT6y IldQ never Dten dDlG 10 receive lHe
indorsment of 1900 qualified voters which
would entitle the question to be settled
by the vote of the people.
A cursory examination, made by a re-
porter of The Age-Herald, shows that
the Sc petitions were circulated in every
section of Greater Birmingham.
Attached to the petition was due notice
to the effect that the petition had been
formally presented, 1t follows;
l.. 1,
presented and print thereon the names
and addresses of the following five cleo
tors who shall be officially regarded as
filing the petitions for the purpose named
in the act. Signed DIR. N. A. Barrett,
e. F. Morgan, ]. NJ. Broadly, E. N. Hamill
and S. T. Slaton."
No comment upon the action of the
committee against the moving pictures
was made by any of the commissioners.
PETITIONS CERTIFIED
Every petition was certified before a
notary to the effect that the UNDER
signed was the duly authorized circu-
lator of the petition and declaring that
the names signed thereto were genuine
signatures. The following were the
official circulators of the IS petitions:
r. f. Latimer, c. e. Tyler, E. f.
Forbes c. S. Lecren, =. F. Morgan, w,
r. Cochran, Thomas S. Forbes, p, c.,
Barley, P. A. Eubank. Mrs. F. w.
Ross, Mrs. ]. F. Batillo, l.. e. Gray, r.
NJ Nesbitt, D. e. McLenden, s, j. Stig-
gins. James J. Osborn, w. r. Starbuck,
]. H. Cooper. H. H. Hagood, ]. M. Han
lsins, S. A. Sadler. Jesse d. Stephens,
James Walker. T. o. Jones. Lewis w.
Dockery. Sam r. Billingsley, I. X.
Tierce, Leroy Holt, ]. II. Berry. T. c..
Cassidy, S. d. Weakley, J. Il. Morris.
A. J. Ozanne, ]. A. Vann, G. w. Futrell,
F. B. Yielding, B. H. Butler P. G. Will
liams, B p Beard, c. r. Johnson. Rev.
T. P. Hay, John S. Foster, W. F. Tyler.
L. F. Written. George Winter. d. O..
Green, James J. Osborn, F. G. Patton
c. s. Marable, r. F. Stewart, Thomas r.
Walker r. A. Clayton. s. P, Fowlkes
l.. L. Campbell.
Motion picture men have made no
announcement as to what they might
do to combat the issue other than
depend upon the voters to declare In
favor of Sunday pictures at the COM
ing election. Some expressed view
that the initiative was not constitu
tional, and would not stand before the
supreme court The recall has been
declared unconstitutional by the SUI
preme court, and inasmuch as the inf-
tiative is a similar piece of legislation,
it is the opinion of some that the ad-
vocates of motion pictures on Sunday
could defeat the issue in the courts. 1t
Is thought however, that the people
are perfectly willing to let the issue
be decided by the voters