The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-03-16
A BILL FOR AN ACT

To prevent discrimination at places OF
public accommodation, resort or
amusement, and to prevent publica-
ton and distribution of discriminate
ing matter and to punish the same.
House file No. 518. BY Weaver.
Judiciary. March IL, 1917.
Be it enacted by the general assembly
of the state of Iowa:
Section THAT no person, being
the owner, lessee, proprietor, manag-
err, superintendent, agent or employe
of any public accommodation, resort
or amusement shall directly or indi-
rectly, by himself or anybody else
publish, issue, circulate, send, distrib-
ute, give away or display in any way,
manner, shape, means or method, ex-
cept as hereinafter provided, any
communication, paper, poster, folder,
manuscript, book, pamphlet, writing,
print, letter, notice or advertisement
of any kind, nature or description, in
tended or calculated to discriminate
or actually discriminating against any
religious sect, creed, class, denomina-
ton or nationality, or against any Of
the members thereof in the matter Of
furnishing or neglecting or refusing
to furnish to them or any one Of them,
any lodgings, housing, schooling, tut
ton, or any accommodating; right,
privilege, advantage or convenience
offered to or enjoyed by the general
public, or to the effect that any of the
accommodations, rights, privileges,
advantages or conveniences Of any
such place of public accommodation,
resort or amusement shall or will be
refused, withheld from or denied to
any person or persons or class OF PER
sons on account Of race, sect, creed,
class, denomination or nationality, or
that the patronage, custom, presence,
frequenting, dwelling, staying or lodg-
ing at such place of any person, per-
sons or class of persons belonging to
or purporting to be Of any particular
race, sect, creed, class, denomination
or nationality is unwelcome, objec-
or not acceptable, desired or
solicited.
Sec. 2.-The production Of any such
communication, paper, poster, folder,
book, pamphlet, writing,
print, letter, notice or advertisement,
to relate to any such place
and to be made by any person being
the owner, lessee, proprietor, agent,
manager or employee
thereof, shall be presumptive evil
lence in any civil or criminal action
Or prosecution that the same was au-
;horized by such person.
Sec. "a place of public accommo-
lation, resort or amusement, within
he meaning. of. this act, shall be
deemed to include any inn, tavern or
hotel, whether conducted for the en-
housing or lodging Of
transient guests, or for the benefit,
use or accommodation of those SEEK
ing health, recreation or rest, any res
taurant, eating house, public convey
ance on land or water, bathhouse'
barber shop, theater and music hall.
Sec. 4.-Nothing in this act con-
tanned shall be construed to prohibit
the mailing of a private communica-
ton in writing sent in response to spe-
cific written inquiry.
Sec. 5.-Any person who shall VIC
late any of the provisions of this act
or who shall aid in or incite, cause or
bring about in whole or in part the
violation of any such provisions shall
for each and every violation thereof
be liable to a penalty of not less than
one hundred dollars ($100) nor more
than five hundred dollars ($5OO), to be
recovered by the person aggrleved
thereby, and shall also for every such
offense be deemed guilty of INSIDE
meanor, and upon conviction thereof
shall be fined not less than one hun
dred dollars $4,000 nor more than
five hundred dollars ($50O), or shall
be imprisoned not less than thirty
800 days, nor more than ninety 1907
days, or, both such fine and imprison-
ncnt. -...