Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-29
District Commissioners Re-
scind Closing Order Due to
{ Epidemic of Influenza.
CHURCHES ARE ALLOWED
REOPEN THURSDAY
Schools and Movies and Other Gath
erings, Included in Order, May
( Open Again Next Monday.

The District Commissioners today
fescinded their orders closing the
churches and other places of public
gatherings and amusements because
of the influenza epidemic.
1T was directed that the churches
may be 'reopened Thursday. October
81, thus enabling the Catholic and
Episcopal churches to celebrate All
Saints day. one of the more important
days in the church calendar, which
falls on Friday.
Schools and Movies, Monday. Z.
Theaters. motion picture houses
and public and private schools will
open under the order Monday, No
vember A. The order also lifts the
ban placed against public meetings
of all kinds, which would include
lodge meetings and other fraternal
gatherings, and public gatherings of
: all kinds.
The order was issued shortly after
u IioSN tIlS IOI HlIS, after d
meeting of the District Commission
ers. when letter from Health Off
Ger Fowler. written Monday morning,
recommending to the Commissioners
tnat the ban be raised was consider
ed The closing order has been in
force since October 3. when it was
issued as a safeguard against the
spread of the influenza epidemic.
81
The order of the Commissioners fol-
lows:
ordered: That the operation of the
Commissioners order of October 3.
1918. closing theaterS. moving picture
houses and dance halls in the District
OF Columbia for an indefinite time be
1918.
That the operation of the Commits
s.oners' order OF October 4, 1918, re-
questing the clergy of Washington to
omit all church services until further
action by the Commissioners, be ter
minated on Thursday, October 81,
191S."
Demand for Reopening of Churches
Immediately following the order
closing the churches and other places
OF public gathering, those against
whom they were directed complied
promptly in the interest of public
safety. However, after the churches
had been closed two weeks, effort was
made from time to time by the clergy
and churchmen to have the ban re-
moved, but without success. The last
effort of the clergy was made Satur-
day, when a delegation representing
the Ministerial Association, as well as
representatives of the Catholic clergy,
called on Health Officer Fowler, pre-
senting from their viewpoint the ne
cessity of opening the churches. be-
heving, they said. that the danger of
the contagion had passed.
DR.. Fowler did not entertain the
same views as the clergy. saving that
he would not recommend to the Com
missioners that the ban on the
missioners sustained Health Officer
Fowler and refused to change the or
der. Yesterday a letter protesting
against the further closing OF the
churches was received by the Com
SionerS from Mgr. Thomas Of ST. Pat
rick's Catholic Church, in which the
prelate expressed his doubt as to the
authority of the Commissioners to
close the churches
DIR. Fowler said after the order lift
ing the ban had been made public by
the Commissioners that conditions were
such now that he felt assured by the
fall in the death rate and the reduction
in the number of new cases of the dis
ease that it was safe to open the
churches this week and the opening of
the theaterS. schools and other public
gathering places Monday.