Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-21
Continental Hotel
Loses License

Continued from Page One
either with or without music, vocal or
Instrumental
In conclusion we think Il necessary
10 say that, in the consideration OF other
pettions for licenses, the applicants
nave advertised to the well known fact
that dancing to the accompaniment Of
music, Is practiced in respectable hotels
ana that the law should operate uni
formly without favor The correctness
OF this reasoning is undeniable. and oe
nave not minated that the rules laid
down by us may be disregarded by any
one. The reasonable use Of instrumental
music may have n beneficial effect, but
The extension OF the am mrscment features
10 places licensed for the sale of llauor
produces consequences injurious to the
individual and to the community.
After mature consideration of the
evidence, argument of counsel and the
facts which are known to the court we
are Of opinion that this license should
not be granted, and it is accordingly re-
fused"
Hotel Men To Take Action
The opinion of the license court for
bidding singing and dancing in licensed
hotels will work serious hardship on
the hotels in this city, prominent man
ayers said today.
The opinion of the court has been
! awaited with interest. A meeting of the
Hotel Mems Association will be called
by President j. Miller Frazier. of the
Bellevue-StratfOrd Hotel. within Il few
days TO consider the question.
There can be no doubt about its in
iuring our business" said Manager Bon
ner, of the Ritz-Carlton. However. IL
we are told to eliminate all dancing and
singing, | guess VI will have to do so"
None of the managers would comment
upon the new order. They all said il
would take some days of consideration
before they could give out any definite
estimate as to exactly what il would
mean to them.
ut will not be so bad Ait is univer-
sally enforced" one man said.
1T means an enormous loss to us all
even though it is universally enforced :"
said another.
A statement will be issued by the
hotel men after the meeting to be
held either this W. or in the first
part of next week. They all are appar-
emily planning to follow the order, II
| Is possible some other form of enter
tainment, agreeable to the license court.
will be substituted for the cabaret.
Opinion Covers Every Phase
Judges Shoemaker and Vessel in their
| opinion covering every phase of the
question of the legality of coupling
dancing and singing with liquor selling,
'o'''teu out "'"' nary "a I'ChUlah nled
% %".o "pl'Iio"tloi ~ '", res Sui"r way. but
,p,. 10. q ,Il.o,'o.' nn.c h'o petii rled al
~ iins,, '',, so ~ pet'.,o'ei WINE noidlng
| - - o 1,. ou"o Pt'oe uurlhs the
H., "rS suIiy VI Noia'iohS OF
af o,,,',to,,'o,,t - - .,' 'tpliIcu piace
! ises Jo ~ sti,I H. hoSaa', Sc .I prem
ont ,,censo fo, tbat nrn,,o,,,, ny, ri prs
cadinp Iiccrso imdgos M'rt;r 10y ,,,e
letter on Eebru, rv wnrn ,,a,i,ia' 'a,u = ~ ~
revoke bis Iicensc hut 81 . p,,t.o,.'u ~ ~
| submitted to the nresent Iiconso -,
comnosed of differont iudtros a..
| all the facts might he consIderod h,, ''', ,,'
in determining tho ouestion 90 ti,S Us vs.
| neval of Eckman's license"
The opinion COOS int a dosori,,;, -,
the licensed property. the history ~ ,Ld
old hotel and the MANY nhaees tbro,,cb
which il has passed since its ESTABLISH.
ment almost as a landmark of the civ
The judges specify that the main room
for patrons has all the appearance of n
dance hall with the added accomnoda
ton of a saloon. The important oues-
| ton which arose in the annli,Ation for
a renewal the court states was MAY
a licensee TO sell Iia,.or permit dancing
and music on the licensed premises?"
In deciding this proposition in the
negative the Judges point out what the
| intended policy of the Commonwealth
/ is in regard to the liauor-selling privi.
leges and the decisions of prior license
Judges are quoted extensively. One OF
the latter was the weli-known dictum
laid down by Judge Breezy and Sulz
berger, who said, Licenses to give dra.
matte and other artistic performances
are of an order entirely different from
tavern licenses"
"When a hungry or thirsty man needs
to eat or drink, he does not require the
stimulus of music or artistic perform.
ances or dancing. TO aid his appetite
ON the other hand, we know it is 9
well-known custom that young mer
frequently favor young ladies by en-.
abling them to visit places where music
and the drama are to be enjoyed These