The Washington herald., 1918-10-04
ALL THEATERS
HERE CLOSED
TO HALT GRIP
Step Taken to Avert Pos
sible Serious Stoppage
of War Work.


business inconvenience. any undue ir-
terruption of the vast program OF war
activities by reason OF the possible
spread OF Spanish influenza az the
National Capitol, the District Com
missioners have commanded every
theater and similar place OF amuse-
ment in this city to close.
The order went into effect at mid
night last night. The action was taseu
after further conference with Federal
officials. 1t follows the closing OF pub
lie schools yesterday and the postpone
ment until 10 o'clock OF the opening
of all retail stores in the city.
Managers OF theaters and places OF
amusement, including moving picture
shows and dance halls, were notified
OF the new regulations last night
They will remain in force until the
present crisis is passed.
Stops Show Prosperity.
The order will bring to an abrupt
end the present run Of several we'll
known theat companies, including
Business Before Pleasure" Flo
Flo and Look Who's Here" which
have been playing to crowded houses
II will also cause considerable disar-
washIngton's theaters.
In line with the government policy
to safeguard the health of the thou
sands OF war workers here by very
conceivable precautionary measure,
Washington, in effect, was declared a
sanitary zone yesterday by the United
States Public Health Service. DR.. H.
s Mustard, an expert Of the service,
was placed in command. II will be
operated in the same manner as the
zones placed around the military
camps.
The order closing the theaters reads:
whereas the epidemic OF influenza
in the District of Columbia by It's
rapid spread threatens to impair the
effectiveness of the machiney Of the
Federal government, and whereas the
Surgeon General of the United States
Public Health Service and the Health
officer of the District OF Columbia
have advised the Commissioners Of
the District OF Columbia that the
keeping open OF the theaters and
motion picture houses and like places
Of amusement constitute public
menace at this time: therefore be II
ordered by the Commissioners OF the
District Of Columbia that all thea
ters. motion picture houses and
dance halls be closed from and after
70 o'clock. midnight, of this day. Oc-
tober s. 1915 and remain closed until
further ordered by the Commission
crs"
Suggested by Supt. Thurston-
The action Of the Commissioners
came after the receipt of the fol
lowing letter from Ernest L. Thurs
ton, Superintendent of schools:
October 5, 1915
The Honorable Commissioners
Of the District OF Columbia.
Gentlemen:
AT conference with the entire
group Of school officers. directors. and
principals Of high and normal schools.
held this morning to consider the
situation created by the closing of
the schools on account Of the influ-
enza epidemic, I was requested to
convey to you the unanimous feeling
Of the educational admiuistra-
tive authorities that the closing of
the public schools should be i'm
mediately followed by the closing Of
all other places Of public assembly,
including theaters. motion picture
. houses. eIC, lie SCnOOl al Z
of the opinion that many of the
school children released from school
in order to reduce the danger from
| tagion at other points Of assembly,
and because of the time at their dis
posal may be the more free to at
| tend such places. The opinion was
expressed that the schools, while
having a very large enrolment, reach
only a fraction Of the entire popula-
ton of the city. From the school
standpoint a very general restriction
| OF public assembly will result in an
earlier re-opening of educational
IA cilities.
"I am requested to present this
matter purely as an expression of
the opinion OF the administrative Of
fcers Of the school system.
Very respectfully
ERNEST L. THURSTON.
superintendent of Schools
Merchants Cooperate.
Mai. Raymond w. Pullman, super,
! intendent OF police. in speaking OF th'
| admirable cooperation which tn,
stores have given the edict OF the De
partment Of Public Health ADVANCING
| following statement last night:
police reports from the variou!
precincts show that there were onl!
seventeen places in the District OF Co
lumbia yesterday which failed to com
ply with the Commissioners reques
for a delayed store opening until 1
o'clock in the morning. With one o.
two exceptions it is believed tina
most of these places failed to compl,
| because of a misunderstanding of th'
| request rather than a willful disre
gard of the same.
TT is truly commendable that bust
ness houses generally delayed thei
opening until 10 o'clock SO as to re
| lieye the congestion on the stree
| cars. While 1t will be taken TO
| granted that there will be a whole
| hearted compliance with the Commits
| sioners' request, the police will b,
| compelled to continued to check VI
places which open before 10 o'clock.
Innuensa In Camps.
| An increase in the number of new
! cases of pneumonia and in the numbe
! of deaths is shown in the reports o
! the influenza epidemic received by tn
! Surgeon General from the army campl
| yesterday. The deaths for the twenty
| four hour period ending at noon yes
| terday were 331, which is sixty mort
CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX.