Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1919-01-28
LEGAL ADVICE FOR CIVIC LEAGUE
IN BLUE SUNDAY LAW FIGHT HERE
League Held Another Meeting
Last Night and Statements
Come as Result
FIGHT TO GO TO TRENTON
Mr.. Wake. Says Wrong I'm
preston Was Given in Meet
ing With Mayor

The controversy between the forces
opposed to and the forces seeking to
bring about the opening of the thea
tres of this city on Sundays was re-
sumed last night when the committee
of three appointed by the members
of the League for Civic Betterment
to investigate the affair of Sunday
last met. The whole matter of Sun
day movies was discussed and 1t
was finally decided to secure legal
advice before carrying the war any
Joseph F. Walker, president of the
League for Civic Bctterment, in u
statement this morning said:
The league rs not trying to grow
wings on the city, as has been stated,
but is simply endeavoring to, trim
some of its horns. The league did
not oppose the election of Mr.. Dorsey
as head of the city, because at the
time of the election the league had
not yet been formed, and furthermore
when the league was created the
members drew up and unanimously
passed a resolution to the effect that
they would do all in their power to
assist Mayor Dorsey In the perform
ance of his duties. The reason that
this resolution was not sent to the
mayor was because the secretary of
the league was sick at the time, which
has already been explained to the
mayor"
Mr.. Walker also declared that
This is not the first time that NOV
ing picture theatres have been open
in this city on Sunday. My fight did
not start with the opening of the Dit
mas on last Sunday, but commenced
about three years ago when on some
occasions there were four theatres in
this city showing movies" on the
same Sunday. 1t has been the policy
l. H. q
have them, whether legal or Illegal,
legitimate or illegitimate, as one show
has advertised at every performance
We will eventually have Sunday
movies In Perth Amboy; why not
now2'"
Mr.. Walker also remarked, Both
Mayor Dorsey and Mr.. Miller admit
ted they would be liable to indictment
by grand jury for permitting the show
TO occur but nevertheless Mr. Miller.
when informed of that fact. said that
the show could go on just the same.
Also Mr.. Miller said that he was per-
fectly willing to rent the theatre to
people wishing to have perfectly legi-
innate shows and that he was aware
that the show on Sunday was within
the law, but how was the show on
Sunday legitimate when he knew he
was apt to be brought before the
grand jury? The mayor acknowledges
his duties and says he will enforce in
full the so-called Blue Laws of the
state. and the league also stands for
the full enforcement of the law even
If it goes Is far as the mayor declares
he will IN erpret IT."
ALSO the mayor wondered what
the people would do on Sunday in the
way of amusement and 1t was only a
few Sundays ago that he urged the
people of the city to support the War
nv I'm N o
out In large numbers at their sings
on Sunday afternoons, and many
took his good advice. The objection
is not SO strongly against Sunday mo-
vies' as opposed to anything else, but
is against the commercialization of
the Sabbath. If the moving pictures
are allowed to be open on Sunday
then everything else will have that
same privilege. and the result will be
n wide open town. The matter Is up
to the people of the city to decide
whether they will stand for the en-
forcement of law and order or wheth-
er they wish a 'continentaf Sabbath" :"
Mr.. Walker remarked today that
when he was in conference with
Mayor Dorsey yesterday morning that
the executive of the city. referring
to the manager of the theatre that
was open on Sunday, said that the
man was a lunkhead. because it had
been agreed that there would be no
Eund~y. movies I'm Perth Amboy un-
uI the bill before the state legislature
had been passed at Trenton. The
mayor told Mr.. Walker that III. S.
Medinets. the lawyer for the theatrt-
cal union. had told him that fact and
that the manager of the Ditmas had
kicked over the traces.
The controversy brought a state
ment from a Democratic member of
the League for Civic Betterment, fol-
fow/
81 do not know the oath that a
mayor takes when he enters into Of
fee. but on general priciple, I sup
pose he pledges his honor TO enforce
the law including the recent order Of
Justice James j. Bergen. Why then
instruct the police to keep hands Off
when lawlessness is self-evident? If
the League for Civic Betterment was
organized TO grow wings on the peo-
pie of Perth Amboy perhaps some
body better get busy and organize a
leageu TO grow horns" The League
for Civic Betterment needs opposi-
ton to live. Watch IL grow, Mr..
Mayor!"
(Continued on page 81