Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-06-20

TIMELY ACTION

Is Perth Amboy to have a wide-open Fourth of July this
year? HOS
Has the "safe and sane' idea been abandoned?
Apparently nothing has been done toward providing for
n municipal celebration of the nations birthday and because
this feature has been neglected it would seem as if the ban
was going to be lifted on everything and Perth Amboy was
to be thrown back into the old custom of racket, fires, injuries
and deaths
This is no way to celebrate the Glorious Fourth.
Never before have explosives been so deadly, yet simply
because the Fourth of July is approaching the authorities wiL
permit dealers to place dynamite and other explosives that
are even worse, in the hands of children to do with it as they
please. At any other time of the year should a twelve year old
boy enter a store and ask for a half pound of dynamite he
would be laughed at and the merchant would take good care
that the youngster did not get hold of the deadly stuff. But
take that same deadly stuff and do it up in cylinder shape pack
ages with a read paper amound it and, presto! it at once be-
comes a mere toy to be handed out to any boy or girl who has
the price to pay for it.
And we call this patriotism.
But do we?
What happened during the third week in June in the
history of the United States that would cause us to celebrate,
even if we are willing to admit that killing and manning chill
dren is a fitting form of celebration?
Today from one end of the city to the other explosives
in one form or another are going off absolutely in violation OFF
the city ordinances and right under the noses of the authori-
ties, yet not a policeman lifts a finger to stop it.
Mayor Dorsey said yesterday that the matter was entirely
up to the police. AT the same time Chief Burke gave notice
that he would put an end to the nuisance forthwith.
1t is about time.
There should not be the slightest hesitation on the part
of the police department in carrying out the threat of Chief
Burke to coniscate the entire stock of explosives of any mer-
chant caught selling such goods at this time. And it ought not
to be hard TO locate the guilty ones. Any child can give the
necessary information and quick action should follow
The merchants handling the explOsirsssS bovo takan ad-
vantage of the good nature of the 5aormea nave ia en taken sd =
recommendation of the indiri1 COMMITTEES in granting per-
h hssno w ~ : H19cIt pistols, canes and s%parklers for one week
- evv Fourth. Because they have abused that privilege
ana have proceeded to flood the town with all kinds OF fire
crackers which were not even included In the PERMISSION 1r
the week preceding the Fourth they are deserving OF no sym
patty whatever. The aldermen must realize their mistake In
even granting such concessions as they did by this time.
The old time Fourth of July celebration OF noise and
confusion with its long casualty list the following day has
passed. All over the country it is being abandoned and a new
and more patriotic form OF celebrating has taken It's place.
Perth Amboy was among the first cities in New Jersey to adopt
the 'safe and sane idea and it is to be regretted that 1t IS
apparently to be abandoned now.
Perhaps il ii S not too late yet for the authorities to arrange
for some sort of municipal celebration on the night OF the
Fourth to show that Perth Amboy is not Indifferent to the ma
ions birthday altogether.
OF course. we have our big welcome home' celebration
N June 80 which is going to be a gala occasion. The govern
o's recommendation was that every community hold this eel
ebration on the Fourth of July as q fitting way to celebrate thel
nations birthday. Perth Amboy did not see tit to follow this
suggestion, but that is no reason why the Fourth OF July should
be ignored entirely.
In the meantime, let us remember that the Fourth OF July
is a date permanently fixed on the calendar and there is no
excuse whatever for any semblance of a celebration during the
third or fourth week in June. &f
Shooting off explosives now means absolutely nothing.
Even the small boy fOrgets all about the Fourth of July by the
premature racket and noise
1t is gratifying to know that the authorities are at last
aroused to the situation. But it has been ignored so long that
tits going to be hard to stop it now. Only drastic action will
suffice and it is expected that every step will be taken to see
that the city ordinance is obeyed. A few striking examples of
law enforcement would have the desired effect, perhaps, both
on the merchants selling the explosives and the children who
are firing them off.
AS a pacemaking city Perth Amboy should not go back
ward when it comes to the celebration of the Fourth of July.