The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-12-16
COMMISSIONERS
ALLOW SHOWING
OF FIGHT PICTURE
After Heated Discussion and
a Three to Two Vote Show
ing of Picture Authorized.
Half for Charity


Resolutions authorizing the show
ing Of the Dempsey Carpenter prize
fight picture in Birmingham with
one-half of the proceeds to go to the
elief OF the unemployed was adopted
by the city commission after a heated
discussion at an adjourned meeting
held yesterday afternoon. The vote
was three to two in favor OF show
ing the picture. Commissioners d. E.
McLendon, w, L. Harrison and Mrs.
Mary Echols voting for and Commits
sioners w. L. Dickson and w. b cloe
voting against.
War was apparently declared I'm :
mediately upon presentation OF the
resolution by Commissioner Harrison,
who stated that 1t was not introduced
for the purpose of making any OF
the commissioners reverse their for
mer vote taken on this matter. lie
declared the unemployed situation in
Birmingham was acute and 1t was for
the purpose of relieving this situa-
ton that the resolution was intro
duced. At that point Commissioner
Dickson stated he would vote against
the resolution as he was opposed to
showing any fight pictures here.
Picture Is Clean
President McLendon stated he was
rot q prize fight enthusiast and did
not believe that one man should de-
velop his muscles on some other mans
face but that this picture was as
clean as it could be made, and Mr..
Rudolph, the promoter is offering to
give the city so per cent OF the pro-
ceeds for the unemployed, IL he would
vote for it. If he voted against the
showing OF this picture, he declared,
he would feel that he was taking
food out of the mouths of these peo-
pie.
Commissioner Dickson stated he
could not believe 1t was right to show
this picture and he offered an amend
ment to the motion for the adoption
OF the resolution that $4,000 be APP
propriated from the general fund for
this purpose. This amendment was
lost by vote of three to two, Com
missloners McLendon. Harrison and
Mrs. Echols voting against It. Com
missioners Dickson and Cloe favored
1t. similar amendment for an APP
preparation of $4,000 lost by the same
vote.
Not n Selfish Reason
Commissioner Harrison arose at
this point and declared he was sorry
If the presentation of this resolution
was going to bring hard feelings
among the commissioners and the only
reason he favored its adoption was
because it would bring something in
for the needy and was by no means
for a selfish reason. EVEN though
a person does not believe in the show
ing of the picture L can't see why
they can't vote for it for this reason
and / think Commissioner Dickson
only offered the amendments as re-
taliation measure" said Mr.. Harri-
son. HE seems to be taking much
interest in the unemployed situation
this afternoon and | know he is do
ing that to rebuff my proposition. Ii
he will make a motion to give that
amount out of the general fund to
supplement the amount received from
the picture then / will vote for 1t in
case this resolution Is passed"
Cnmouflnse Suggested
In replying to Commissioner HIar-
rison, Commissioner Dickson said: II
don't put much confidence in people
who are promoting this thing here
being interested in our unemployed.
/ think 1t is camouflage and some of
our well meaning men have fallen
for that. / am not lmpunging the
members of the commission because
l believe you have allowed the ap-
peal for the unemployed to strike you
so hard that you are doing today
what you said was wrong yesterday.
You have allowed that appeal to carry
too much weight with you. II ] am
absolutely convinced that am wrong
then l am willing to admit 1t.
believe that men in public positions
above all men should have backbone
enough when they take a stand to
stand by it and l have not heard a
single commissioner say that the po-
sition he took yesterday was wrong.
You cannot hide behind the excuse
that it is for the unemployed. We
can license vice or put on any kind
of picture that you please IL you want
money and when l know 1 am wrong
by voting not to allow the showing
of this picture then l will vote to
show them every day in the week ex :
cept Sunday"
Woman's Privilege
Mrs. Echols took the floE~ follow
ing Mr.. Dickson. After the seath-
ing remarks of Commissioner Dick
SON." she said. Il want to say as for
changing my mind that is my priv
ilege since / am a woman. However,
want to say that have not changed
my mind but voted against the show
ing of the picture because / had told
Mrs. Wallace, the theatre inspector,
that / would uphold her in this mat
ter. She has told me she did not hold
me to that promise. AS far as the
N 10 fu
it can be and / have seen 1t. II /
thought that there was anything OBJ
jectionable in it or anything that
would in any way hurt the morals
OF our young men end women / would
let everybody go hungry and | would
90 hungry myself before l would vote
to show this picture. You don't know
how bad the situation is here and we
VIII probably have to have that ap-
iropriation from the general fund ju st
the same to care for our unemployed
before the winter is over"
Il do not like to take back water"
said Mr.. McLendon, but when It
comes to helping the needy in our
midst l am for it. With a few thou
sand dollars we can make lots of peo-
pie happy here"
Had Good Reason
Commissioner Cloe stated he voted
against the proposition before and he
had good reason for doing so and
would do the same thing again. lie
stated that the American Legion was
rafting off an automobile for the
wounded men in the local hospitals
but that it was against the law and
he had to stop it. If you are golnr;
to allow one then why not allow the
rafting, he asked.
He then turned to President Nc
Lendon and asked il he would license
gambling just to raise funds to. care
for the unemployed. Mr. McLendon
stated he would not do that but would
help out of his salary. Commissioner
Harrison replied that the things men
toned by Mr.. Cloe were violations of