Arizona republican., 1921-01-31
CHURCH MEETING. CENTERS ATTACK
 IN DANCE HALLS
Speaker On Reform Threat ems Action Against Pro- prietors = Dancing Over shadows Other Topics

Charging law enforcement officers of Phoenix and Maricopa county with violations of their duty for failure to enforce the state statute prohibiting public dances, M. L. Stewart, speaking at a public reform meeting" at the Central Methodist church yesterday afternoon, declared that he would seek indictments before the county grand jury, when ii is next called into ses- sion, against every dance hall operator in the county.
 Unless officers take steps to stamp out this evil, as provided by our state laws, I promise you that I will go be- fore the grand jury when it is sum moned and ask indictments against every 1aw-violating concern in Marico- pa county" Mir. Stewart declared. This declaration came at the conclusion of a short talk. in which he attacked pub lie dance halls as the source of many social and moral ills
 Our peace officers are guilty of negligence when they permit public dance halls to operate in open defiance to a state statute directed against such places, Mir. Stewart declared. Some thing must be done to enforce this law and save our boys and girls.
 Only last night I visited one of the leadinig amusement places of Phoenix where public dancing was in progress. There | saw young girls and young men dancing. their faces against each other. the shoulders, bosoms, hips and knees touching, and the lights turned down so low that you could not possi- feet away from you. We're asleep at the switch, I tell you, and we must take steps to abate the evil" nf afternoon in which direct charges were made Other speakers on the program confined themselves, largely, to gen. | eral resume of dance hall evils. but | infrequently did they make any at tempt to fix the blame for alleged i'm moral conditions
 Other Problems Not Mentioned In all of the addresses the dance question overshadowed other so called vice problems that have been made matters of public moment during the past few weeks. Only one speaker made any mention of segregated dis tricts. and he only referred to it in the light of a social evil.
 County Attorney R. E. l.. Shepherd had been announced as the principa speaker of the afternoon, but he wal | not present. It is believed that h' i failed to reach Phoenix from Chicago where he has been for the past twt weeks on business. in time for thu session.
 Speakers during the afternoon, il addition to MT. Stewart were Dr. Ar thur Lee ODen pastor of the Firs Presbyterian church; pr. James n Stavely, pastor of the First Methods church. and Rev. O'Coanor, father o the anti-school dance bill and pastor o the Baptist church at Stafford
 At the end of the public meeting delegates from the churches of tn county met in business session to per feet a permanent organization. Tn purpose of this organization, it vza declared. will be to conduct an az gressive and energetic warfare on al forms of vice. Officers elected were Dr. Fl. A. Hughes. president: J. Stan Hey Howard. vice. president: Arthur R Taylor. secretary; N. A. Lytle treas urer and M. l.. Stewart. publicity di : rector.
 Following discussion it was decide that an executive committee. consist ; Ing of one member from each churc In the county, would be named at ? meeting next Sunday.