The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-06-17
RALLYING
in fight
HACAINST
/ VoLIVIA!
Short Skirts and Silk Stock
ings Are Issue in Hottest
Town in America
By R J. GIBBONS

By n. ). GIBBONS
ZION CITY, Ill, June 1.-THE
hottest town in America is divided IN
IA fierce struggle.
Opposing each other are the rival
factions OF Chief Overseer Wilbur
Glenn voliva and an independent
group who have banded into vigil
lance committee OF 1000 members
There have been innumeraoie
cracked heads, Wholesale arrests ana
S1cunter-sortics on the police py
( Seiiantes.
Heading the vigilantes Is Rev
1fhon,as ". Nelson. pastor OF the
Grace Missionary church. whom
yoliva has ordered out OF town.
WOMEN AIDING
THE vIGII.ANTES
The vigiiantes have a woman
auxiliary directed by the Misses
Helen Peters, Jessie Up and Mary
G. Wheeiock. They want reuio.a'
~ stylc restrictions imposed py
yoliya. with freedom to wear SILK
hose. sheer waists and short skirts
IL they desire. The male sis"an'eS
have this platform;
Ousting OF Noliva-
state investigation OF his admins
tration OF city finances.
Control OF the public parks By the
people. -
Right TO worship as they choose
and recognition OF property rights.
Refusal to recognize the Zion mas
Of gold,' white and blue
zion City was Incorporated IN 1907
Nv John Alexander Dowie, re
Iirious leader, who settled with his
followers on a tract II miles square
Today the town numbers close 20
5000, half Of whom profess al
leriance to voliva. and have the edge
! On their independent neighbors by a
majority Of 400 votes.
ZIONISTS LEAD
sBI.UE LAW" LIFE
All true zionists lead a plainly Sc
we're life. Tho Bible IS their strict
and only code.
yoliva. as successor to Dowie, Is
absolute dictator.
He boasts that all municipal Of
ficers ARE my men. and do as
wish"
Friction started about a year ago,
when the independents increased
their number thru the arrival OF
new residents.
The Zionists resented what they
ground by the non-believers in Zion.
ground by the non-believers in ion
ISM
During the year they have enacted
a number Of blue law ordinances. oil
sponsored by Voiiva, which prohibit:
Smoking within city limits.
7 Public use of the parks, which
yoiiva claims are his.
Modern dress by women. inciud-
ing wearing Of short skirts.
Vaccination against communicable
diseases.
Moving picture shows. dances and
even sociable games Of cards.
Baseball, sale Of ice cream and
r CONNECTIONS and operation Of restau.
rants on Sunday.
Operation of drug stores within
the city.
Following PRONUNCIATION Of these
edicts. the independents raised a
] SIS, 900 defense fund. and put Rev.
4 Nelson in charge Of an offensive
against voliva.
Rev. Nelson says more than s40.-
900 has been expended paying fines
and court costs for vigila ntes who
ran counter to voliva's police.
vOLIvA DEFIES
HIS ASSAILANTS
yoliva himself. In his executive
headquarters atop the Zion home.
where he lives with his wife and
daughter. Ruth. hurled this def at
his attackers:
I'm ruler here, Those who do
not want to obey my will, will have
to get out
This city and every inch OF its
land IL consecrated to God, in the
name Of our good leader, DIR. John
Alexander Dowie, and I am his ap.
pointee to carry on the work by con.
sent Of Providence.
These insurgents who are caus
- ing so much mischief are all poach.
ers. The ground their homes stand
on belongs to me. All their property
is held under leases, and I, az over.
seer Of Zion, hold the title and fee
simple 10 the land.
They'll never drive us OUT he
continued. Zion is an eternal city.
1t will always endure"
But all this agitation Is a sign of
the umes-the unrest of sex and ma
tons.
women are at the bottom of IL.
They have stepped from their place
in the home. where they rightfully
belong as a helpmate OF man. and
k2their wild play is bringing disaster.
N"Why. see their immoral clothesl
Those frightful dresses, those shame
less silk stockings. and all those
other disgusting lures which they use
to drag men to their ruin!
I'VE do not want such in Zion. We
will not have what liz unclean. That's
why tobacco was banned. That's
why we have no medicine, no doc
tors. no amusements that corrupt.
My police are on the guard. Ev.
cry dissent shall be thrust back in
to the world of sin. Zion does not
belong to the world"
Regarding Voliva's assertion that
b. owns tho town and all its land.