The Washington herald., 1922-06-08
Hindering the Preachers.
To the Editor. The Washington Herald:

To the Editor. The Washington Herald:
As I have been a reader of The
Herald for four years / have been
much interested in the Open Court
letters to The Herald. and would
like a little space to protest against
what TO me seems like an unrea-
sohable and unjust demand.
/ am a property owner. tax
payer and am therefore interested
in the welfare of the people. and
especially tfeir spiritual welfare.
Would further say that / belong to
a church of which denomination
there are several in the city.
Section 4 of Article y of an order
of the Commissioners of the Dis
trict OF Columbia. dated May 2. 1929
amending the police regulations of
the District of Columkil f. amend
ed to read in part as follows: NO
vacant lot. temporary structure Of
any kind or lot or part of lot apurt-
enant to any building inside the FIRE
limits OF the District of Columbia
shall be used or permitted by the
owner or person in control thereof
to be used for any kind OF amuse-
ment,. performance, carnival. sing
ing. playing of musical or other in
III CdNAAAASs ca
horting or lecturing without first
obtaining the consent in writing of
three-fourths of the resident house
keepers in the block where the
same is to be conducted and in the
block or blocks confronting the said
block. Like consents of three
fourths of the property owners must
be obtained in the areas described
A plat must be submitted with the
application showing the location or
the proposed place of amusement or
lot, the names Of the householders
and property owners in the blocks
where consents are necessary and
the location of these properties,
Outside of the FIRE limits
or where property has not been
subdivided like consents shall be
had in writing Of three-fourths of
the resident housekeepers and
three -fourths of the owners of real
estate within 1000 feet Of any part
Of the park. field or inclosure in
which it is proposed to conduct any
of the performances aforesaid:
plats to. accompany the application
as provided above"
Now. the point I am getting at is
this: request was sent in with
the signatures of ninety-seven resi-
dent housekeepers. out OF ninety
eight approached. for the privilege
of holding a religious tent meeting.
After a few days / was called to the
police station and informed that
the requirements for permits OF this
kind were as above described and
that a plat would have to be sub
mitted. Going to the Surveyors Of
fee 1 was informed that a plat
would cost $40. An appeal was
made to the Commissioners to waive
that part demanding a plat costing
$40 and three-fourths Of the sigma
lures of the property owners. They
In turn referred us to the police
department. who in turn said all the
requirements would have to be COM
piled with. Now, as we haze seen
six, carnivsls on and near Florida
avenue In the last six weeks and not
single gospel tent, this demand
does not seem reasonable or just.
and especially as no damage would
be done to property, and only bless
ings could come to the people.
II the preaching Of the gospel
will be hindered. the woe can be
expected that Jesus pronounced in
Matt. 2s:13, when He said. "woe
unto you scribes and pharisees. hyp-
ecritesi for ye shut up the kingdom
of heaven against men for ye nei-
'ther go in yourselves. neither suffer
ye them that are entering to go In"
c. n +.