The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-17

vailing opinions, and the following
 Opponents Heard
 r" In order that the voting public of vote on this Issue, mass meeting was held by representative laymen, lay-women, ministers, citizens and taxpayers of the city several days ago and a number of letters, resolu- tions, petitions and facts presented and endorsed by the body, giving complete embodiment of facts and general information for the public Hugh H. Ellis, chairman of the lay mans committee. directed. the issu- ance of the information.
 Real Issue Involved
 It was accepted that the real issue involved was not whether or not dancing will be permitted at East Lake, but whether or not the city will be given the authority to run this public dance hall as promis cuous money making institution. In this connection the defeated ordin- anee was referred to. in which it was decided that the purposes of the building will be properly expressed by the name. Public Utility build ing and that the city of Birming- ham shall not conduct a municipal dance hall in this building. but that it shall serve the citizens of Bir- mingham in all legitimate ways in which they may desire to use it for their comfort, culture, or pleasure.
 This latter decision was interpreted by the hoard of commissioners to in- clude dancing, and so the building was opened with a dance, but since that time. any accredited organiza tion has been able to open it for dancing if it so desires by providing its own music and not disturbing the weli-being of the community
 Proposed Ordinance
 Following is the action requested |. by Mir. Harrison and Mrs Echols. as the minority of the present board of com nissioners:
 "Be it ordained by the commission of the city of Birmingham. that danc- ing shall be permitted at Pershing pier, at East Lake, under the rules and regulations to be made by the commissioner of public utilities and parks, and it shall be the duty of such commissioner to provide music and proper chaperonage for such dancing. and permit the same at all reasonable times"
 The committee points out that
 this ordinance. if ndopted, will
 change the name, place the
 supervision In the hands of one
 commissioner instead of the en-
 tire board, giving one man abso-
 lufe authority over 1t; will en-
 able this come,issioner to furn-
 fsh the music and chaperonage
 he desires, md alfa to charge
 what he may desiIv for music
 and door fees, will change the tz..- honorable organizations and
 groups of citizens to promis-
 cuous dance, in which immoral
 and disreputable people may par
 take for money; md, finally. that
 1t will always be open to the
 nondescript. immoral element, as
 evidenced by the fact that hun-
 dreds of women living in ques-
 H0nabIe houses in Birmingham
 are among the sfgners of the
 referendum petition.
 Attention was then called to the petition presented to the Ministerial association of the city, and signed by several hundred wives, mothers, homekeepers and business women of East Lake, which called that asso- citation to action. The petition reads as follows, and is offered for inspec- tion by any citizen:
 We, the wives, mothers, home
 keepers and business women of
 East Lake, because Of the fact
 that the city park Is situated in
 our midst, that our community.
 our homes and our property on
 this account are necessarily af-
 fected as no other. of the city
 can be; because of the fact thnt
 aH reve1ry, dissipation and i'm
 morality in this park involves
 our homes, our property and our
 famiifes-appeaI to the Minis
 ters' Association of the City of
 BirminGham, who are the right
 full guardians of the morals of
 our city. to use their utmost fn-
 fluence to prevent the opening of municipal dance hall in the park. We feel that such n dance hall. which necessarily would he
 open to all the classes of people,
 would draw to our section of the
 city the wicked. reveling, dis
 sipating portion of our popuia-
 fion, which would be undesirable
 for hny purpose, hut when they
 are drawn to a public dance ball l room, which in all ages hns been
 recognized as carrying with 1t a ! train of evils, we feel that the morals of our community will. he
 leOpardixed ana fhat these night Iy reyels and dissipation will draw hundreds of the young boys
 and girls of our community un- l der influences which nIl reason-.
 able people would estimate as
 iniurious.c
 Aside from the Pastors union. com 4 posed of the pastors of all the evan gelical churches in the city and the various denominationaf pastors con- ference, each of which have unani- moysly adopted resolutions opposing the opening of a municipal public dance hall at East Lake, the benevo- lent and disciplinary institutions of Birmingham. the women who live and hold property in the vicinity of the dance hall prominent jurists. lay men, educational institutions and others have passed resolutions oppos- ing such a step.
 Among the institutions of the dis trict to make public Announcement of the East Lake dance hall are The faculty of Birmingham-S Southern college, the faculty and board of trustees of Howard college. the Lou- lie Compton seminary. Miss Towards School for Girls. the Academy of Music. the Alabama Boys Industrial school. Birmingham Pastors union. Alabama Woman's Christian Temper Womens Missionary societies and others.
 Judge H. B. Abernethy of the Jeff ferson court of misdemeanors makes the following statement in regard to