The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-12
LETTERS TO EDITOR
SUNDAY ADJUSTMENTS

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 It is usually the case that when reform ad- ministration endeavors to regulate the morals of city that they go to the extremes, and in forbidding dancing at Pershing Pier the com missioners are not only infringing upon the rights of the citizens but also deprivng the city treasury of funds that could be used to advan- tage.
 If our worthy commissioners could take an extended trip through these United States of ours and see in how many thousands of towns and cities the population enjoy the privilege not only of dancing, but also of going to see pie ture, vaudeville or even dramatic show, they certainly would be surprised
 1 have travelled for 15 years in this country, and also in Canada, and although have enjoyed the privilege many times of dancing on Sunday, and also of going to the theatres, do not think that our worthy commissioners are any better morally than I or the millions of others who have also done the same, nor do think the morals of our Birmingham citizens any bet ter than those who enjoy Sunday dancing and theatres. It is such things as dancing, bathing, theatres, etc., Sunday that are boon to the man who works hard all week, and is too tired at night to go anywhere. With Sunday
  the week without killing himself to do it.
 Strange, isn't it, that many churches in tho east and north have baseball teams that play ball on Sunday afternoons Simply going 10 church Sunday morning does not make us Christians, nor does it necessitate our giving up our pleasures. Is there any more harm in danc- ing in public Sunday, where hundreds can see us, than there is in nice long automobile rides along unfrequented places? Which do you think would be more harmful to our daughters and sons? Is there any more harm in Sunday dancing than there is for the wealthier class to enjoy their Sunday golf, tennis and automo- bile and private parties? Fie upon such ex- cuses! Why try to enforce old blue laws m these enlightened times? There are fanatics that see wrong in most anything. If our thoughts are evil we can find evil wherever we look, for if our thoughts are clean, then our amusements will be clean.
 Keep the young folks out in the open. Allow them the privilege of dancing, bathing and the theatre on Sunday, and their morality will be on a higher, plane. Forbid them their pleasures and they will nope around trying to derive some means of enjoying Sunday, which to those who have nothing to do is the longest day of the week.
 Being forbidden these clean, wholesome amusements, they invariably turn to others, and then the automobile and private parties come into vogue.
 Think it over carefully, commissioners. Which do you fully believe to be the better for ths morality of our young people of Birmingham? Allow that to be your first thought, then next will come the benefit that the city will derive from the increased earnings of the parks. Don't allow few fanatics to decide for you. Give the public chance to show that these things can be conducted in good, clean, wholesome way, and I believe you will find it will be 50. If not, you will have the privilege of closing up the places that are not properly conducted. Give it fair trial and see what the results will be.
 w. c. KING.