Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-27

again. Inc letter IOllOWS: "a,
''I am about to call meeting OF the
Special Service Committee on Dancing
and Amusements. Before do so,
however, I would like to get in touch
with you and learn just what we are
doing or expect to do during the present
season in the way of censoring dance
halls, hotels, ETC., Of the city. II you
can arrange to meet me sometime In
the near future, shall be very CRATE
full to you"
This letter was as fruitless Of result
as the others had been, Mr.. McHenry
says. After two months Of silence on
the part Of Mr.. Baxter Mr.. McHenry
prepared long letter in which he de-
manded Of the chief what had been done
or was proposed to be done "in the
matter of restraining present conditions
in the city,"
He called the attention Of Mr.. Baxter
to feeling of bewilderment on the part
of the committee as to what their func.
ton might really be.
Very much to my surprise" wrote
Mr.. McHenry, II learned from an in
direct source that Miss Walz and you
have been conducting q sort OF investi-
CATION in connection with certain dance
halls in Philadelphia, but that the
committee as q whole knew nothing
whatever Of the matter. Naturally we
feel that an explanation is due u.s.
Baxter Broke Long Silence
Fifteen days later, Mr.. McHenry re-
ceived his first communication from
Mr., Baxter since the formation Of the
committee, he said. The letter made no
reference to the solicitations Of Mr..
McHenry for an appointment, but
stated merely that on the day after it's
receipt demonstration dance" would
be given at West Philadelphia dance
hall. The committee, Mr.. Baxter
wrote, had been invited by the man.
agement to attend.
"That seemed to me- said Mr..
McHenry. Ito be somewhat irrelevant
to the function Of the committee. Had
notice, would have attended the
dance. But as it was could not. /
| learned afterward from q source there
can be no contradicting, the proprietor
of the hall himself. that the invitation
! had been given to Mr.. Baxter and Miss
Walz, a couple of months previously"
About a fortnight ago Mr.. Whitman
carried the complaint Of Chairman
Baxter's asserted inactivity to Mayor
Moore. The Mayor explained that the
Sesqui- Centennial had crowded some
other extra official activities Of his de.
partment somewhat aside, but promised
that meeting of the committee would
be called shortly at which an attempt
would be made to reach definite un-
derstanding between the committee and
| its chairman. The date of this meet
ing has not yet been announced.
Dancing o. X, Says Baxter
When the charges of Mr.. McHenry
! and others of the committee were laid
before Chief Baxter, he made a fiat
denial that there had been any i'm
morality in the dance halls Of the city
during the season just closing.
There were two reasons he said,
why I did not call another meeting OF
! the committee. One was the difficulty
of getting the committee together; 1t is
almost impossible to get SO many per
sons Of such varied interests in one
place at a given date. Mr.. McHenry
seems to be complaining loudest, but
he didn't even attend the one meeting
we had.
"Also saw no reason why the com
mittee should be brought together again
Immediately. Any one of them was
| free to make any investigation he or she
chose and my Office was always open
for the receiving of complaints, and any
| one or the COmmlttee was Tree 10 see
me at almost any time.
THE only member Of the committee
| who brought me any complaints was
Mr.. whitman, and those were promptly
investigated.
II say that there has been next to
no rowdy dancing in Philadelphia
during the present season. ! have been
closely in touch with things and have
gone to many Of the dance halls to look
things over. Miss Walz drew up a set
of rules for what she considered good
| form in dancing and we sent them to
every dance hall and hotel owner in the
city. Those rules are being followed.
Wild Dancing Taboo Now
THE wilder forms of dancing have
gone out of fashion anyhow. One rea v
son Is that the music is changing, but
/ think what has done more good than
anything, else has been the talks Miss
Walz gave in various parts of city,
and is now giving in New York.
We've got to handle this problem
in a sensible way, you know. Some
Of the complaints that come to me are
from interested sOurces--like some
dancing masters who want to bring
prejudice against rivals, but in every
case investigation has been made either
been working in close cooperation.
"The procedure has been, when
couldn't go myself. to call on the spe-
cial officer of the district adjoining the
one in which the dance was to be
given. That would more or less elimi-
nate any objection that the dance hall
owners could influence the district
police leaders. suppose ! have made
dozens of such assignments and not
once have | heard from any special OFF,
ser so assigned that he found anything
wrong.
"Mr. McHenrs did write me a num-
Der of letters but since they contained
only accusation that Miss Walz and
myself were trying to run the whole
show and to cheat him of the glory, I
hardly thought there was any need to
answer them. If Mr.. McHenry wanted
to see me he might have come to my
cffce at almost any hour.
81 didn't ask for this job, but I'm
trying to do my best with it, in spite
of the fact that I've got probably the
busiest bureau in the city service to
run.
"As I understand things. this busi-
ness of investigating dance halls is only
n minor phase Of the work of this com
mittee. The real work is the organ
ization of community dances, and that
will begin when the weather grows
warm enough for outdoor assemblies
and so on.
II intend to cali the committee to-
gether in week or so for the purpose
Of getting It stprted on the summer
stf5 ttiti ,sf.. ~ Ss